Do graphics cards give you the edge?

[desbo]

Hey guys
Been wondering for a while, do the latest and greatest wizz bang graphics cards do ANYTHING to give you a competitive edge? I would imagine that the ping time and quality of connection is probably the critical issue. Do graphics cards then just improve the rendered detail of the scene to make the experience more "immersive". In other words, for all the fuss made about $1000 cards is it all just a wank? Why do we need more than 24fps anyway? Beyond that speed the human eye can't discern the difference anyway. Hollywood is happy with that speed. Does ADSL have an edge over 56k with regards to being competitive, or does bandwidth translate to having extra FPS eyecandy? I can see that rendering is important for snipers to see the enemy at a distance. Regardless of all that, I never seem to be quick enough on the draw on the Aussie DFBHD servers! Drat, drat and double drat!

That's all folks
Desbo

[Dr. Bullet]

At the moment, I would say that the $500+ cards are a waste. There's nothing as far as gaming goes which requires their power.

Something [relatively] cheap like a 9800 Pro does perfect

[Hellfighter]

it counts
1.) amount of Ram in the system.
2.) graphics card 256mb card.
3.) Connection speed higher is better.
4.) System speed higher is good. like 1.400mhz and up is better 2800mhz is even better.

[atholon]

Dr. B is right. Except I'd say 9800XT

I saw a fireGl or something that was 512mb and it was like $1000

[Dr. Bullet]

That flippin' card costs $400...screw that

[atholon]

So

Wonder how much a X800 costs.

[EL_BASTARDO]

I paid £350 for a X800xt PE

the hardest part was getting hold of the buggers

[Dr. Bullet]

Holy sh*t!!! I wish I had £350

[atholon]

I do but not to spend on a freggin video card!!!!!

[zza1pqx]

I went from an athlon 900 with a 9200 128 meg nvidea card to an FX-53 with a 9800XT 256meg card.
Of course it gives you an edge to have a good solid card.
The better the card the less processing power given up to support your game.
If a card can bleed 100+fps out of a game then your gameplay will be smoother and where you point your mouse is where you shoot, when you want to shoot it.
Internet gaming does not shoot all the games information over the web, just the salient stuff that enables you to interact and that is not as much informtaion as you might think.

Of all the things that made my gaming better, it was when I got my first light mouse. But I would by lieing if I said that having a [great] machine hasn't helped me no end too.
With this PC I can fly much better in battlefield. I can see shadows of planes chasing me, I can hear exactly where they are in relation to me with the 7.1 sound, and if lots and lots of things are happening, my PC doesnt judder to a halt.
I can raise the resolution so I can see things better, and I don't need to increase the fog settings just so my machine can handle the game.

There are limits though, a super top-end $1000 card is pointless unless the game requires something like it to run. DX9 fully compliant cards were out long before half life 2 and doom 3 (the first games to actually need them for the full effect) came out.

at 24 fps the eye cannot discren if you are looking at a movie but if you card can only produce that then it can only drop.
A challenge to the eye. Drop your monitor refrsh rate as low as it will go (probably 60hz) and then put it back up to say 100hz.
You can see the difference immediatly.
Thaose refrsh rates are infinitley faster than a games FPS.
[edited]

[spinal]

Originally posted by EL_BASTARDO
I paid £350 for a X800xt PE

the hardest part was getting hold of the buggers

you could of got a "OcUK ATI Radeon X800 XT 256MB DDR3 TV-Out/DVI (PCI-Express)" for £234.94

[Hellfighter]

it count if you using a old mother broad and a newer type of graphic card, it may still work the same AGP is older virsion on some mother broads, they work hand to hand.

be nice the AGP can be upgraded on the mother broad to the times too.