best video card for hl2 source engine?

[hoRRex]

Like the title says whats th best video card for the source engine?
Im planning on getting an ati 2900xt because from what iv seen the benchmarks are better on the source engine than the 8800gts which is about the same price bracket, either way im going to buy tf2 so it seems like the 2900 would be the best choice as it comes with it. The only games id like to run at the highest FPS are all source engine games (FF, TF2, CSS, DODS) im not really concerned as much about other games if they run a little slower i wouldnt concern me, Im just looking for the best video card for the source engine.

http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphi...=778&chart=284

the link above is of a comparison of the 2900xt and 8800gts 320 in one of the latest source engine games Dark Massiah.

[Sureshot]

I have an 8800GTS 320. In FF I usually don't drop below 150fps, and regularly max out at 300. This is in 1280x1024 with 4xMSAA and everything on high. The only time it dipped recently was on Palermo, where it was ducking down in the larger areas to about 80-90 with a lot going on. If I turn AA off, it pretty much won't go below 100fps, which I've tested for quite a while in CS:S also.

I even tried 16xAA when I was taking some screenshots on Well, and was only dropping below 100 on the odd occasion.

I haven't tried that many other source games with this card yet, bar the usual suspects (a bit of DOD:S, for example), but Bioshock runs as smooth as you would like in the same resolution and everything on high detail, although it's obviously based on the UT3 engine.

Originally Posted by Sureshot

I have an 8800GTS 320. In FF I usually don't drop below 150fps, and regularly max out at 300. This is in 1280x1024 with 4xMSAA and everything on high. The only time it dipped recently was on Palermo, where it was ducking down in the larger areas to about 80-90 with a lot going on. If I turn AA off, it pretty much won't go below 100fps, which I've tested for quite a while in CS:S also.

I even tried 16xAA when I was taking some screenshots on Well, and was only dropping below 100 on the odd occasion.

I haven't tried that many other source games with this card yet, bar the usual suspects (a bit of DOD:S, for example), but Bioshock runs as smooth as you would like in the same resolution and everything on high detail, although it's obviously based on the UT3 engine.

where do you control the AA options in half-life?

[TurboWolf]

Video options, lol.

[Toughsox]

While the cards mentioned here will all work, in my opinion, you are going to go out and buy a card that will play these games just fine and all, which is good. However, they will barely run some of the upper end games that are out now, most notably Supreme Commander.

Might I suggest saving a few extra coins and going top-end, that way when more new games come out, you willbe able to fly through them just as well as the specs you are talking about now.

Why spend $200-$300 on a card when, if you wait a couple more months, the higher end cards will have come down somewhat....and in that time you could save a few extra bucks to afford them.

And yes, this coming from someone with a BFG 8800GTX OCx2

[Sureshot]

Supreme Commander is a bit of an unfair one though, as it eats most setups for breakfast at higher detail levels. At lower levels, I even managed to run it acceptably on my old X800XL before I upgraded (haven't tried it with this card yet).

And, as mentioned, Bioshock runs great with this 8800GTS. When I tried the Lost Planet demo it did also.

[Fail]

Originally Posted by Toughsox

While the cards mentioned here will all work, in my opinion, you are going to go out and buy a card that will play these games just fine and all, which is good. However, they will barely run some of the upper end games that are out now, most notably Supreme Commander.

Might I suggest saving a few extra coins and going top-end, that way when more new games come out, you willbe able to fly through them just as well as the specs you are talking about now.

Why spend $200-$300 on a card when, if you wait a couple more months, the higher end cards will have come down somewhat....and in that time you could save a few extra bucks to afford them.

And yes, this coming from someone with a BFG 8800GTX OCx2

Because that philosophy means you'll never get a video card because you're always waiting.

[Toughsox]

Agreed Sureshot.....SC is an unfair comparison as without a good DuoCore, you barely squeak by......just using that as a reference as to whats out there right now.
And Fail, while I dont disagree with you, as there is always something newer and cheaper, at some point you have to take the plunge. I was only weighing different options if what a person currently has still works, then Id wait till I could afford the best instead of getting something thats still fairly expensive vs waiting till the last possible moment that you jump in and get something worth getting that will last ya a couple of years.
Although, at close to $600, this thing better last for more then 2 years..... dont think the Mrs. will let me splurge like that again any time soon.