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View Full Version : HD video cards = what numbers compared to non HD cards


Rowdysattva
09-12-2008, 01:44 AM
There is a thread linking this comp ('http://www.gateway.com/systems/product/529668103.php#techspecs') and saying it can 5 box wow just fine. Its Gateway's GT5692 model if you are not wanting to click the link.



The video card for this thing is: ATI® Radeon™ HD 3200 Integrated Graphics with up to 256MB of Shared
Video Memory


How does this compare to nvidia 8800 cards? I am not sure how to compare or relate the numbers between HD and non HD cards. In general how good of a HD card do you need to 5 box with wow. I have read that the 4850 is great but may be overkill. I have even read that the 8800 is a bit much for wow.


Also as far as i know the gateway machine video is integrated and so you could add another video card to it if needed?
wowphreak
09-12-2008, 02:00 AM
Generally speaking I would shy away from itergrated graphics card due to the way they use memory basically there gonna use a nice chunk of yer main memory.

WOW dosent particularly tax the graphic card very hard any card in the $100+ range will be fine for 5 boxing.
Rowdysattva
09-12-2008, 02:33 AM
thanks for the advice on integrated video cards.

With integrated would it be solved if you added another video card? Also what is HD 3200 or 3400 or 3600 = to? Is it = to 8800 or to 8900 or to 9800 or am i way off?
-silencer-
09-12-2008, 07:52 AM
thanks for the advice on integrated video cards.

With integrated would it be solved if you added another video card? Also what is HD 3200 or 3400 or 3600 = to? Is it = to 8800 or to 8900 or to 9800 or am i way off?
HD is just a model label that ATI uses for their new series of videocards, and it means nothing with respect to High Definition as used in HDTVs.

I can't think of any modern integrated graphics (ATI HD or not) that can compare with even the cheap dedicated graphics cards (ATI or nVidia).

8800GT (and even very cheap 8600GT) will be faster than the integrated HD 3200. Yes, you can *usually* install a dedicated graphics card and disable the integrated graphics for improved performance, but if you want a box for gaming, why not just start with dedicated graphics in the beginning?