8500GT vs Radeon3450, which one

English Hardware
1

Hey all,

I am interested in a vid card.

I am looking at the nvidia8500GT vs Sapphire Radeon HD 3450 512mg.

Based on fresh Opensuse11 install and driver install, kernel matching and such, which one would be a better buy?

Thanks

Heeter

2

Hi
I’m biased and always recommend Nvidia, they always work via the ‘hard
way’. I would suggest you look at maybe Tom’s hardware or Google for
reviews :slight_smile:

–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 11.0 x86 Kernel 2.6.25.18-0.1-default
up 5:59, 1 user, load average: 0.07, 0.06, 0.07
GPU GeForce 6600 TE/6200 TE - Driver Version: 177.80

3

Based on the drivers etc I always go for Nvidia as the drivers work really well

Geoff

4

Thanks Guys,

I am more looking at ease of install and driver conflicting issues, more than performance itself, as both cards will do just fine at the resolution I need.

Thanks again,

Heeter

5

Heeter wrote:

>
> Hey all,
>
> I am interested in a vid card.
>
> I am looking at the nvidia8500GT vs Sapphire Radeon HD 3450 512mg.
>
> Based on fresh Opensuse11 install and driver install, kernel matching
> and such, which one would be a better buy?
>
> Thanks
>
> Heeter
>
>
I agree with the other comments. I prefer Nvidia. I have two
systems with evga FX5200 cards and have necer had a problem
by using yast to the repository on the Nvidia website. I have
a new system coming with a eVGA GeForce 8500 GT.

Problem is the website says its supported but it does not appear
under the list of supported board for the lastest drivers or
the legacy drivers, I asked a question on the Nvidia forum, so
far a lot of people looked at it bit no answers. I also set an
email to Nvidia support group asking if there is a Linux driver.
If not I will select another Nvidia card if I get an answer soon.

Sorry I cannot tell you much more but I will post the answer I get.

russbucket

6

Thanks, upscope

Can’t wait to hear what they said…

Heeter

7

I’m currently running an 8400 GS, and have had no problems, personally. My previous experience was an HTPC with a nVidia chipset, and all my other desktop systems had ATI chipsets.
(Just as an indication of where my experience is coming from, I’ve been using Linux since SuSE 8.0- still have the retail CDs I bought within weeks of it’s release- and made the switch from dual-boot to full-time Linux user with SuSE 9.2)
Video drivers have become considerably easier to install over the years, and both nVidia and ATI are fairly reasonable now.
The nVidia chipsets have always been easier to install drivers for, and you can add their site as a repository, making it easier than ever to keep the driver up to date.
ATI chipsets seem to have always lagged behind with regard to drivers. Their proprietary drivers are the only ones that work worth anything, and they’ve generally been a pain in the past. I would note that since their merger with AMD, the drivers have been coming faster, been better documented, and become considerably easier to install, but they still seem to lag a little behind nVidia.

Just my impression-
-CopperLion

8

Heeter wrote:

>
> Hey all,
>
> I am interested in a vid card.
>
> I am looking at the nvidia8500GT vs Sapphire Radeon HD 3450 512mg.
>
> Based on fresh Opensuse11 install and driver install, kernel matching
> and such, which one would be a better buy?
>
> Thanks
>
> Heeter
>
>
As I said yesterday I could not find the 8500GT driver. I went back to the
Nvidia website and thru another route I found that the GeForce 8500GT
driver is under the legacy driver version 173.14.12 and also 177.80.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html (actual download page)

http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us to get to page below.
use the very bottom section (other downloads and support), select Beta and
archived drivers.

http://www.nvidia.com/Download/Find.aspx?lang=en-us (search page
product type GeForce
product series GeForce 8 Series
product GeForce 8500 GT
O/S linux 32 bit (at least my system)
Language english (US)
Recommended/beta all

Please post your results with this driver, since my new system will not be
ready for install for another couple of weeks.

The above mentioned 173.14.12 is the driver I currently use with my FX5200
boards. I have it under openSUSE 11.0 and KDE 3.5.9 on one system and
openSUSE 11.0 and KDE 4.1.2 on the other, with no problems.

Hope this is more helpful.

Russ
Linux register user 441463
openSUSE11.0