What GPU brand to select for long term purpose?

MAGIC Quantum Mechanic
MAGIC Quantum M...
Joined: 18 Jan 05
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I always find my best prices

I always find my best prices at TigerDirect

I just got my nVidia 550TI superclocked for real cheap.

zombie67 [MM]
Joined: 10 Oct 06
Posts: 112
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RE: LOL nothing's changed

Quote:
LOL nothing's changed in 25 years for ATI..theoretically the best hardware in the industry totally crippled by the worst software/drivers.
Always had the worst software, apparently always will.


Crippled? How about this for crippled?:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-680-review-benchmark,3161-14.html

Quote:
Moreover, Nvidia limits 64-bit double-precision math to 1/24 of single-precision, protecting its more compute-oriented cards from being displaced by purpose-built gamer boards. The result is that GeForce GTX 680 underperforms GeForce GTX 590, 580 and to a much direr degree, the three competing boards from AMD.

Not all projects require double precision. But some do, like MW. For those projects, ATI will outperform nVidia by miles.

Reno, NV Team: SETI.USA

Jeroen
Jeroen
Joined: 25 Nov 05
Posts: 379
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RE: RE: LOL nothing's

Quote:
Quote:
LOL nothing's changed in 25 years for ATI..theoretically the best hardware in the industry totally crippled by the worst software/drivers.
Always had the worst software, apparently always will.

Crippled? How about this for crippled?:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-680-review-benchmark,3161-14.html

Quote:
Moreover, Nvidia limits 64-bit double-precision math to 1/24 of single-precision, protecting its more compute-oriented cards from being displaced by purpose-built gamer boards. The result is that GeForce GTX 680 underperforms GeForce GTX 590, 580 and to a much direr degree, the three competing boards from AMD.

Not all projects require double precision. But some do, like MW. For those projects, ATI will outperform nVidia by miles.

I tested Milkyway@Home with the GTX 680 and the 680 is indeed very bad at double precision math and is significantly worse in performance than the GTX 580. However, the GTX 580 is not great at double precision either. For Milkway@Home, the AMD 7970 or Tesla cards with full double precision support are the way to go.

The 680 does excel in single precision math however and is able to outperform the 580 at least with this project. The 680 does so with less power consumption as well.

Tex1954
Tex1954
Joined: 15 Mar 11
Posts: 28
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Well, I hear you all and all

Well, I hear you all and all the ATI/AMD/Nvidia stats, tests, arguments...

I have and hate them both actually... LOL!

What I would like to see is someone design a non-GPU based math co-processor on a PCIe card. In fact, that Intel 50 CPU's on a chip looks promising...

SOMETHING, ANYTHING that allows folks to perform HPC tasks without messing with the video area would be great!!!

For now, I have to be content with an HD6990 for Milkyway/Einstein/Poem and Nvidia in the other boxes... what a waste... Tesla might have been the way to go... but benchmarks on BOINC tasks with Tesla are not encouraging and the cost is way out of bounds...

Sigh... if only...

8-)

5pot
5pot
Joined: 8 Apr 12
Posts: 107
Credit: 7577619
RAC: 0

Agreed Tex; hate paying

Agreed Tex;

hate paying for the video "feature" when it's not even being used!!! Alas, when we constitute such a small percentage of users, we're left with the "scraps" for lack of a better word. VERY expensive scraps. Wish like Texas Instruments would development something as you just discussed. Seems right up their alley. I'm sure they could use a boost in business.

telegd
telegd
Joined: 17 Apr 07
Posts: 91
Credit: 10212522
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RE: hate paying for the

Quote:
hate paying for the video "feature" when it's not even being used!!!


As far as I understand it, we are benefiting from the fact that the GPU cards are being mass-produced for the video-gaming market. If not for that, our costs would be much higher. Economy of scale...

5pot
5pot
Joined: 8 Apr 12
Posts: 107
Credit: 7577619
RAC: 0

Well now that's very true.

Well now that's very true. Here is a video in regards to that which was posted on GPUgrid. Pretty funny, sad, and true all wrapped into one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmaYH1F6kho

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