x1800 @ 1280x1024

[Tanatz]

I play Everquest 2 which is a shader-intensive game, so thus my interest in an upgrade to an x1800XT 512mb from an x850XT.

Right now, I use ATI Tray Tools, play with no AF and AA at 2x, all the sliders set to max performance. In Everquest 2 I have my textures set to Medium / High ( highest being Very High, recommended only for cards with 512mb of RAM or more ) and FPS are more than acceptable indoors, less than acceptable outdoors. I refuse to lower my resolution to anything below 1280x1024 as the UI becomes cluttered.

I have this monitor:

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16824014105#DetailSpecs

I've seen a few reviews, the best being this one:

http://www.futuremark.com/forum/showthread.php?t=848

which pretty much have me sold, does anyone else have an opinion or have input to offer?

also, the difference between an x1900 and an x1800 being 48 pixel shader processors - worth the $200? what exactly do these do?

 

[rincewind]

If the difference is $200, the X1800 is a better buy. I love my X1900XT, but most of the time those 32 extra ALU's are doing bugger all. Oblivion is nowhere shader-intensive enough to saturate them. This is a bold assertion, but If you extrapolate the % gain going from X1800 to X1900 at the same clocks, it makes sense.