8800GTS or 20" Monitor...

TerrorFirmer

Which would you choose? I've got a choice in the next week of buying an 8800GTS or a 20" samsung syncmaster.

I currently have an X1950Pro and 17" monitor and I only really play Company of Heroes and Battlefield 2 mostly, so it's not like I urgently need a new card (or even monitor either to be technical) but...

awhir

go for the lcd and then u get get the 8900 l8, they look cool.:D

WizZard

Monitor, no question

TerrorFirmer

Monitor it is then...I was leaning that way anyway..:)

It's this one, 299 in PC World as well but they're flogging free 2.1 Speakers with it so...pretty good deal, free speakers and no postage costs...

conzy

Its a nice monitor and widescreen is fantastic, but BF2 doesnt support widescreen

There is a hack, but its not proper widescreen, the HUD is stretched and you lose vertical height : /

EA ftw!

TerrorFirmer

conzymaher wrote:

Its a nice monitor and widescreen is fantastic, but BF2 doesnt support widescreen

There is a hack, but its not proper widescreen, the HUD is stretched and you lose vertical height : /

EA ftw!

Ah that's no concern to me really, I wouldn't be playing at native res on most of the newer games anyway I doubt my X1950pro would take it especially in COH, probably just 1280x1024 and scale it. I do it on my laptop for most games and it looks fine...crappy go7400 can't run native res so well

DirkVoodoo

Ahh sure you'll be fine. The monitor is well worth it.

I'm not one for gamespot hardware guides, but here:

Company of Heroes

or extremetech: Extremetech

and Battlefield 2:

Trusted Reviews

Tis a fine card!

stevenup7002

I got the 8800GTS FTW, I would have gotten two 8800GTXs in SLi, but I'm waiting for the new R600 series to arrive from AMD/ATi

8T8

Monitor then wait and see how ATI X2k series fair against GF8 series before committing to one or the other as it's only about a month and a half away before they launch (X2K).

Anti

Well for a big monitor you will need a decent graphics card to play at 1680*1050.

But i would stay clear of the samsung.

My reasons being you can get this http://accessories.euro.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=ie&l=en&s=dhs&cs=iedhs1&sku=88221 for 60 euros more, and get a 3 year warrenty free, and the price includes vat and delivery. I just ordered one and cant wait ;D

TerrorFirmer

Dell looks nice but to be honest that's too big for the space I have unfortunately...

Just bought the Samsung. It came with 2.1 Speakers that I've yet to test, or even test the monitor for that matter, but I can't wait....just have to clear up the junk around my desk to make space...

I won't be playing at native res, more likely 1280x1024 with aa and af until I get a new card at some distant stage...

Hendrix89

I am in a similar situation as you. I am actually ordering an 8800GTS 640 today and sticking with my 19'' LG.

Thing is I know I am making the right choice purely cause I spent too much on the 19'' LCD in the first place so I know that I can sell this high quality monitor (LG Flatron L1980Q) for at least 260-300e and can then jump onto a nice priced 20-22'' for the same cash! Will make a move on selling it in the next few months probly. However if anyone is interested let me know:)

TerrorFirmer

Umm....where is the option in Ati control panel to maintain aspect ratio? I cannot find it....

Anti

/me shrugs

TerrorFirmer

Ah balls I can't find it if its there....at all.

I assumed it would be standard since Nvidia have it in their CC

Stephen

I got myself a 20.1" LG flatron widescreen a couple of months ago as an upgrade from a 17", and I LOVE it. I have my xbox 360 hooked up to it as well

My 7800GTX (second hand, thx koneko ) doesn't need upgrading for a while yet, as I only really play source engine games on my PC and it handles those without a problem at 1680x1050.

DirkVoodoo

Keep an eye out on OCUK, they are having some viewsonic sale.


OCUK - Viewsonic

8T8

HavoK wrote:

Umm....where is the option in Ati control panel to maintain aspect ratio? I cannot find it....

Should be in the display properties section of the ATI CCC for example the option is present on the "Notebook Panel Properties" of my laptop with ATI GPU.

TerrorFirmer

Funny you mention that, from googling alot of people complaining that it was present in the Mobility cards but for the desktop variants there is no option...I dunno maybe I just need newer version of the CC or something, I'll have to check it out.

conzy

In the Omega Drivers its Properties> Settings> Advanced> Displays> Scale Image..

But for me it will only scale it and maintin the aspect ratio, if im using the same vertical resolution of the monitor?

As in, I cannot have a scaled 800*600 image, but I can have a scaled 1400*1050 image on a 1680*1050 monitor..... its weird...

Any tips? cause I would like to play some games 4:3 @ 800*600 without stretching them...

TerrorFirmer

conzymaher wrote:

Its a nice monitor and widescreen is fantastic, but BF2 doesnt support widescreen

There is a hack, but its not proper widescreen, the HUD is stretched and you lose vertical height : /

EA ftw!

Wierd that you mention this - first thing that happened when I played BF2 on my new monitor is that I noticed alot of new resolutions - 1400x1050 for example. Runs fine now, without having to edit any config files...

conzy

HavoK wrote:

Wierd that you mention this - first thing that happened when I played BF2 on my new monitor is that I noticed alot of new resolutions - 1400x1050 for example. Runs fine now, without having to edit any config files...

1400*1050 is 4:3, not widescreen...

TerrorFirmer

Sorry I must have been half asleep when I wrote that...Actually I was wide awake but...I was trying to say it looks fine at that resolution without having to change anything in the config files. You say that you loose vertical sight and the hud is warped in forced widescreen - I find just by maintaing aspect ratio the picture looks perfectly fine and doesn't look stretched at all!