best Radeon card for gaming on an Apple Cinema Display?

Owenw

Lads,

I'm building an i7 based PC and want to connect it to an Apple 24in LED Cinema Display which only has a Mini Display Port and a max res of 1920x1200 dpi.

Which Radeon card will give me the best bang for my buck with a budget of €180 - €240?

I'm mostly going to use it for gaming, photoshop and watching HD films.

Dorsanty

Looks like you could get a reasonable 6xxx series for that budget.

A quick check on komplett says a 6850 which can put out 2560 x 1600 which is higher than the newest 27" apple display can handle.

http://www.komplett.ie/Komplett/product/ZKB_01COM/10_GRPCARD/04_PCI-E/productdetails/20069580/ASUS_EAH6850_DirectCU_2DIS_1GD5_Graphics_adapter/90_C1CPX0_L0UAY0BZ/default.aspx

On an off topic note, I hate that Apple calls these LED displays when they are LCD displays with LED backlighting. LED backlighting is superior to the previous method but is not LED display technology. From the tech-specs of the current 27" model, 27-inch (diagonal viewable image size) thin film transistor (TFT) active-matrix liquid crystal display with in-plane switching (IPS).

Owenw

Thanks for that info Dorsanty.

I heard somewhere that the 5800 cards are faster than the newer 6800 range?

I agree, Apple (and Samsung) should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for conning average consumers that they're getting something they're not with LED backlighting.

They really should be pushing the IPS tech over TN which gives pretty accurate colour minimal light falloff, wide viewing angle with no solarisation.

They should also ditch the glossy screens that have come into vogue lately - they act like a mirror unless you use them in a bat cave (like I do).

marco_polo

Dorsanty wrote: »

Looks like you could get a reasonable 6xxx series for that budget.

A quick check on komplett says a 6850 which can put out 2560 x 1600 which is higher than the newest 27" apple display can handle.

http://www.komplett.ie/Komplett/product/ZKB_01COM/10_GRPCARD/04_PCI-E/productdetails/20069580/ASUS_EAH6850_DirectCU_2DIS_1GD5_Graphics_adapter/90_C1CPX0_L0UAY0BZ/default.aspx

On an off topic note, I hate that Apple calls these LED displays when they are LCD displays with LED backlighting. LED backlighting is superior to the previous method but is not LED display technology. From the tech-specs of the current 27" model, 27-inch (diagonal viewable image size) thin film transistor (TFT) active-matrix liquid crystal display with in-plane switching (IPS).

Apple are using the term LED no differently to any other major TV or monitor manufacturer, it is an industry wide misnomer.

Solitaire

HD5800 cards are a little faster than their HD6800 counterparts but the latter are cheaper and consume less power. The real replacement is the HD6900, and the HD6950 is incredible value but its just above your budget

lmimmfn

Solitaire wrote: »

HD5800 cards are a little faster than their HD6800 counterparts but the latter are cheaper and consume less power. The real replacement is the HD6900, and the HD6950 is incredible value but its just above your budget

and you can unlock it to a 6970

Actually the cards that can be unlocked are going to be replaced in the next few weeks with ones that cant be unlocked, so the current 6950's will have excellent resale value for a long while.

Owenw

Thanks for all the replies. The 6950 looks like a contender.

Is the 6950 unlock/upgrade something that could be disabled in a future driver?

Where's the best place to buy online? Not necessarily the cheapest (sooner have decent returns service). I used Komplett years ago before they changed hands and they dealt well with RMAs. What are the new bunch like?

lmimmfn

Owenw wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. The 6950 looks like a contender.

Is the 6950 unlock/upgrade something that could be disabled in a future driver?

Where's the best place to buy online? Not necessarily the cheapest (sooner have decent returns service). I used Komplett years ago before they changed hands and they dealt well with RMAs. What are the new bunch like?

yesm the 6950 comes with a dual bios, meaning you can flash it the 6970 but theres a switch on it to revert back to the factory one if you want or you can just reflash with the bios that it originally has. Basically with the dual bios it means you cant break the card flashing it

for ordering online, i got my 6970 from http://scan.co.uk
theres also http://www.overclockers.co.uk
both do postage for about 17euro
also a lot of people buy off http://ebuyer.co.uk , theyre good on price, ive not used them though.
A lot of people in the PC Building & Upgrading forum recommend http://Harewareversand.de
Ive not used them though.

Owenw

Nice one Imimmfin, thanks for those links. This dual bios on a gfx card is new to me.

lmimmfn

Owenw wrote: »

Nice one Imimmfin, thanks for those links. This dual bios on a gfx card is new to me.

no worries, i edited my post above so it now reads "you CANT break the card flashing it", lol, cant believe i made a typo like that

lmimmfn

One last thing, if you are thinking of going the 6950 route and flashing to 6970 then you would be best ordering before the new locked cards go to retail which i think is January 23rd. Also 1Gig vram versions of both cards will be released around then also, those 6950s will be locked but will probably be about 30euro cheaper( according to Fudzilla they reckon 30-40euro, but i dont think the 40euro will happen personally for a month or 2 )