ASUS EN9800GTX+ DK/HTDI/512M or SAPPHIRE HD4870, 1024 MB ?

[Santuzzo]

Hi,

I will build (or have it built for me) a new PC with an i7 920.
The primary use will be as a DAW for music recoridng and produciton.
But I also want to use it for gaming occasionally, and I would want to play games like COD, Far Cry 2 or Star Wars Force Unleashed.

I have gotten advice on PC parts, but I'm still undecided on some parts, for instance graphics card.

So which one would be a better choice

ASUS EN9800GTX+ DK/HTDI/512M

or

SAPPHIRE HD4870, 1024 MB ?

I also don't really understand sometihng baout the graphics cards:
I see this 9800 in different brands and versions?
Like sometimes it just says 9800GTX+, and this one by Asus says EN9800GTX+?

What does the EN stand for? What's the difference?

Also, what does "DK/HTDI" mean?

And why do they come in different brands? I thought the brand would be either NVidia or GeForce, but then it still says Sapphire or Asus, or some other brand?
Is the brand important?

As you can tell, I know close to nothing about PCs, but I am willing to learn and I appreciate your help and advice!

Thanks,
Lars

 

[Tenenbaum]

Hi,

I will build (or have it built for me) a new PC with an i7 920.
The primary use will be as a DAW for music recoridng and produciton.
But I also want to use it for gaming occasionally, and I would want to play games like COD, Far Cry 2 or Star Wars Force Unleashed.

I have gotten advice on PC parts, but I'm still undecided on some parts, for instance graphics card.

So which one would be a better choice

ASUS EN9800GTX+ DK/HTDI/512M

or

SAPPHIRE HD4870, 1024 MB ?

I also don't really understand sometihng baout the graphics cards:
I see this 9800 in different brands and versions?
Like sometimes it just says 9800GTX+, and this one by Asus says EN9800GTX+?

What does the EN stand for? What's the difference?

And why do they come in different brands? I thought the brand would be either NVidia or GeForce, but then it still says Sapphire or Asus, or some other brand?
Is the brand important?

As you can tell, I know close to nothing about PCs, but I am willing to learn and I appreciate your help and advice!

Thanks,
Lars

The 4870 will be the better choice.
Are you planning a build?
If so, let me know a budget, and we can help you out, and step you through it.

 

[Hefemeister]

the 4870 is a much better video card. ATI and Nvidia are the chip manufactures while the other companies ASUS, EVGA, XFX etc. make the cards.

 

[Santuzzo]

The 4870 will be the better choice.
Are you planning a build?
If so, let me know a budget, and we can help you out, and step you through it.

the 4870 is a much better video card. ATI and Nvidia are the chip manufactures while the other companies ASUS, EVGA, XFX etc. make the cards.

OK, thank you very much, guys !

So, if I decide on the 4870, would the Sapphire HD 4870, 1024MB be ok? Does the brand matter much here?

Yes, I am planning a build, and I think I know what parts to get!

I will make a new thread with my list of parts and ask for your opinion and advice if I should change anything.

So far I am decided on these parts:

CPU: i7 920
Mobo: Asus P6T Deluxe
PSU: Corsair ATX TX750W
graphics card : Sapphire HD 4870, 1024MB (?)
RAM: 3x or 2x Corsair 2 GB XMS3 DHX TWIN3X2048-1600C7DHX
HDD: 2x WD 1TB, Caviar (or Samsung 1TB drives, they are slightly cheaper)
DVD/CD Re-Writer: 2x LG DVR 22X DL,LS,SATA
Case: Cooler Master HAF932


What do you think of this?

Do you happen to know if the Asus P6T Deluxe has an option for wireless internet?

 

[Peter.Cort]

you're gonna want to get a 3x1gb or 3x2gb of the ddr3 for the tri-channel benifits that you won't get with just 2gb or 4gb. also what size monitor are you getting?

and the p6t most likely doesnt' from what I've seen, just get a wireless pci card for it if you need wireless.

 

[Santuzzo]

you're gonna want to get a 3x1gb or 3x2gb of the ddr3 for the tri-channel benifits that you won't get with just 2gb or 4gb. also what size monitor are you getting?

and the p6t most likely doesnt' from what I've seen, just get a wireless pci card for it if you need wireless.

Thanks !

Yes, that's what I was planning on getting, 3x 2gb RAM

I think I will get two 22" monitors. A dual monitor set-up makes working with music sequencer programs much easier

If I get a wireless card, I will have one PCI less free for other upgrades. Wouldn't that be a disadvantage?
I thought, it's good to have as many free/available PCI and PCIe slots as possible? Or is this something I don't need to worry about?

 

[Peter.Cort]

The only things you would use a PCI slot for is a raid card, sound card, old video card for multiple monitors, or NIC. Are you going to be looking into a sound card? Even with all that stuff you won't be running out of slots anytime soon. and it doesn't matter how many or few of the slots you fill up. I've filled all and none and there's no difference to me.

 

[Santuzzo]

The only things you would use a PCI slot for is a raid card, sound card, old video card for multiple monitors, or NIC. Are you going to be looking into a sound card? Even with all that stuff you won't be running out of slots anytime soon. and it doesn't matter how many or few of the slots you fill up. I've filled all and none and there's no difference to me.

Thanks !

I will get an external audio interface which will be either connected by USB or firewire.