workstation video cards, choices? - please help

[tlunnuk]

I am researching videocards for use in a new workstation. 90% of my time I work in Autocad and 3ds Max, which only need a good desktop card, but i may start working in Revit and Maya, which require a good workstation card (this is based on information I found in this forum).

 

I have been mainly focused on the Geforce 8800 GTS and the Radeon 3870, or if i can find the extra $250, the quadro fx1700.

 

I am most curious about softmodding the 3870 into a firestream 9170. I can't find enough information to know if this would be beneficial working in primarily in max/cad and occasionally in Revit.

 

I am not opposed to modifying to get the performance gain.

 

of the four options, which has the best performance/price in architectural applications.

 

money is always a concern, so the quadro would have to be fanatastic for me to spend $450 at the present time.

[AJLynn]

The 8800GTS is NOT good for Revit. I have one, the XFX, tried a lot of driver versions, always bug. For Revit and Maya use, you actually want some kind of FireGL card. I've heard this from more than one source in the know. Depending on how you're doing this, you can find something in a year-old FireGL on Ebay - my home PC has a v5100 I got pretty cheap when I was in grad school and with my OC'ed Core2 it's still kickass.

 

Quadros should also work without issue, but check the hardware list for recommended driver versions.

 

What's a Firestream? Is that a new FireGL?

[shaneis]

For Revit and Maya use, you actually want some kind of FireGL card.

 

Revit and ATI maybe, but nVidia copes with Maya very nicely. Quadros will offer some performance gains in Maya's viewport and hardware rendering, but a good GeForce card will do most people. I have one PC running Maya to the monitor via a 256MB 6600GT and it renders the viewport at highest quality without a hitch (but slows above 750,000 polys). Pro-level ATI cards will also perform with Maya, but their desktop/ gaming range should be avoided. For Maya,

 

nVidia Quadro = Yes

nvidia GeForce = Yes

ATI Fire = Yes

Anything else = No