TheTaz
07-29-02, 12:50 PM
I like to think of myself as being a level headed person, with some decent common sense, and one who makes wise purchasing decisions.
Every new video card product cycle, breeds a "flame war" of nVidia vs. ATi. Sometimes I participate, most of the time, I don't. Heh.
How do you define being a Fanboi?
I define it as someone that has *extreme blind* loyalty to a company or product. Keywords there are EXTREME and BLIND. Having "some sort of loyalty" doesn't necessarily mean "Fanboi", IMHO.
Let me explain what I mean:
I switched from 3DFX Voodoo 2's in SLI to nVidia's TNT 2 Ultra. I LIKED 3DFX back then... but I could see they were slipping as soon as the Voodoo 3 came out. nVidia has given me *years* of quality products and drivers. The list includes (TNT 2 Ultra, Geforce DDR, Geforce 2 GTS, Geforce 2MX, and the Geforce 3 Ti500 (Not all in the same machine, of course... I have more than one)). This does lead to some sort of "Loyalty"... or maybe a better word... "TRUST".
ATi is also a fine company. I give them a lot of credit for keeping nVidia on it's toes. In the past however, they seem to "just miss the mark" when it comes to trying to overtake nVidia's lead. The Radeon 8500 was the first sign of ATi getting more aggressive. If their drivers were up to snuff at launch, they very well could have easily taken the lead, back then. But again, they "just missed the mark", via a shoddy launch. They made new "Driver Promises" back then, too. Well, I admit they are doing better than before the 8500 with driver updates... but, it's not where I'd like to see it, yet. nVidia has spoiled me with their driver service, heh.
The Radeon 9700 looks way promising... and again ATi is promising the moon with "a new driver strategy". Will they pull it off, this time? Possibly. But there are 2 factors which make me look like an "nVidia Fanboi"... because... I have my doubts. Factor 1 is that I am skeptical of their "New Driver Strategy", due to their track record. I don't fall for marketing BS... and ATi will have to PROVE to me, that they are serious this time, with some sort of "positive track record" over time (Again, moreso than they have done with the 8500). This of course, goes back to the word "TRUST", I spoke of earlier. Factor 2 Every time ATi has come out with a product that marginally takes the lead, within a short period of time, nVidia comes out with something that just *spanks* it! Heh. The Radeon 9700 Looks like a Geforce 4 TI "spanker"....but the recent NV30 "Sneak Peaks / Leaks" look like a Radeon 9700 "spanker". LOL
So where do I draw the line? Well... first off... I don't let Marketing BS sway my "upgrade path". I upgrade when *I* am ready to. Usually my video card purchases (for a single machine) are every 18 months, and my other machines get the "Hand me downs". When *I* am ready to upgrade... I look at what is best "at the time" $300-$400 is a lot of money to invest and I squeeze as much time as I can out of that investment. I look at fully released, fully benchmarked, and fully reviewed cards. So far... nVidia has won my decision every time, though I admit, the Radeon 8500 had me swaying a little.
Purchase speculation on the future: At present, the Radeon 9700 does not fall within my "Upgrade path", and if the NV30 is released in Oct / Nov... neither does the NV30. I'm looking at Spring 2003 before I upgrade again (Got my Ti500 Dec of last year... so, hence the close to 18 month upgrade path). Will I buy a 9700 or an NV30? Will the R400 and the NV35 be out as choices too? I don't know. All I know is I will buy whatever is BEST at the time.
If it's ATi... So be it. However, I would like to see them maintain the lead for a bit, Like nVidia did over 3DFX... before I'd "rush to switch". TRUST is a hard thing to earn... and ATi has a little ways to go before I'd give my trust to them.
Does that make me a Fanboi, or just carefull?
Regards,
Taz
Every new video card product cycle, breeds a "flame war" of nVidia vs. ATi. Sometimes I participate, most of the time, I don't. Heh.
How do you define being a Fanboi?
I define it as someone that has *extreme blind* loyalty to a company or product. Keywords there are EXTREME and BLIND. Having "some sort of loyalty" doesn't necessarily mean "Fanboi", IMHO.
Let me explain what I mean:
I switched from 3DFX Voodoo 2's in SLI to nVidia's TNT 2 Ultra. I LIKED 3DFX back then... but I could see they were slipping as soon as the Voodoo 3 came out. nVidia has given me *years* of quality products and drivers. The list includes (TNT 2 Ultra, Geforce DDR, Geforce 2 GTS, Geforce 2MX, and the Geforce 3 Ti500 (Not all in the same machine, of course... I have more than one)). This does lead to some sort of "Loyalty"... or maybe a better word... "TRUST".
ATi is also a fine company. I give them a lot of credit for keeping nVidia on it's toes. In the past however, they seem to "just miss the mark" when it comes to trying to overtake nVidia's lead. The Radeon 8500 was the first sign of ATi getting more aggressive. If their drivers were up to snuff at launch, they very well could have easily taken the lead, back then. But again, they "just missed the mark", via a shoddy launch. They made new "Driver Promises" back then, too. Well, I admit they are doing better than before the 8500 with driver updates... but, it's not where I'd like to see it, yet. nVidia has spoiled me with their driver service, heh.
The Radeon 9700 looks way promising... and again ATi is promising the moon with "a new driver strategy". Will they pull it off, this time? Possibly. But there are 2 factors which make me look like an "nVidia Fanboi"... because... I have my doubts. Factor 1 is that I am skeptical of their "New Driver Strategy", due to their track record. I don't fall for marketing BS... and ATi will have to PROVE to me, that they are serious this time, with some sort of "positive track record" over time (Again, moreso than they have done with the 8500). This of course, goes back to the word "TRUST", I spoke of earlier. Factor 2 Every time ATi has come out with a product that marginally takes the lead, within a short period of time, nVidia comes out with something that just *spanks* it! Heh. The Radeon 9700 Looks like a Geforce 4 TI "spanker"....but the recent NV30 "Sneak Peaks / Leaks" look like a Radeon 9700 "spanker". LOL
So where do I draw the line? Well... first off... I don't let Marketing BS sway my "upgrade path". I upgrade when *I* am ready to. Usually my video card purchases (for a single machine) are every 18 months, and my other machines get the "Hand me downs". When *I* am ready to upgrade... I look at what is best "at the time" $300-$400 is a lot of money to invest and I squeeze as much time as I can out of that investment. I look at fully released, fully benchmarked, and fully reviewed cards. So far... nVidia has won my decision every time, though I admit, the Radeon 8500 had me swaying a little.
Purchase speculation on the future: At present, the Radeon 9700 does not fall within my "Upgrade path", and if the NV30 is released in Oct / Nov... neither does the NV30. I'm looking at Spring 2003 before I upgrade again (Got my Ti500 Dec of last year... so, hence the close to 18 month upgrade path). Will I buy a 9700 or an NV30? Will the R400 and the NV35 be out as choices too? I don't know. All I know is I will buy whatever is BEST at the time.
If it's ATi... So be it. However, I would like to see them maintain the lead for a bit, Like nVidia did over 3DFX... before I'd "rush to switch". TRUST is a hard thing to earn... and ATi has a little ways to go before I'd give my trust to them.
Does that make me a Fanboi, or just carefull?
Regards,
Taz