SoftMod a 6800GT or get a Quadro1400

students · *Last edited by students; 09-23-2005 at 01:08.*

I am getting a new PC system and can't decide whether to get an NV40 6800GT and softmod it to a Quadro with RivaTuner or whether to splash out on a real Quadro 1400. (I could also get an ATi FireGL7100 for the same price as a Quadro 1400, but its certified programs list is not as comprehensive) Which card do you think I should get? I will use my PC mainly for Autocad 2006, Rhinocerous 3.0, 3-D Studio Max 7, Photoshop and Illustrator.

What Quadro features would I be missing out if I went the NV40 6800GT with Rivatuner route?

How long would it take for a Rivatuner Noob to softmod a 6800GT? Time = Money!

Many thanks in advance.

Eddyisgreat · 09-23-2005, 07:08 | posts: 8 | Location: Ft.Lewis , Wa

Anyone here would tell you that it would be benificial to just purchase the real deal (quadro 1400), especially if you will be doing this type of work professionally. You pay the extra amount for support and the new drivers (which arn't supported by unwinder anymore, last i heard)

AlecRyben · *Last edited by AlecRyben; 09-23-2005 at 10:43.*

If you get a PCI-e 6800GT and softmod with Rivatuner's NVStrap you will have the performance of the professional card but it's ID will still be GeForce. Some programs might not work because of that - but until now no problems were reported.
I would go with FireGL 7100 - have you seen the benchmarks lately? It surpasses Quadro FX 4000 in almost all DCC & CAD benchmarks.

http://www.3dlabs.com/spec/cad/
http://www.3dlabs.com/spec/dcc/

3DLabs cards are also good, but they are too expensive and you cannot play games on them...

Lord Banshee · 09-23-2005, 15:50 | posts: 286

i vote for V7100 too. not only is the proformance very close in CAD work, but if you game too then you are looking at an 8/4 pipe card vs a 16/6 pipe card.... i.e. 6800LE vs a 6800GT.

I've used my 9800Pro->FireGL for about 3 years and it was very good.. Tell you the truth there wasn't much difference in CAD work going from my Modded FireGL to my Modded QUadroFX.. But i bought the 6800NU becuase the 9800 was ageing in frames/sec for games at 1280x1024, which i like to play in

So i think my choice was the best of both worlds.

If you get the v7100 report back I'd like to know your hands on thoughts about it.

ew2x4 · 09-26-2005, 18:24 | posts: 85

You can get a Quadro 1400 on ebay for $350. That's where I got mine. But yeah. also look at the Fire GL line.

THE JEW (RaVeN) · 09-29-2005, 02:37 | posts: 81

If it's for a full-time business, just buy the card. Cheap investment in the long run.