Windows 7 Want a new video card, but will it even help improve anything?

[Wisper7]

I posted a little bit ago, but no one replied so I think no one knows lol. Basically, Windows 7 has downgraded gaming performance from XP. However, this might be caused by my card now using DX 10 instead of DX 9...I don't know. Even when I force DX 9 it still isn't as smooth though.

Windows Build: Windows 7 Proffessional, 6.1.7600 Build 7600
Motherboard: Gigabyte EP45-UD3P, x64-based PC
Processor: Intel Core Duo E8400 3.00 GHz
BIOs version: F10,
SMBIOS version: 2.4
4670 HD Radeon ATI graphics card 1 GB
4 GB Ram
500 GB HD

Will upgrading my video card fix my "laggy" frame rates that were non existant in XP, or is the problem I am having entirely Windows 7's fault, and upgrading my card would only be a waste of money? I don't want to upgrade if it's still gonna have the same problem cause it wasn't the card in the first place.

Maybe there is something in my hardware that is not compatible with 64 bit or windows 7? I used Microsoft's compatibility checker but who knows...

Thanks,
Jacob

 

[Highwayman]

looking at your video card you'd definately see a big gain in fps if you opted for a model with more horse power, what I wouldn't recommend is upgrading the video card unless you can get one thats at least 50% faster than your current one, also be aware top end cards wouldn't be justified with a dual core... the data throughput would bottleneck long before a top end cards (Ati 5850/5870/5890 or Nvidia 285/295/470/480) would get busy although a useful stop-gap if you going quad+ at a later date.

I'd say a midrange card would be the best match for a dual core, something like a ATi 4850 (dx10) or 5770 (dx11) or for nvidia flavours the 260 or 275 (both dx10), check out the numerous benchmark sites on the web for more details.

Also worth mentioning certain video card choices will be limted by your power supply's spec

 

[Wisper7]

Thank you for your reply!

I was not planning on getting any top end card, and was actually looking at the ATI 5770. Eventually i will have to buy a new motherboard/cpu, but would like to get at least another year out of it. I really want the DX11 for the future, though, so the 5000 series would be nice.

Just to clarify, I have read a lot of stuff about Windows 7 being worse than XP on gaming performance. I have read it the other way too, however. So my two new questions are

1. Will windows 7 EVER be better than XP? Or will the extra gadgets on 7 only hinder it...and...

2. Is Windows 7 worse simply because the hardware I am using was built before 7 was out, hence it is slightly incompatible--and will this be fixed with newer hardware.

I am just a little skeptical because of the lower performance from a newer OS. I can't compare my gaming performance with XP without reinstalling it, so i'm not sure is it's the fps or not that is lower. Is this probably what the problem is, or is there any other things that could be the reason for this difference, such as just simple lag (although I doubt that, considering I use the same internet as I did on xp)

Sorry for the many questions,

Jacob

 

[Highwayman]

It's age old debate kept going usually by the "LUDDITE" XP Fanboys who want to live with a 10 year old OS with all it's security issues and lack of decent hardware support out the box, not to mention hideous bottlenecking issues when using anything above a dual core. I still recall all the Win98 fanboys that barked on about how XP was slow compared to '98....and history just keeps repeating, idiots with bearly capable prebuilts complain about new bundled OS when in reality it's the builders fault it runs like dirt for skimping on parts.

There are plenty of benchmarks now that favour Windows 7 over XP in practically every test performed, BUT only if the hardware is decent in the first place. The performance gap between XP (even the dire XP64) and Windows 7 64bit will always show Windows 7 64bit winning hands down for gaming, and when Windows 8 goes to public beta later this year (with it being 64bit and with 128bit support!) the row will start all over again.

No OS is perfect but in the Microsoft camp Windows 7 IS THE BEST OS they have made so far, I have no doubt after using every MS OS since windows 3.11 and I said much the same when Vista 64 was in the same XP vs VISTA arguments, Windows 7 is pretty much VISTA "Fixed edition" but Vista was a great OS and Windows 7 has dumped some of the bloat and brough more performance, you can't blame MS for hardware manufacturers being LAZY/GREEDY by not making new drivers for their old gear.

If you want every scrap of performance just simple select the windows classic profile for all the looks of XP with all the support and performance windows 7 brings, if you want 21st century looks, use AERO profile or the basic profile to get the middle-performance and looks, simple.