best video card for use with open source drivers?

[Christopher A. Williams]

On Tue, 2006-08-15 at 08:47 -0600, Robin Laing wrote:
> Dr. Michael J. Chudobiak wrote:
> > OK, I've been following the kernel-module-packaging threads on the 
> > various lists, and it's clear that Fedora developers are very 
> > uninterested in supporting kernel modules, and have no respect for 
> > people who use them :-)
> > 
> > So... does anyone have suggestions for the "best" AGP video card / 
> > driver combo for 3D gaming (say torcs, for sake of argument), if you're 
> > restricted to the open source drivers?
> > 
> > Intel's newly-free drivers don't count, because you have to buy a whole 
> > new computer (no plug-in cards)...
> > 
> > Suggestions?
> > 
> > 
> > - Mike
> > 
> 
> I have had success with the nv driver that comes with xorg and nVidia 
> cards.  On my machine there is little difference with glxgears between 
> the nv driver and the nVidia module from lvina.
> 
> I am looking at getting a new nVidia car while I can still get a AGP 
> card.  Just waiting for them to go on sale again.

Of late, I've been having trouble with the nVidia cards - alteas with
the Livna drivers. My system was just freezing for no apparent reason.
Even when it wasn't freezing up, I would get weird things happening on
the screen (distortions, strange blinking, etc.), so it's also possible
I am just having hardware issues with my card. It's an older AGP GeForce
5200MX.

I just updated to the latest kernel and am using the regular drivers
instead for now. So far, so good, but we'll see. There is definitely a
performance difference between the xorg and nVidia drivers though from
what I am able to see. It shows up most vividly in games like Foo
Billiard and PP Racer. They're basically useless running on the xorg
driver.

Since I may have to replace a video card anyway, I'm curious about
people's experiences with the ATI cards. Is it worth the switch?

Cheers,

Chris

-- 
======================
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busy committing suicide."

-- Woodrow Wilson