Graphics Card: Improving performance. Possible?

Dinarius

PC/Windows Vista Ultimate 64bit/8Gb RAM.

My computer has an Nvidia Quadro FX 1700 with 512Mb of dedicated video memory.

I'm a photographer, and certain programs, such as Adobe Bridge and Lightroom, are known to run better with cards containing 1Gb of dedicated RAM because they display thumbnail and preview images much more rapidly.

Is there anything I can do to improve the performance of the card I have? Can I give is scratch disk space, for example?

If replacing the card is the only option, what cards with at least 1Gb RAM are considered fast, without spending a fortune?

Many thanks.

D.

stevire

Have you tried the performance options in the nVidia menu? You can overclock the card to increase performance, but this usually shortens the life of it and some cooling mods may have to be introduced as graphics cards can often overheat and this usually causes the computer to shut down, or burnout your graphics card!

For more on overclocking:
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=85

Dinarius

Performance options in the Nvidia menu?

Where?

If you mean somewhere in the Nvidia control panel, I can't see any.

If the performance options are elsewhere, please tell me where to find them.

Many thanks.

D.

stevire

Check out the nVidia website:

http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

Select your card and performance driver, no harm in updating your graphics driver either!!

Anti

Its a quadro, so all the fancy options that the normal nvidia cards have arn't there. Try a new driver though. Usually most quadros are stardard nvidia cards, but this one looks a bit weird Though i can see its based on thr g84 core. You can reflash the cards but the firmware/bios on them is designed to be optimised for graphical work.

You could possibly try overclocking it, with something like ati tool. But the stock cooler, and lack of cooling for the ram woudl put me off.

Dinarius

There are four drivers on the Nvidia site.

Just downloaded and installed the Performance one. Set the slider all the way from Quality to Performance.

Will see how it goes.

Thanks.

D.

PogMoThoin

Most of the time these Quadro FX graphics cards are just overpriced repackaged gaming cards and the latest gaming one might suit your needs. There has never been as much value for money in graphics cards as there is today with the performance of the HD4870 for just €210. There is once again competition in this market between Ati and Nvidia.

C14N

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Most of the time these Quadro FX graphics cards are just overpriced repackaged gaming cards and the latest gaming one might suit your needs. There has never been as much value for money in graphics cards as there is today with the performance of the HD4870 for just €210. There is once again competition in this market between Ati and Nvidia.

Sorry to steal the thread but where did you find it for that price? I want one but it always seems €230-€240 for me

PogMoThoin

Here, €30 shipping tho so not worth ordering on its own, but well worth it with a bigger order like I had.