On another thread I have asked about a new PC specification. Is it best to spend a lot of money on the latest gaming card or on a 3D card such a a Quadro?

I realise that Liquid uses the GPU for rendering, but is there a limit to this ability?

The guy who might be building my new PC did ask me if I really wanted a nVidia GTX 285. I didn't know what to tell him.

With Liquid you gain more from getting the fastest CPUs that you can afford. After a certain point, faster cards don't really help a whole lot. That's because to use the GPU for effects, you've got to single thread all the effects through one GPU (and Liquid doesn't take advantage of multiple GPUs at all). If you're trying to future proof your sytem (for using NexGen, or even anything else) then stick with a good mid-range card for now. If it turns out you need something better later on, you won't have spent a large amount of money on the current card, and chances are a mid-range card will work well with just about everything else out there.

IMHO of course.

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the advice.

So it doesn't matter if I choose a "gaming " card or a something like a Quadro?

My present card has 256Mb, would 1 Gb be better for HD?

 

In general the Quadro is only really useful if you have an OpenGL based application. Liquid doesn't use OpenGL, so you'd get no benefit. Avid Media Composer requires a Quadro. Most other NLEs don't use OpenGL, but some of the 3D software (Maya, Lightwave) does. I don't know abotu NexGen, but I suspect it's not going to be OpenGL based. Bust that's little more than a guess.