asking for advice on new MoBo/CPU/Vcard

[Ghastly]

{Shrug}  I may have to try the ATI cards again, then... but my experience over time has differed from yours.

When I last used an ATI card, the drivers that ATI released were so problematic that the recommendation was to use user developed/modified drivers instead.  And even then, I found them to be a headache - a driver that worked well with one game exhibited crashes and/or graphic anomalies in another.

Nor did I ever get the sense that I was alone in my frustration.

<S>

[Fulmar]

Don't tell my computer with its ATI 4850 video card that.  It only runs the new version over 150FPS (tests with vsync disabled) with all but shadows turned on, and only costs $110.00 for the Sapphire Vapo-X 512MB version.  Very quiet as well.  Butter smooth as well.

NVidia has had as many driver problems lately as anyone.  If you are running Vista, ATI actually has better drivers than NVidia does.

I've always been an Nvidia person.  The only ATI cards I ever ran were hand-me down oldies that I use for a server box or something.  I'll testify to Nvidia recent driver problems, not just the Vista ordeals back when, but with my 8800 the 180/190 series of drivers has really caused some issues.  Currently, if you find a driver that works just fine, I would recommend not updating.