ATI/NVidia: better supporT?

[FritoBandito]

Hi there i was wondering which of the two companies has better linux support for thier newer cards? (Newer like ATI4850 )
I plan to get a new computer and will get either an ATI or NVidia based on better linux support

I know NVidia used to be the best but I hear ATI has come along in the past little while.
and I plan to use the closed source drivers.

[Yoyo]

ATI offers much more graphical power and much better better energy efficiency than Nvidia, for the money. But for Windows users only. ATI drivers absolutely, definitely suck on Linux, specially if you buy way ahead of the technological curve, like the 5000 series. So a $50 4 year old Nvidia 800 series will work WAY better than the newest $400 card from ATI.

And multiple monitor setups are a breeze on Nvidia. It takes literally 20 seconds to configure them. A dual monitor setup on ATI is almost impossible.


Hope that helps.

[Wildman]

All true, but I have learned if you can get the ATI stuff to work, you will get a much better graphic image on your system...
I had to replace a ATI 2400 HD, and all I could get was a Nvida 9600 GSO to use....(only late model one that has a driver for Win 2k) sorry , need it sometimes..
The difference is very noticeable, even after tweaking to the max...

[FritoBandito]

Hmm then I probably will avoid the ATI cards, but out of curiousity, if i bought a 4850 would I be able to play blu-rays on my linux machine?
Mostly when you say the performance is bad, do you mean proportionally worse or capped at some level.
I wonder because I do all my gaming in windows but everything else in linux, which could, in theory work... but dont like the sounds of that impossible dual monitor setup thing. I play videos to my TV from my computer, so I have a TV and a monitor setup.

[FritoBandito]

ok i was wondering if i give up on dual monitor support would the 5770 be able to play movies (1080p) and use KDE effects/flash? or would the poor drivers prevent that from happening?

I know its a silly question but at newegg there is an AMAZING deal on a 5770 and I would benefit from it in windows gaming.

EDIT: Sorry i ended up double posting this, since i thought i should make a thread with a different title.

[Crow]

ATI works well in Windows but I use mainly Linux and I said never more.  I bought two nvidia cards for my computers, have Intel in the laptop and works well.  ATI has been a bad experience. My kid has ATI in his laptop and finally today the proprietary drivers worked without freezing the mouse 

[sling-shot]

From what I hear ATi has improved Linux support tremendously in the recent times. Some reviews at phoronix seem to suggest performance of ATi cards under Linux is better than under Windows.
Further ATi has also started shipping Linux drivers along with the hardware just like Windows drivers.
Please check at the ATi website if a driver is available for your card. If so I guess that would a better buy.
- SS.