Best Video Card for Modeling

[soursardine]

I currently have a 9700 pro, but was wondering if I would be better off using a ati fire gl 8800 (even though it is an older model) if my sole purpose for the machine is to do modeling and animation. These are the cards within my budget, any help would be appreciated:

ati fire gl 8800
ati fire gl z1
quadro 4 980
quadro 4 900
(and what I have currently)

any suggestions on what to do?

[beverins]

I like Quadro cards myself, but you should go to review sites like tomshardware.com

[mattclary]

You can get the 3D Labs Wildcat VP 970 for less than $400. Great card.

[Joebob]

Unfortunately, tomshardware.com doesn't test Lightwave with the high-end 3D boards, only 3D Studio Max and a couple CAD apps.

[mattclary]

http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/profcards/1review-3dlabs-wildcats.html

[El_Toro]

ATI Radeon 9800 Pro. It is god.

[jbw]

Please, do yourself a favour and take the FireGL 8800 off your list. I've had one for a while and it's awful, having moved on to a quadro 750 I'm much better off. I found loads of probs with that card and LW.

ta,
jbw

[Exper]

Go for NVidia "Quadro FX" :D
http://www.nvidia.com/view.asp?PAGE=quadrofx

Bye.