Lifespan of a 7900

I am ordering a new laptop at the end of the week, and have hit a snag. I want a graphics card that will give decent performance for several (maybe 3 or 4) years. I was thinking the 7900, but with DirectX 10 around the corner, what do you think of that lifespan?

 

As far as dx9, a 7900 will last for several years. Dx10 will take at least a year for the parts to become somewhat readily available, and another few years to become mainstream. Most if not all dx10 games/applications will also have dx9 versions available, so the 7900 will still be viable. The safest bet would be to get a dx10 GPU. Since you can't right now, a 7900 would probably be the best alternative, and should be able to last 3-4 years.

 

If you are a gamer, then getting the 7900 is the only way to go right now. DX10 is extremely hyped up right now. No one will turn their backs on the DX9 market for years to come, as it will be corporate suicide. Most of the market will be DX9 for the next few years, since it will take awhile to sort out energy effiency, designing new games, etc. You will be safe getting that to last for at least 3 years, if not more. It really all depends on what the big game companies do in the next few years. But rest assured you are getting one of the most powerful cards available, and will be fine until something new catches your eye.

 

or get the 7950 since it is out...

 

DX 10 is still 3 months away, and I dont think that the first DX10 cards are going to be good (a lot of power consumption). Getting a good DX9 card will assure you for the coming 2 years.

Charlie