ATI GPU based MSI X1900XT a good choice for use with Linux ?

[Dominic2]

Hello Yes, I'm still looking up parts for my new computer. Sorry if I already asked this in the "ati-drivers-8.25.18 are in portage!" thread, but I got no answers. This thread has been inactive for a few days, maybe it's dead. So I thought that maybe starting a new thread specific to my question would be more appropriate.
I found that the ATI X1900XT cost less than the GeForce 7900GTX while having over 95% of it's performance, it can do HDR and AA at the same time without problems, unlike 7x00 cards, and that there are lots of people on different forums who has a 7900 card from any brand that start to artefact and freeze after a few days or weeks of use, sometimes even hours. Not to mention those that ordered two for SLI an received two faulty cards or sent the card for RMA and received an other faulty card.

First of all, I don't want to do any ATI Linux drivers bashing here, I'm just telling what I heard and I want to know how true it is / was. I don't like flame wars.
That said, I'm worried about ATI's Linux drivers, they have an horrible reputation, but the new 8.25.18 is said to be much better. Do they (still ?) have flaws that would justify not buying an ATI card for use under Linux ?
Many people seem to be unable to use XVideo with these drivers. Do the XV issues happen only in X.org 7 or does it apply also to X.org 6 ?
Also, I use Hardened Gentoo with GrSecurity, PAX and SSP. With NVIDIA drivers the only "problem" with that is that I have to disable mprotect on the programs wich use OpenGL. What about ATI drivers ?

The rest of what I plan on putting in my new system, just in case it helps you to answer :
Athlon 64 4000+
ASUS A8N-E
2x1024 Mb DDR pc3200 dual channel (Kingston or Corsaire)
Seagate 300Go SATA2 16mb
16x pionneer DVD-RW burner
Enermax Whisper 460W (33A on 12V, so it should power the x1900XT ok)
Tsunami Dream case

(Nice rig hey ? )

Thanks a lot for your help, it's appreciated.

[aphenitry]

Did you ever decide on this, and how did it go?

I'm wondering on the excact same thing.. x1900xt or 7900gt or something.

[VincenzoVega]

Go for nvidia.
My ATI-card gives me really crappy performance under linux (works fine in windows).
My Nvidia-card works as fast as it does in windows though (way better performance than the ati-driver).

[Disparu]

Go nvideo, I have a x1900xt, awesome card for gaming....in windows... i just made the move to Gentoo and support from ATI AND Open-source is little to none for x1900 cards/... its not worth the hastle.