Best video cards for SL?

I can tell you from experience, gaming cards work way better for SL than workstation cards. While you're right that SL doesn't operate the same way as traditional games in many respects, it's still a real time application, and the guts of it graphics-wise are very game-like. CAD programs, and 3D modeling applications like Maya and Max, which are what workstation cards are designed for, are not meant to operate in real time. Workstation cards tend to be designed for stability and programmability, not necessarily speed.

On my previous machine, I had a very expensive nVidia Quadro FX 3000, the same one as in your third to last link. I paid around $1500 for it. At the time I bought it in 2004, it was nVidia's absolute top of the line (they've obviously come out with newer ones since). It was a life saver for my Maya work since GeForce cards back then weren't quite compatible with Maya. However, for SL it was a real handicap. A $200 (at the time) GeForce 6600 with half the memory could run circles around it in SL, and in games.

Invest in a workstation card only if you're a CAD engineer or a professional 3D modeler, and you need the extra functionality that those cards open up in those kinds of applications. For SL, for video games, and for all other computer use, stick with regular consumer video cards (gaming cards).

I have a Sun Ultra-40 running SLI'd Quadro FX4500's.

Does an easy 135FPS in SL, full eyecndy, full resolution the monitors can handle. Is it worth it to toss professional, $9K+ workstation at SL? No. I have also built a cheapie AM2 based sytem and it kicks SL around like a red-headed stepchild, just as quick and badly as the "profesional" gear.

"Gaming" and "professional" cards aside, you need a card that simply handles OpenGL like a bank teller can flip through cash. That being said, check out the nVidia series of cards. They have OpenGL optimizations that will edge them ahead of anything else anyone makes on a given price point.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Category=38&N=2010380048+50001561+1069609639&Submit=ENE&Manufactory=1561&SubCategory=48


There's a list too - if you are ok with Radeon Cards.
I got one and have been quite happy with it.

Now make sure you meet power supply requirements too. I'd say you will need 350Watts or more for some of these video cards..

I got this one myself:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102039

I seen a few complaints on it, but I haven't had even a hitch out of the thing. Frame rate is excellent. I hear many people saying 'I'm lagging' when the particle effects get intense, and mine is as smooth as silk.

(One complaint was: After I installed it a week later my computer started to restart after 5 to 10mins. I play EQ2 and cant even have my graphics turned up or i lag like crazy. No idea what im doing worng but I think this card is not all that great. Updated all the drivers reinstalled the drivers and still dose not work good. May be my motherboard but not sure.)

That's why I mentioned the power supply...

Whatever your preferance is: newegg.com is about the best place to start..