Graphics card predicament

[flyingbullseye]

As of late my current graphics card, an x1950xtx is starting to show some texture artifact not only in this sim but every now and then in other games that it never used to have problems with. With that in mind I still plan to ride this until it dies but am budgeting a replacment and looking at two cards.

Asus 9800 GT
ATI HD 4850

Here's the predicament. The ATI card is quite a bit faster, has better image quality and avivo is free but as some here have mentioned will still have some weird textures in this sim even though there have been some work arounds.

The nvidia card, specifically the one from asus for the same price as the other 9800 GT's has 128 SP's as opposed to 112 so for the price looks good.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121266

It, being NV, typically doesn't experience the same texture problems as ATI (not that it can't happen but seems to happen less often). However with lower image quality I'd also have to pay for purevideo as opposed to free avivo.

The only thing that doesn't matter right now is the fact that the ATI card is faster, I won't notice it in this sim as I don't have any slow down with my current card with AA/AF maxed.

Which one is the better way to go? The one that is faster (not important in this sim), better image quality and free avivo or the other lesser image quality and not free purevideo but less often or no texture problems?

Flyingbullseye