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Cheap card with both DVI and VGA ports

M

Mokmo418

Senior member
I'm about to buy a nice 17' LCD monitor and i thought i could use the old monitor as a secondary screen and upgrade my video a little. My system is old (PIII 1GHz, GeForce2 MX) and has only a 4X AGP slot. I know that most 8X works in 4X (not a big speed difference it seems), but all i need is both ports, good management by the OS and software (heard Nvidia beats ATI on this) all this for a dual screen setup.

i've seen these (canadian prices, makes around 82 $ in US fundsfor the first one going down)
sapphire radeon 9550
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=12062&vpn=1024-KC20-0D-SA&manufacture=SAPPHIRE
sapphire radeon 9200
http://www.ncix.com/forums/index.php?mode=showthread&msg_id=494012&threadid=494012&forum=101&product_id=9809&overclockid=0#msg494012

also this
GAinward GeFroce 4MX4000
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=11427&vpn=PRO/620TV-DVI&manufacture=GAINWARD
the last one seems to be an old model that this retailer keeps in stock for some strange reason

this one is on another website
MSI GFX 5200
http://anitec.ca/?mode=product_detail&pid=1029

All would work in my system (and a new PSU maybe since it's at its limit)

So for those who made sense of what i just wrote, what do you think? And please don't tell me "get a 9800" I don't have the cash for it and i don't know when the big upgrade will come. I have a preference for the last one.
 
If you are just trying to go with the cheapest dual analog/DVI setup, the MSI GFX 5200 is probably the best bet on your list. However, here in Toronto you can get a retail Powercolor 9200SE 128MB with dual DVI/analog connectors for about $65 - try www.canadacomputers.com/video.html#gra . Mind you, the gaming performance is considerably substandard (slower than a GeF2!), but that would be the cheapest dual output card I know.

P.S. I know the site doesn't avertise dual DVI/analogue, but I just picked one these up for my Mom's machine, so I know it has both (I was surprised!). Check other online review sites for pics.
 
Wait wait wait,
You really mean that there's lower gaming performance ?
What is, then, the minimum NVIDIA / ATI chipset that would beat a GeForce2 MX?
As i said somewhere in the post, i want to upgrade my graphics too.
I don't do intensive gaming, but i need something that will support my CAD/CAM programs a little easier.
The games i play today are counterstrike/DOD, some flight simulator and diablo 2. They aren't really the type to overload a graph card.


As for your adress in Toronto, i know about them, but it's waaaay too far for me (16h drive round trip) and the way it makes systems available online... it's more a sears catalogue that an online thingy. i'm looking throughout www.anitec.ca www.vibecomputers.com www.ncix.com and a few local merchants in my area. The big buys are basically to be done in two weeks, in time for me to make sure it runs right before moving back to my college dorm. (Last year... :thumbsup😉
 
Originally posted by: Mokmo418
Wait wait wait,
You really mean that there's lower gaming performance ?
Click to expand...

Yes. The 9200SE (and the 64-bit FX5200) are absolute dogs in terms of performance. The 5200Ultra (which is NOT what you linked to, although that is at least a 128-bit 5200) is better than a GF2MX, but not by that much.

What is, then, the minimum NVIDIA / ATI chipset that would beat a GeForce2 MX?
Click to expand...

I'd say a Geforce3 Ti200 or a RADEON 8500/9100 (note that the 9000/9200 are different chips, and slower than the 8500/9100). The GF2 GTS is also faster, but VERY hard to find (they didn't produce many of them before switching over to the GF3). Note that the GF4MX (also sometimes called the GF4 "4000") is essentially a GeForce2MX, so it is not really any faster.

As i said somewhere in the post, i want to upgrade my graphics too.
I don't do intensive gaming, but i need something that will support my CAD/CAM programs a little easier.
The games i play today are counterstrike/DOD, some flight simulator and diablo 2. They aren't really the type to overload a graph card.
Click to expand...

If you want something that's actually a step up, look for a used GeForce4 Ti4200 (~USD$60ish used), or a RADEON 8500/9100. The regular RADEON 9600 (not the SE version, which is very, very slow) is also a decent choice, but probably not available for much under USD$100 -- and at that point you start down the slippery slope of "why not spend $20 more for X?"

If *all* you want is DVI and VGA output, with no regard to performance, you might try a RADEON 7500 (USD$30 used?). Probably about the speed of your GF2MX, though.
 
don't let the big number fool you, that is a crippled 9500pro. I would go with a geforce3, geforce3 ti200/500.
 
They do, however, have a Sapphire 9600 for CDN$140: R9600. That's a decent step up from the 9550, although you'd have to decide if it's worth the extra scratch. I have no clue what the exchange rate is, but newegg carries this same card for USD$94, with the 9550s starting at about $75-80. Also, it looks like some 9550s use 64-bit memory -- if this is the case, they are going to *suck* (ie, they'll be worse than a 9600SE, which is already slower than an FX5200).

Here are some benchmarks showing most (if not all) of these cards: digit-life benches. If you go into their back issues, you can find comparisons including the GF2MX/GF4MX.
 
After looking at the fact that you have a pIII 1gz, a new vid card wouldn't help your gaming situation a heck of a lot. I would do a complete upgrade rather that getting a tiny bit of an upgrade.
 
Originally posted by: Cawchy87
After looking at the fact that you have a pIII 1gz, a new vid card wouldn't help your gaming situation a heck of a lot. I would do a complete upgrade rather that getting a tiny bit of an upgrade.
Click to expand...

I'm running a 9600pro on a 1.2 athlon...it's no so bad...lol.
 
Originally posted by: Mokmo418
What is, then, the minimum NVIDIA / ATI chipset that would beat a GeForce2 MX?
As i said somewhere in the post, i want to upgrade my graphics too.
I don't do intensive gaming, but i need something that will support my CAD/CAM programs a little easier.
Click to expand...

Ah, I didn't see anything in your original post about upgrading your gaming capabilities. I'd agree with Matthias99 and go for the 9600Pro, since you will not find it easy to get a second-hand Ti4200 locally or at the Canadian stores. NCIX is probaby your best choice, since I just ordered from them last week using the cheapest shipping option ("express" $10, cheaper than CanadaPost), and the parcel came the next day by purolator! Vibe is good as well, but no where near as fast as that
 
Originally posted by: eLiu
Originally posted by: Cawchy87
After looking at the fact that you have a pIII 1gz, a new vid card wouldn't help your gaming situation a heck of a lot. I would do a complete upgrade rather that getting a tiny bit of an upgrade.
Click to expand...

I'm running a 9600pro on a 1.2 athlon...it's no so bad...lol.
Click to expand...

A 1.2ghz athlon is MUCH faster than a 1.0ghz pIII.
 
Ya, even though that 128MB Sapphire 9550 is listed as a 128bit memory, I suspect that could be a misprint and it?s a 64bit card.
 
9550, just like 9600, comes in 128-bit. If it's 64-bit RAM, the vendors are _supposed_ to call it 9550SE or 9600SE.
 
Originally posted by: Cawchy87
don't let the big number fool you, that is a crippled 9500pro. I would go with a geforce3, geforce3 ti200/500.
Click to expand...

GF3 cards are single RAMDAC..no good for dual display.
 
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