CHEAP video card with good 2D quality?

[Eug]

I have a 17" monitor at work and the 2D quality of the built-in video simply sux.

What's the cheapest card that will run 2D relatively fast at 1024x768 32-bit, has good support, and works with NT? (Cheap because this is probably coming out of my own expense acct.) And no 3D gaming!

I'm thinking maybe Rage Pro.

 

[Eug]

Heheh, that's cheap.

Actually it will be a new card, and they guy from IS dept (at least at the old site) seems to dislike Matrox cards. (He really didn't want me to use a G400 in a 2D graphics workstation I was spec'ing out so I went with a Rage 128 Pro instead.)

I'll assume S3 is out and now I'm thinking that doesn't leave me with too many options besides ATI. Hmmm...

 

[EvilDonnyboy]

Dislike matrox cards?!?!?! What kind of idiot is this guy? Matrox got the best 2D on the consumer planet. The G400 is MEANT for buisness workstation applications.

 

[Huma]

Any G400 would be great in 2d work, as would a V3 3000. A V3 2k will do as well, but the 3k's faster ramdac gives it an edge in higher res.

 

[Eug]

"Dislike matrox cards?!?!?! What kind of idiot is this guy?"

No he just had driver issues with some Matrox cards with the crap motherboards our workplace uses. (Unfortunately, our supplier does not do custom spec'd systems re: mobos. I wanted to use a nice tried-and true Asus P3B-F BX motherboard with a 600E for that other 2D graphx system, but instead I have to use this POS no-name brand motherboard.)

Anyways, I've moved offices so it's a different IS guy, so maybe I'll still consider the Matrox. Actually it's mainly just for text and little bit of powerpoint, etc. but the 2D is seriously so bad that I am constantly irritated by it. (I'm using a V3 2000 at home, and I wonder how much of it is the not-so-good monitor at work too.)

 

[novice]

Eug, If your work station has on board video, I would guess that it does not offer an AGP slot, so you may be limited to a PCI card. Which probably means either a voodoo 3 2000 PCI, or an ATI Expert either in 16 MB or 8 MB versions. I have been very happy with the 2D (as well as the 3D) performance of my Voodoo 3 3000 PCI cards. Bestbuy currently has the Voodoo 3 3000 PCI cards on sale for $99.95 with a $30 mail in rebate available from 3dfx. You may be able to locate an older Matrox PCI card, but I doubt you will find a new PCI card for cheaper than an ATI expert 8MB card as they run around $50 or so. I can't vouch for the 2D on the ATI cards, but I sure can for the 3dfx cards.
Chuck

 

[Mday]

what moron hates matrox cards?

give me his name and address... i'll go kick his ass... unless he lives really far away... i start class in a few days...

 

[Eug]

OK then Xpert 8 Mb ATI. V3 is slightly more expensive.

"give me his name and address... i'll go kick his ass... unless he lives really far away..."

I live in another country. But it's only about a one day drive...