Help me choose a video card for my 18.1" LCD

[Fastball]

I'm currently running a Radeon VE b/c it has DVI for my LCD. I don't play a lot of games and quality 2D and sharp text would have to take preference over gaming quality. I can get a Geforce2 Ultra with DVI for about $175. I wouldn't mind spending this much if I were going to see substantially better performance (when I do play games it's mostly sports games and maybe a little Max Payne), or I can get the Asus 7100 Geforce2 MX w/ DVI for $115 (if anyone knows of a better deal on a Geforce2 card w/ DVI, please let me know).

Or maybe I should just stick with a Radeon card? Is there a model with DVI that would be better than the VE? I guess the bottom line is Geforce2 or Radeon?

 

[NFS4]

Stick with what you have. I'm using an AIW Radeon with my 18.1" Planar and 2D is great. If you're only playing sports games and Max Payne, that I think that the Radeon would be just fine. Of course an Ultra would blow away a VE in 3D speed, but for what you do the VE should be enough I would hope.

I wouldn't even consider the MX b/c of the 2D image quality pitfalls.

 

[Fastball]

wow, I didn't know the MX had such poor 2D image quality. I guess I'll mark that one off the list. Is there a 64MB Radeon with DVI? Does anyone know how the 2D image quality measures up on the Geforce2 Ultra?

 

[NFS4]

<< wow, I didn't know the MX had such poor 2D image quality. I guess I'll mark that one off the list. Is there a 64MB Radeon with DVI? Does anyone know how the 2D image quality measures up on the Geforce2 Ultra? >>



http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.html?i=1507&p=4


<< Image quality was evaluated by reading white text on a black background at both 1600x1200x32 at an 85Hz refresh rate as well as at 1800x1400x32 at a 70Hz refresh rate. Image quality was described as "sharp", "somewhat sharp", "somewhat blurry", and "blurry but readable", with subtle difference between cards noted in a description of the image quality.

We described the image quality of each GeForce3 card we looked, choosing to also include an ASUS GeForce2 MX, ATI Radeon DDR, and Matrox G450 eTV video card for comparisons sake. We then used the 1 to 5 scale to rate each GeForce3 card as well as the three other cards tested.

Of the non-GeForce3 cards tested, the Matrox G450 eTV set the standard with a score of 1, indicating that it provided the best 2D image quality. The GeForce2 MX, on the other hand, provided a reference point for poor image quality, earning a score of 5. The ATI Radeon DDR scored a 2 in our subjective test. The score of each individual GeForce3 product is noted in the summary table of the card in the "Image Quality" row. >>

 

[vampiro]

I agree, if gaming isn't your main focus then stick with the Radeon. I don't think the 64Mb Radeons have DVI, but I could be wrong. Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[Fastball]

good read, NFS4. Thanks for the info.

 

[foofoo]

the way i understood it, 2d image quality was the same or should be for all dvi interfaced cards. the video information is carried digitally and should be theoretically be the same. is there some info out there that it isnt? other than that, the 3d rendering would be much faster on either of those other cards. but to tell the truth, i cant tell a difference between my ati aiw radeon and my visiontek gf2 ultra (both dvi) in 2d. in 3d games, the gf2 ultra can run 1280 x 1024 at full speed for all of the games i use. the radeon cant.

 

[vailr]

The soon-to-be-released Radeon 7500 also has DVI, VGA & S-video TV-out.
The cited ATech review only applies to CRT displays.