is there a card under $70 to use on WinXP/PentiumIV system?

[PrineFan]

i asked this elsewhere-- everyone seemed to recommend titanium cards and cards out of my budget....

i don't do games-- mostly internet browsing and word processing-- i dont watch dvd's on computer, or tv.

i was told an NVIDIA TNT would freeze up the system, to go with a GEFORCE??? i'm naive on all this.

if there are no video cards out there for under $70, based on all this, please let me know-- I'll spend more-- but if any of you do have a suggestions for something in the $50-$70 range, I'd appreciate it. thanks

 

[Zambonni]

Since you play no games, the only thing important to you is 2d quality and stability.
I would recommend any of the ATI or Matrox cards. I think you could find many choices from.
www.newegg.com has choices from both these manufacturers is your price range.

Hope that helps.

 

[acidvoodoo]

geforce 2 MX 400 are quite cheap, i think they fit into u're price range

 

[Zambonni]

Yes, but the 2d quality of the gf2 mx cards is not near as good as a matrox or ati card.

 

[BeauJangles]

search pricewatch for a Radeon LE. Very good card, excellent 2d, about 60 shipped.

 

[Ziptar]

Visiontek Geforce2 GTS-V for $49.00 Nice card I have one. 2d Quality is good.

 

[spanky]

yes if u plan to not game at all... get a matrox card. if u want mostly 2d... and a smidgen of 3d... maybe the radeon ve. if u want a decent blend of 2d/3d... i think the radeon le is a good choice.

 

[PrineFan]

thanks for the advice

 

[Daovonnaex]

Matrox cards cost upwards of $70, and nVidia has inferior 2D. An original Radeon 32 DDR would be about $50.

 

[Maxpane]

Visiontek Geforce2 GTS-V for $49.00 ziptars' choice, you can pick it up at newegg.com great card for the money.

 

[richleader]

I'd go with the radeon DDR. You can get a decent matrox for under $70 though, and if you're going to spend that much, a geforce 4mx would probably be the best feature set for what he wants, so it might be worth splurging. (wow, just spelling that word grosses me out.)

 

[Daovonnaex]

<< Visiontek Geforce2 GTS-V for $49.00 ziptars' choice, you can pick it up at newegg.com great card for the money. >>

He's not gaming, so razor-sharp 2D is the criteria. In that case, why would you buy an nVidia card over an ATi card?

 

[Daovonnaex]

By the way, do you want dual monitor support?

 

[richleader]

The GTS was bad enough at 2d, don't want to imagine the GTS-V. Nvidia contractors are shaping up their acts though, nothing but good news really about the g4 mx part.

And Dao, I gave you a ten (to make up for the kiddies out there), but I really reccomend turning that feature off.

 

[Daovonnaex]

<< The GTS was bad enough at 2d, don't want to imagine the GTS-V. Nvidia contractors are shaping up their acts though, nothing but good news really about the g4 mx part.

And Dao, I gave you a ten (to make up for the kiddies out there), but I really reccomend turning that feature off. >>

Even though nVidia's contractors are improving, it doesn't change the fact that the NV15 core is ill suited for 2D performance and that it has a slower RAMDAC compared to its competition.

As for the rating, I'm happy as long as I can cut a two-point-thirty seven.

 

[Rand]

<< it doesn't change the fact that the NV15 core is ill suited for 2D performance and that it has a slower RAMDAC compared to its competition.
>>



I agree 2D visual quality is usually sub-par but I strongly disagree that it's specificaly because of the core.
The RAMDAC has a minimal impact upon visual quality, especially at the speeds seen today, even at 1600x1200. And besides that there is very little that points towards the fact that the NV15 core should be distinctly inferior to the R100, or R200 cores, in terms of their respective abilities on paper the NV15 core is only slightly behind the R100 core.

The low pass filters that filter interference from the RAMDAC alone are a good 70% of the problem IMHO, and they are totally unrelated to the core.

Poor 2D in most instances, yes.... but not the fault of the NV14 core at all.
Look at the core of the old G200, pretty pathetic by modern standards eh?
Pretty clearly inferior to the NV15 in all respects. But the end output matches up respectably to nVidia's best.

 

[FlamingPanther]

I second Rand,

And then I recommend the Radeon VE/LE cards.
usually pretty cheap and the 2D is among some of the best.

 

[Wolfsraider]

PRICE FOR ONLINE ORDERS ONLY - ATI OEM RADEON 7000 VE 32MB DDR AGP W/TV OUT ATI RADEON 7000 VE chip,BULK Power by ATI $ 45 FedEx Saver$5 2/19/2002 7:41:34 PM CT Newegg.com
800-390-1119
909-395-9046

just a thought newegg has this at 45.00