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Need opinion on cheap AGP video card for Win2000...No Gaming...

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Insane3D

Elite Member
I am building a system from some spare parts, and I will be using Win2K. I am looking for a good cheap AGP video card that has good 2D and support for some occasional DVD watching possibly. I have narrowed it down to three ATI cards...

ATI Xpert 98 Rage XL 8MB 2X AGP - $27

ATI Xpert128 16MB 2X AGP Video Card - $35

ATI Xpert2000 Pro 32MB SDRAM 4X AGP - $39

Which one do you guys suggest? Is it worth the extra $12 to go with the Xpert2000? Thanks in advance...🙂
 
If the CPU is over 500Mhz you will not need to worry about DVD playback. I would just go for the Xpert128 if 2D is your only use for it.
 
What about the Xpert98? It will be over 500mhz..

KK266-R
1.2ghz @ 1.4ghz
Sony 52X CD
512mb Crucial PC133
Probaby onboard sound
45gb 75GXP
NIC
 
I used to run a system with the xpert98 (PCI and AGP flavors) on a celeron 333mhz with no problems watching a DVD, as long as I didnt do any other processes the movies played fine. So being that your system will be substancially faster than the one I just mentioned any of those cards will suffice according to your needs.
 
You are aware that ATI driver support for Windows 2000 is pretty shoddy, right?

I'd stick with a Matrox/NVIDIA card.

Viper GTS
 
Go with the xpert 128. Has hardware DVD playback plus some prety good 2d. If you want the best 2d pick up a g200 for cheap or step up to a g450.

(runs g200 at work 1600*1200@85hz 😀
 
"You are aware that ATI driver support for Windows 2000 is pretty shoddy, right?"

Never had a problem with my Radeon 64mb VIVO in Win2k. The drivers have been steady and very stable for me. I get a 3DMark2k1 score of ~3900 with my Radeon/Tbird setup.

What's the main difference between those three cards? Same chipsets?

 
"Go with the xpert 128. Has hardware DVD playback plus some prety good 2d. If you want the best 2d pick up a g200 for cheap or step up to a g450.

(runs g200 at work 1600*1200@85hz)"

Sounds good...I will be using a 17" FD Trinitron, so I most likely won't go over 1280 X 1024 @ 85hz. It's only $4 more for the Xpert2000...twice the memory and AGP 4X worth it?
 
I think the only difference between the two was the memory. Yeah might ahs well, it can handle some light gaming.
 
I'm not sure about the other two, but the Xpert2000 Pro is the only one mentioned on the ATI web site to come with a 300Mhz RAMDAC. The other two are older products and probably do not have a 300Mhz RAMDAC. Especially the Xpert 98 which lists it's max resolution as 1600x1200. I would go with the Xpert2000 Pro because it will offer the best 2D clarity with it's superior RAMDAC. It's newer product than the Xpert128 and worth the extra $4.

[edit]Sorry, I was off looking at ATI's web site and didn't notice that you had already decided.[/edit]
 
Thanks for the info Transistor, I am going to go with the Xpert2000. I have a feeling the 128 also has the fast RAMDAC as the 128 and the 2000 both use the RAGE 128 Pro chipset..🙂
 
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