Poll: Should I buy a monitor or video card?

[shiznut123]

Should I get a Samsung 900nf 19" monitor or a geforce Pro? I have a KDS 17" monitor right now using 1024x768 resoulution. I have some extra cash to spend and I can't decide what to get. I have a voodoo 3 3000 pci right now and it works great in UT. So what should I get?

 

[Cpt. Duke]

I would get the monitor. It will last you for years -- which couldn't be said for any video card...

 

[Feisters]

LOL! That sounds like, "Should I fish or cut bait?"! It sounds like you'll eventually end up with both, so I guess it's a matter of which one to get first! It depends on how long you're willing to wait for the prices to drop. I'd get the monitor first. The video card will eventually come down farther and faster in relative price than the monitor ever will.

 

[shiznut123]

Exactly Feisters!!! I am eventually going to get both but I only have the money for one.

 

[BFG10K]

Well that depends. Are you more annoyed at low framerates/poor image quality in 3D games or being stuck at 1024 x 768 in your 2D desktop? Upgrade the component whose limitations annoy you the most.

Personally I'd get a new video card. 1024 x 768 is just fine for me.

 

[shipwreck]

I'd go the monitor route first. they don't depreciate in value like video cards, so from an economic standpoint you'll be better off. The voodoo3 should be fine on a 19" monitor for the time being, and from all accouts the Samsung 900nf is a great monitor. I'm decided to go all out on a new monitor (I'm building a new system) and expect my Iiyama i90A to come tomorrow. I also just got an Elsa Gladiac Ultra from newegg for $347. I'm by no means rich, but I just sold my my Micron XP to my dad for his office (he likes a warranty), and with that money, I'm building a kickass system. Though when I initially budgeted, I was getting a 19"viewsonic and a radeon... Don't forget, a monitor is really the most important part of your system.

 

[Hawk]

Since you said UT is great, don't get a new card yet until you feel UT is sluggish. Get the monitor first, and then get a new card when the new generation comes out (not meaning you should get those, just wait so the prices on the current cards drop).

 

[EMAN]

With the right monitor, you will be so much happier. Quite frankly you look at your monitor all day. Your eyes are more important than performance in a game.

 

[shiznut123]

I lean over my desk sometimes to read text. I should get the monito then.
Thanx for your opinions!

 

[Mem]

Yep! I`m in this boat & have decided to buy my monitor before my next video card so definetly go with the monitor,also once the Geforce3 hits the shops your Geforce2 Pro should be cheaper.

 

[shiznut123]

I will go for the monitor then.

 

[RobsTV]

Video card first. A 19" monitor running 16bit games at higher resolutions, (if the V3 can still even run them respectably), will look like crap compared to a 17" monitor running 32 bit games. And wait 'till you see the difference UT looks like when running it in 32bit with OpenGL and the Loki patch. It will make the V3's Glide seem like you were looking at an old S3 Virge based card. It IS that great of an improvemnet over the V3!!!

With the V3, a monitor upgrade will not give you any instant WOW. It may just be the opposite.
With the video card upgrade, you will get that instant WOW.

 

[Antza]

Even as I partially agree that the games just won't look that nice running on big screen&low resolution, there are still many more things to speak for the 19" display. For instance, you get a much more desktop space, which you will appreciate if you do anything productive in windows. One other thing is that if you ever work on anything that'll be printed to paper, you might find the fact that A4 is really 210X293 on screen somewhat useful. And the games ain't really that bad; I had a 19" Samtron 95P+ ([L=]http://www.samtron.com[/L]) (which has proved to be an excellent view for just $350) with an AMD K6-2 / 16Mb RIVA TNT system for 6 months and I think it worked quite fine.

 

[RobsTV]

Heck, 2 15" monitors will give you more usable desktop space than a 19" monitor. You can do like many do, and add a $15 PCI video card you probably have lying around, and a second monitor, and you are good to go. 17" + 15" = truely productive desktop.

 

[Hawk]

Yeah, assuming he has an extra monitor lying around. Besides, he was asking about 19" and a video card.

So shiznut123, how's the new monitor? =) Which one did you buy?