Top video card for 2D

[ArmenK]

I'm considering the Matrox G550. The card will be used with a Dell 2001FP using DVI. Is there anything (<$125) that can match this card in 2D Quality?

 

[konakona]

does 2d include dvd/divx playback? ATi cards are known to be better for that...

 

[ArmenK]

Originally posted by: VanillaH
does 2d include dvd/divx playback? ATi cards are known to be better for that...

No DivX but I will play DVDs on occasion. Other than that, there is the rare counterstrike game but I want to focus on 2D quality since that will be the primary use 95% of the time.

 

[ponyo]

You don't need Matrox to have good 2d with LCD with DVI. Pretty much any card with DVI will be fine. Remember DVI is digital so pretty much it's all the same. Matrox has the best 2d quality with VGA analog because of the clean design and the quality filters it uses. DVI isn't analog so that doesn't matter. Matrox G550 also only support up to 1280x1024 in DVI mode so it will be terrible card to use with Dell FP2001 unless you only want to use the monitor with VGA analog connector.

Just get a cheap ATI 9200 or Nvidia FX5200 card w/ DVI.

 

[randumb]

Matrox Parhelia/P750/P650 look better than the G550.

 

[Quadophile]

Originally posted by: ArmenK
Is there anything (<$125) that can match this card in 2D Quality?

Why don't people read the post properly and respond based on the requirements? Parhelia is a $400 card and p750 and P650 also cost more.

Matrox is a good 2D card if you are using Analog as already has been mentioned, times are a-changing, DVI is another chapter.

 

[AWhackWhiteBoy]

i've never really seen any benchmarks comparing matrox cards to general consumer ones because they are hard to compare since they are meant for totally different things. what do you really want to do with this computer? ATI cards are known to have superior 2D performance over Nvidia cards at higher resolutions(above 1280x1024), and having the ability for 3D gaming incase you want it is always nice to have incase.

 

[Runner20]

Get any ATI card that has been released in the past year

 

[remagavon]

Originally posted by: randumb
Matrox Parhelia/P750/P650 look better than the G550.

I had a 256mb parhelia that had worse 2d quality than my 16mb G200

 

[ArmenK]

It seems like the G550 is out of the question due to the limitation on the resolution (Ill be running at 1600X1200). Since the other matrox cards are so expensive, I think I will just pick up one of these

 

[Dman877]

Originally posted by: ArmenK
It seems like the G550 is out of the question due to the limitation on the resolution (Ill be running at 1600X1200). Since the other matrox cards are so expensive, I think I will just pick up one of these

That should do nicely for 2D and even counterstrike at 16x12, anything newer then quake3 will run poorly though. You sure you don't plan to play CS 2.0 or whatever when HL2 comes out?

 

[SickBeast]

Matrox G450 16MB $15.

 

[ponyo]

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Matrox G450 16MB $15.

That card also only support max 1280x1024 in digital resolution. OP wants to use Dell 2001FP in DVI at 1600x1200.

Matrox=king of analog 2d.
DVI=digital so above no longer applies.

OP, that 9200 you selected is fine choice. It's passively cooled so zero noise and you should have no problem running 1600x1200 via DVI.