Two Monitors. Two cards, DualHead, or TwinView???

I am building a new system and want to go with dual monitors. I want my primary video to be a GeForce2, most likely a Creative Labs 3D Blaster Annihilator 2.

If so, what would be a good cheap (~$50) 2D only PCI card that could keep up with the GeForce2's 2D? Or, should I be looking into a DualHead or TwinView solution?

 

[Raspewtin]

I have a DualHead G400. Although the 2D is amazing (way better than Geforce) it's completely worthless for games and essentially you can assume to play most any game you'll need to pull it out and put it a game video card (using a ATI Rage Fury for that purpose right now). I haven't seen TwinView myself, although you can read about it Tom's Hardware, where they go into it in depth. I wish ATI would come out with a DualHead type feature as that would be excellent and I like ATI products.

 

[RobsTV]

Like Raspewtin says, forget about gaming, but forget about gaming using 2 monitors and ANY card. Currently, there are only about 2 to 4 games (MS Flight sims), that allow you to use D3D with both monitors at the same time. Forget about OpenGL. So you are then left with 1 monitor for 3d, and the other for 2d. With that in mind, just get a great 3d card for gaming, and use any old card for the second monitor with 2d windowed apps. Actually, old S3 virge cards had pretty good 2d, and can be found for around $15. 3dfx V3 cards can now be had for around $40, and have very good 2d as well. But, I would just stick in what you have lying around. It won't matter much in the end.

For more info:
Multi-Monitor Resources

 

[dougjnn]

Does anyone know what the best 2D image quality PCI video card is, to use in a dual monitor system? I assume that you can place this card in PCI slot one, next to the AGP card, right? You know, the slot that people say to avoid for conflict reasons. Both being video cards and all. (And runningout of PCI slots.)

 

[zzzz]

the matrox millenum G200 has good quality. We have a 2 meg memory card in office and it has very good 2 d quality.