Video Card for Graphic Design

[lchyi]

I'm planning on getting a cheap motherboard for a graphics station build. Is there any advantage to a video card versus the current onboard video solutions? I haven't been active in a system build for a few years but I think solutions nowadays are more than enough no?

 

[unfalliblekrutch]

2D graphics?

 

[lchyi]

yes, 3d is in the near future but i'd figure if i get a board with pci-e i'll be okay in that department

 

[unfalliblekrutch]

yea, you should be OK

 

[Skeeedunt]

DVI (?)

 

[lchyi]

Apparently this mobo "MSI K8NGM2-FID MicroATX" has a DVI and a D-SUB. I've yet to find really anything wrong with it actually...

 

[batmanuel]

Currently 2D tasks aren't hardware accelerated very much on the PC, aside from the occasional Avivo video acceleration. Down the road, the new Windows Presentation Foundation could change that, as it allows for full hardware acceleration when 2D apps are drawing the screen. Hopefully, there will be an Adobe CS3 or CS4 that can use WPF to hardware accelerate Photoshop filters and Illustrator vector drawing, tasks that currently bog down the CPU like crazy if you have a large file. The WPF framework is supposed to be part of a future service pack of Win XP, so you'll still be able to benefit from WPF without upgrading to Vista (you just won't get the Aero Glass eye-candy in the UI).

It'll be until at least this time next year until we see anything like this from Adobe, so I wouldn't worry about it too much in you current build. If you plan to keep your computer more than a few years, I'd make sure that it has a PCIe x16 slot so that you can toss in a dedicated GPU down the road when we start seeing some WPF-compatible Adobe apps shipping.

 

[batmanuel]

Originally posted by: lchyi
Apparently this mobo "MSI K8NGM2-FID MicroATX" has a DVI and a D-SUB. I've yet to find really anything wrong with it actually...

That sucker has an onboard GeForce 6100, so it is almost as good as a dedicated low-end card. You'll even be ready to roll with full-on Aero Glass if you upgrade to Vista with that onboard GPU. You have nothing to worry about at all. That board even has component-out, so I'm gonna have to keep it on my HTPC build shortlist (I might actually get around to building one when I get my hot little hands on Vista Ultimate RC1 or RC2).

 

[Skeeedunt]

Originally posted by: batmanuel

Originally posted by: lchyi
Apparently this mobo "MSI K8NGM2-FID MicroATX" has a DVI and a D-SUB. I've yet to find really anything wrong with it actually...

That sucker has an onboard GeForce 6100, so it is almost as good as a dedicated low-end card. You'll even be ready to roll with full-on Aero Glass if you upgrade to Vista with that onboard GPU. You have nothing to worry about at all. That board even has component-out, so I'm gonna have to keep it on my HTPC build shortlist (I might actually get around to building one when I get my hot little hands on Vista Ultimate RC1 or RC2).

Ah yeah, onboard 6100 w/ DVI should be just fine.

Doh, I see the component now, my bad.

Edited to remove dumbness.

 

[pctwo]

I have the MSI K8NGM2-FID. It has DVI, VGA, S-video and, yes, components out. Also, it has the 6150 graphic chip, slightly better than the 6100. Plus HD audio and s-pdif bracket.

I ran vista beta 2 with aero glass on it. Dragging full windows around lag a little, but keep in mind it's a beta OS with barebone beta video driver and EVERYTHING lags (I have 2Gig RAM and a a X2 3800+).

In other words, you should be fine.

 

[aka1nas]

I just built 2 servers using that board. The layout is nice, Runs great with an Opteron 165 and Cool and Quiet even works.

It didn't sound like it from your post, but if you are interested in overclocking this board is a bit limited in that department with vCore not being adjustable and the LDT only going to 250Mhz.

 

[BassBomb]

your 6100 will die when heading into 3D work

a 6100 isnt a worlds faster than a 5200 which i had, which didnt do well in 3d

 

[akshayt]

It might be safer to et a dedicated geforce 6/7 class graphic card or maybe ati X1000 series.

 

[akugami]

For 2D work, that onboard video with DVI is more than enough. The low 3D performance will not be a problem until you get into heavier work and you can upgrade at that later date. Upgrading when you need it should net you better performance or at least equal performance for less.