What is the best Dual Display vid card for around $100?

[Byte]

Looking for a dual display thats real good. How does the new nView compare to the competition?

 

[Blurry]

Hydravision
Pick either Radeon 7500 for $80ish or Radeon VE for $40ish

 

[LethalWolfe]

Does 3D performance matter? If this is for a rig that does mostly 2D get a Matrox G450 or G550. Dualhead software (Matrox's dual monitor software) is the best out there. If you want something that can handle 3D better get an ATi card (hydravision is almost as good as dualhead). Nvidia cards would be last on my list. Not only for their 2D but also because Nview is the worst of the three for running dual monitors.


Lethal

 

[mrVW]

If 2D is what you need (Windows), the Matrox G550 can't be beat. Bargain card.

I just upgraded to a Gainward ti4600 ($400)... in many ways the Matrox was better at dualhead.

 

[Byte]

why is the matrox any better? I just tryed it and find nothing really special.

 

[FatMan42]

What about PCI cards? I have a GF3 in the AGP slot and there's no reason to change that right now. Can anybody recommend a good PCI card? It would run a TFT panel, and wouldn't need to be especially good at games or have superb DVD playback - as those will happen on the main CRT monitor. Thanks...

 

[juanlopez]

I have tried both ATI and Matrox. Simply put Matrox is better. Why are they any better than ATI's?. No problems with incompatibilities. I can move things from one monitor to the other, have different resolutions and color depths. ATI cards are very good, and better for 3D, but if 2D is all that matters to you and you don't want to worry about driver issues then go for Matrox. Another advantage of the G550 over the Radeon VE that I tried before is that it can handle all the different options in Windows 2000. If you use some other OS maybe ATI can make it, but under Win2000 you need the Matrox. Just don't forget to add ultramon from realtimesoft, it does a great job allowing you to keep separate task bars and other goodies useful for people with two monitors like wallpaper changes, separate screen savers, quick resolution/colo depth changes, etc.

 

[Byte]

nview has a cool alpha blending effect, and who can beat a geforce4 in 3D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!