What is the difference between XGA and SVGA

[CandyKid]

I'm looking to buy a scan convertor and the ones i've been looking at will support resolutions like VGA 800x600 SVGA 1024x760 and XGA 1280x1028. Is XGA a mac thing.. Most monitors nowadays are SVGA...

If i'm off and it helps i'll be using a voodoo5.

I will be using a SVGA display correct?

 

[Noriaki]

I have no idea what a scan converter is, but XGA is a laptop thing, your main desktop monitor will be an SVGA.

 

[XeonTux]

XGA was a term created by IBM back in the late 80's or early 90's, for their then-new graphics adapter in their high-end PS/2 486 systems. The new XGA card did 1024x768 with the appropriate IBM monitor (8514?). At this time VGA was in it's infancy, and most cards only did 640x480x16 colors and SVGA typically meant 800x600 or 640x480x256. In the years that followed, other manufacturers created more and more powerful cards. (obviously)

It has been my observation that the terms SVGA and XGA have been used interchangably. When I bought my 486DX2-50 back in '92 it came with a card capable of 1024x768 and 1280x1024 - which the manufacturer had called a "XGA" card. Was it different than other S3 cards with the same resolutions that were called SVGA? NOPE.

If anything I think that people usually use XGA to mean higher SVGA resolutions. But now adays, just about any card you buy will surpass the original XGA specs.

XGA is NOT a Mac thing.

Candykid, I would pay less attention to the labels (SVGA,XGA,etc) and focus on the supports resolutions and frequencies.

Noriaki, I don't understand why you think XGA is a laptop thing.

 

[Howard]

Probably because so many laptop displays have some sort of XGA in their description. Usually that's because they run a resolution of 1024x768.

 

[Kingofcomputer]

gimmick, fancy word, marketing,
later you'll see UVWXYZGA.

 

[LXi]

<<I don't understand why you think XGA is a laptop thing.>>

Because only laptop specs have this term?? Its never been used for desktop video cards.

 

[XeonTux]

<<I don't understand why you think XGA is a laptop thing.>>

Because only laptop specs have this term?? Its never been used for desktop video cards.

Then I guess I never bought that old local bus XGA card I have. And IBM never released the first XGA card for their PS/2's. I've never seen it other places too, but don't remember where off the top of my head...perhaps because I never saw it?

never say never

 

[Noriaki]

Actually he's right, now that I think about I do remember the IBM proprietary XGA cards.

Perhaps the term XGA in use with laptops is a misnomer then, but there are plenty of laptops that use &quot;XGA&quot; graphics.


And now I actually know what a scan converter is Ignore the *GA part...a Voodoo5 is SVGA but that doesn't matter, just get a scan converter capable of the resolution you want to use.

 

[DeathroweR]

For LCD's it's pretty strict:

VGA = 640x480
SVGA = 800x600
XGA = 1024x768
...
UXGA = 1200x1600

LCD's have to use some kind of screen expansion to emulate lower resolutions full-screen, that's why it's strict.

 

[WoundedWallet]

I have an XGA card on my 286, in the garage....

I never really understood the diference, but I remember the choices for drivers.

Now, aren't you guys talking about XPA for laptops?

WW

 

[divinemartyr]

XeonTux is correct, and while this has already been pointed out, no harm done in further supporting him. =) Back when resolutions were a big advancement in displays, standards were identified merely by VGA, SVGA, and XGA. 640x480, 800x600, and 1024x768 respectively, XGA being the best of course. This is not a laptop term, this is an OLD term of standards.

divinemartyr

 

[LXi]

Make that Its never been used for modern desktop video cards.

 

[hans007]

technically xga is 1024 and svga is 800 , vga being 640,

 

[XeonTux]

Personally I think we (as a society) should just drop the VGA, SVGA, XGA labels and only refer to supported resolutions, color depths, and chipsets. Just about every card on the market exceeds original XGA now, and it's not like anyone is still making CGA, EGA, or 256k VGA. It is obvious these nGA labels are confusing and pointless. Do we really need these in either desktop or laptop specs?

 

[Modus]

I believe XeonTux is right. Furthermore, some monitors these days *are* refered to as XGA. (Though I haven't seen any &quot;XGA&quot; video cards.)

Modus

 

[XeonTux]

Wow, three peeps saying I'm right...what a boost of self esteem

 

[WoundedWallet]

Well maybe I don't have an XGA card after all and I just remember seeing the drivers for it. Who knows, I haven't touched that 286 in years...

 

[LXi]

<<Wow, three peeps saying I'm right...what a boost of self esteem>>

Big deal.