Which PCI-Express card for big LCD?

[kukka]

I need a PCI-Express video card for a system I'm building (Athlon 64 3200+ on a Gigabyte GA-K8N Ultra 9 board). I am not a gamer. The PC will be used with Adobe's Creative Suite CS2 (InDesign and Photoshop mainly), Word, web and e-mail. It will be connected to a 20-inch LCD via DVI at 1600x1200 or possibly to a 23-inch LCD at 1920x1200.

Obviously, I don't need a gamer's video card. So the 6800s and the X800s are out. Is there ANY advantage AT ALL to a mid-range card like an nVidia 6600 or Radeon x700 (not a GT or Pro version) over a cheaper nVidia 6200 or Radeon X300? Remember, no gaming, just 2D work at high resolutions.

For example, I can get an Asus EN6600 128MB or an Asus EAX-700-X 128MB for around $100 at NewEgg. I can't find any reviews on the EAX-700-X, but a review on the EN6600 said that the 2D quality was only satisfactory. Would you recommend one of these cards over the other? Or something else?

Ideally, I'd like a card with a quiet fan that I won't have to replace. The GA-K8N Ultra 9 uses passive cooling on the Northbridge (no fan). Originally, I'd considered a fanless card but am now thinking that a fan on the graphics card may help cool that area.

 

[ryanv12]

There would be no point in getting a mid-range card, as you asked. If you're not doing anything in a 3d environment, just get a good brand mainstream card.

 

[keeleysam]

Get a Matrox or nVidia Quaddro card.

 

[kukka]

Originally posted by: ryanv12
There would be no point in getting a mid-range card, as you asked. If you're not doing anything in a 3d environment, just get a good brand mainstream card.

OK, if the nVidia 6600s and Radeon X700s are overkill, what chipset would you look for and what do you consider a mainstream card for 2D work at high resolutions?

I read on Tom's hardware that the 2D quality was not very good on some of the budget cards but he didn't name names and I don't know how to check this out because no one seems to discuss 2D quality these days.

 

[BillyBobJoel71]

nvidia 6200 or really anything else for 2d.

 

[imported_Kensai]

Your path just screams Matrox.

 

[kukka]

Do the nVidia 6000 series cards support resolutions greater than 1600x1200 on DVI? I looked on nVidia's site last night. The specs stated 2048x1536 for maximum resolution but didn't specify if this was over an analog or DVI connection. The Leadtek site stated that the maximum DVI resolution for a Leadtek 6200 card was 1600x1200. Most other sites I looked at only specified analog resolution. I have a question in to nVidia but did not receive an answer yet. I also checked out ATI's site for comparable Radeons, but I couldn't find that information there either. If the limit is 1600x1200 via DVI, this means no 23-inch monitor or a much more expensive card. Maybe I should start a separate thread about this.