which Vid Card for $150 or less

[reefguy]

I am currently using an Innovision GeForce 256. The 3D is great(last card VooDoo3) but the 2D is not.
I am going to a computer show in my area today and would like some opinions on what to look for in a video card for $150 or less.
I have been into Anarchy Online and Asheron's Call. I do quite a bit of Excel and Powerpoint work which is reason I'm not happy with the 2D quality of the GeForce 256.
I will be upgrading CPU to Celeron something over 750mHz (FC-PGA) and I will be upgrading to at least 256 Meg RAM (PC100 or PC133 undecided at this point)

All opinions are welcome.

current system:
MSI 6309 V1.0
Celeron 566 (OC'd 770+)
128 Meg RAM PC100
GeForce 256 (Innovision)
SB Live! Value
WD & Fujitsu 7200 RPM HD's

 

[John]

ATI Radeon 64MB DDR ViVo

 

[Athlon4all]

GeForce2 Pro, $130-150. Best value in Video Cards today.

 

[bjc112]

well for 2d radeon.. but the pro 2d is decent.. and much faster card than the ATI ... if you are worried about 2d look for else or gainward... both of those companies have sweet 2d..

 

[MallowJr]

i had gainward g3 and i can say it was blurry compared to my 3dfx (in 2D and in games), so if that is the best 2D g3 i wouldnt like to see the others...

i'd go with radeon at this current time.

 

[Insane3D]

Another vote for the Radeon 64mb VIVO. The retail package ones are now all SE's and come clocked @ 200/200 and use 5ns ram. Full VIVO features and the best DVD quality out there. I just snagged one recently and it plays anything I throw at it up to 1600 x 1200 x 32 with all the eye candy. It even o/c to 240/240 with no extra cooling.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

I'll be the first to recommend the Hercules Prophet 4500 (Kyro2). I'm using one right now. The drivers have been great, image quality excellent (both in 2d and 3d), and you can get them for $100 shipped.

 

[wfbberzerker]

ATI Radeon 64MB DDR ViVo
the 2d quality is noticable better
(i had a voodoo5, and went to radeon - its so sharp in diablo2, its amazing)

 

[reefguy]

Looks like the Radeon it is then. I saw some VE's at the show for around $99 / 32meg and $159 / 64meg.
I don't need the ViVo (I use a Dazzle) and the Dual Monitor thing I don't need either. I don't require the hook up for the television as the computer is 3 rooms away and I have a DVD player hooked up to it anyway. I thought I saw a LE 64meg at pricewatch. I will probably go that way

Thanks for all your input