Best 2D - yes, 2D - graphics card

[Rogue Jedi X 0]

The topic kinda says it all. My friend is looking for a good 2D graphics card, since he uses those Photoshop-like programs so much. He's currently using a GeForce card (don't ask which, he never told me) and he's about to hurl it out the window :x Any suggestions?

[Jerry Atrik 0]

the matrox g cards are good priced and perform 2d stuff quite well

also available in dual head

[jimf43 0]

Quote:

The topic kinda says it all. My friend is looking for a good 2D graphics card, since he uses those Photoshop-like programs so much. He's currently using a GeForce card (don't ask which, he never told me) and he's about to hurl it out the window :x Any suggestions?

I also use a lot of those 'Photoshop-like' Programs. In past I've used matrox cards without a problem, but with my latest rig I got an ATI8500-128 which I like very much. I've never used a GeForce card, but from what I've heard, the detailing takes second place to speed. I don't find that to be true with the ATI. Color and definition are very good.

I understand that the 8500 will continue to be marketed as the 9100, and will probably go for a reasonable price.

[BladeRunner 0]

Anything by Matrox.

Nothing either ATI or NVidia can release can still come close to the 2D quality Matrox provide - well not exactly true, they are getting closer but still no cigar.

Parhellia would be a good choice but certainly not the cheapest card in the world.

[SHS 0]

Yup I have agree with BladeRunner

[pmistry 0]

If your friend is budget minded, look for an old Matrox G450 or 550.

[Kainz 0]

Go for a G200 or G450. Don't know much about the 550+ range.

 

I built this P2-450 with 1 gig of ram back in 1997. Also bought myself an 8mb Matrox Millenium G200 - its an awesome card. 2D was ultra fast and it could even play todays 3D games pretty well (Max payne at low res, Ultima Online's Third Dawn, Half Life:Counterstrike etc). Plus the duel head system is probably the best around, I've used it for quite sometime.

 

Recently I bought myself a Geforce2 GTS. Honestly never seen a peice of junk in my life. Nice and fast in 3D as expected, but its 2D performance is no where near the G200's. On Win2k, I've had more problems with nvidia's buggy det drivers in 1 month, then I've ever had with Matrox's ones which known for their rock solid stability.

[pmistry 0]

My uncle still has an older system, a Pentium 2 - 400 running Windows NT 4.0 that he uses for some heavy MS Office work, and he's got a Matrox G550 sitting in it, very nice display indeed.

[Mr.Guvernment 0]

Matrox - then ATI.

 

 

i have alwasy used ATi though, never matrox, that is just baes on ym reading, i personaly would go with ATI for it's multimedia abilities as well.

[Rogue Jedi X 0]

Hey, thanks for the replies, all of you! My friend went out and bought a Parhelia a couple of days ago. He was putting off to buy a new graphics card for so long that he accumulated enough money to buy Parhelia and more. I guess being lazy has its benefits

[BladeRunner 0]

Your friend has made a very good choice.

The Parhelia is a lovely card, I feel it is slightly overpriced for what it is - I was very disappointed when it first came out as the specifications of it promised a lot more.

Saying that I've got one in my system here at work and it really is a nice piece of kit, the 2D screen quality is just amazing.

If he has any problems point him in the direction of www.matroxusers.com there he will be able to find a lot of Matrox experts who'll be able to help him out in no time.