Ikonboard » Printable Version of Topic

Forum: The Classroom
Topic: Matrox any good?
started by: PlaztikPTZ

Posted by PlaztikPTZ on Feb. 11 2001,00:31

I'm getting a free computer that comes with a Matrox Millenium G400-AGP 4X 16MB video card, is this Good/Bad/OK for gaming?
Thanks

Posted by Sithiee on Feb. 11 2001,00:45

its free. that doesnt matter. the fact is that you pay nothing for it. if you sell it, you can get a card that is good for gaming. profit\% = infinite, because anything over 0 is infinite.

Posted by PlaztikPTZ on Feb. 11 2001,01:00

true....
But is it good for gaming? I just need to know just in case.
"What's worse? Having a bad headache, or having one...and not KNOWING it?"

Posted by askheaves on Feb. 11 2001,01:15

If it's the DualHead version (two monitor outputs on the back), it's a pretty shit kicking card. Plug in two monitors at 1200x1600.

...

It's a pretty shitty 3D card, especially with 16 Meg. It's meant for business applications. You can crank the res up to, like, 2048 by 1600.. or something, and it isn't all fuzzy with a good monitor. If nothing else, it looks great in your normal day-to-day actions.

Posted by PlaztikPTZ on Feb. 11 2001,01:23

quote:
Originally posted by askheaves:
If it's the DualHead version (two monitor outputs on the back), it's a pretty shit kicking card. Plug in two monitors at 1200x1600. ...
It's a pretty shitty 3D card, especially with 16 Meg. It's meant for business applications. You can crank the res up to, like, 2048 by 1600.. or something, and it isn't all fuzzy with a good monitor. If nothing else, it looks great in your normal day-to-day actions.

:\ Damn
with 448 megs of ram and a crap 3d card im pretty pissed

Posted by solid on Feb. 11 2001,04:01

Ever heard of an upgrade? Just pay a nice 躔 for a GeForce Ultra AGP w/ 32 mb's.

Who cares, the computer's free. If there is a problem, fix it. If the end result costs more than the computer itself, you haven't gained.

If you're being given that computer for some soort of beta testing. It's free, what does it matter?

Posted by PlaztikPTZ on Feb. 11 2001,10:04

quote:
Originally posted by solid:
Ever heard of an upgrade? Just pay a nice 躔 for a GeForce Ultra AGP w/ 32 mb's.

The only problem with that being i dont have 躔 to toss around on a card, and i like it game. But i guess i could go without gaming, and actually get some work done

edit: ubb

This message has been edited by PlaztikPTZ on February 12, 2001 at 05:06 AM

Posted by Wolfguard on Feb. 11 2001,14:45

quote:
Originally posted by PlaztikPTZ:
But i guess i could go without gaming, and actually get some work done

HAY NOW! No reason at all for that kind of talk here.

------------------
WHOOPING ASS, although solidly criticized by politicians and overprotective mothers everywhere, is a good thing. If the cavemen had used their unique talents to foster a nurturing and non-competitive environment the planet would be run by leopards
< TeamWolfguard.com >

Posted by DuSTman on Feb. 11 2001,19:22

I hear the matrox cards have one of the best image qualities out there. the ramdac on those cards is really quite a quality item, and the cards feature set is geared towards image quality, not really speed. Expect it to be a bit slower than an Nvidia TNT2 at most things.

It was sorta competative in speed terms when it came out but technology has overtaken it speed wise.

Posted by jim on Feb. 11 2001,19:30

Matrox cards are by far my favorite. They do have the absolute BEST image quality.

True their 3d performance isn't anything to brag about, and their OpenGL has always been their weakness.

BUT, they perform VERY well on fast computers where it can borrow CPU cycles.

I use Matrox in all computers I own, except my gaming box. You have to give it to nVidia for gaming. But then again, nVidia's 2d performance and image quality can't compare to Matrox!!!!

------------------
jim
Beauty is in the eye of the Beer Holder
< Brews and Cues >

Posted by PlaztikPTZ on Feb. 11 2001,22:46

quote:
Originally posted by jim:
Matrox cards are by far my favorite. They do have the absolute BEST image quality.
True their 3d performance isn't anything to brag about, and their OpenGL has always been their weakness.
BUT, they perform VERY well on fast computers where it can borrow CPU cycles.
I use Matrox in all computers I own, except my gaming box. You have to give it to nVidia for gaming. But then again, nVidia's 2d performance and image quality can't compare to Matrox!!!!

Thanks, Jim
I feel a lot better about my card now because I wont be doing much gaming(my grades have jumped like 40\% up since i stopped ).

Posted by The_Stomper on Feb. 11 2001,23:47

In my opinion you should drop 贄 on a geForce DDR or ATi Radeon. Both very good cards for the price.

Stomper

Posted by solid on Feb. 11 2001,23:58

Or get one thats reliable and second hand, or get a TNT2.

Posted by The_Stomper on Feb. 12 2001,01:36

solid, what do you mean by "reliable" for the TNT2? My geForce has been burning its way through whatever I've thrown at it, never crashed. IMO the money's better spent on the geForce or Radeon instead of buying a TNT2 and wanting an upgrade later. But it's up to the guy with the cash in hand I guess - just do your homework first PlaztikPTZ.

Stomper

Posted by The_Stomper on Feb. 12 2001,16:15

Oh, that's what you meant. You said "something that's reliable ... like a TNT2"; that means that the geForce/Radeon is not reliable (crashes/buggy) and the TNT2 is (I had more trouble with my TNT than my geForce btw).

Glad to clear that up.

Stomper

Posted by solid on Feb. 12 2001,17:10

what.. i think you misread or misunderstood.

i meant:

"if you have much lower cash than that, get one second hand, or buy a tnt2 or something"

Posted by solid on Feb. 13 2001,00:05

Ya. My TNT2 makes the screen show like .. distorted trying to run CS, so when the game is loaded I always have to press escape and resume game. It's a little annoying. At least it's not my friends voodoo3. It inverts the screen colour sometimes and cuts it into half.

Posted by The_Stomper on Feb. 15 2001,00:00

Really? My geForce2 hasn't given me any shit. Other than occasionally dropping below 100fps with all the details up.

For those of you who said TnL was just a fad & wouldn't make a difference - ha! Every manufacturer is kissing its ass - nVidia, ATi, S3/Diamond, even 3dfx had it in the works. (Except for Matrox :P)

Stomper

Posted by blanalex on Feb. 15 2001,00:41

quote:
Originally posted by The_Stomper:
Really? My geForce2 hasn't given me any shit. Other than occasionally dropping below 100fps with all the details up.
For those of you who said TnL was just a fad & wouldn't make a difference - ha! Every manufacturer is kissing its ass - nVidia, ATi, S3/Diamond, even 3dfx had it in the works. (Except for Matrox :P)

What's the point of 100fps? You can barely see the difference beyond 35fps!

and, yep matrox has hardware T&L in the build for their next generation know as (oh suprise) G800.

At first i think it will be only transformations on hardware, and shortly after that there will be a G810 with both T&L onboard.

------------------
#define QUESTION (2b)| |!(2b)

Posted by The_Stomper on Feb. 15 2001,01:02

quote:
Originally posted by blanalex:
What's the point of 100fps? You can barely see the difference beyond 35fps!

lol... If this were true, do you think the graphics companies would still be in business? I've got no problems seeing differences up to about 85Hz... and having 100fps just makes sure it doesn't drop below where I can tell the difference.

Or it could just be a blatant exaggeration to showboat the raw power of the geForce2. Now excuse me while I drool over the geForce3 whitepapers.

Stomper