Powerful basic card, even for gamers
Written: Aug 24 '02 (Updated Aug 24 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Some new technology, dual VGA output, inexpensive
Cons: Not the best graphics
The Bottom Line: Great basic, newly innovated card, even for a gamer on a budget.
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| zap3v's Full Review: VisionTek Xtasy GeForce4 MX 440, (64 MB) AGP Video... |
I consider myself something of a gamer, but not truly as I only play 3-4 games and they are all military games of one kind or another. But, I do appreciate good graphics and performance in those that I play. I have a super fast computer with tons of memory, the 19" flat screen monitor, etc. The only thing I didn't have was a great graphics card. My card was pretty good and with the amount of gaming I did, it was solid. It was a Geforce2 Mx400, the little brother of this Geforce4 Mx440. I wasn't going to pay over 200 dollars for a card because I'm not that serious of a player. I waited for the Geforce4s to come out and then for the prices to drop. This card seemed perfect. It was 100 dollars and I got a 30 dollar rebate, so I tried it out.
I found it performed much better than the Geforce2, as expected. The technology on this card isn't the best Nvidia has to offer. The Ti line is the best. This is basically a step up on faster technology from the Geforce2. I don't understand or care to understand it all. The bottom line is it is a worthy upgrade from the Geforce2 and a really worthy upgrade from a worse card, like maybe a TNT2. It'll change your life if that's what you are running. I can only imagine what the 400 dollar card looks like. Maybe that's just too much fun to have.
The card is good quality. I have had Visiontek cards before and they are excellent. This one has dual VGA output, which is REALLY cool. If you have 2 monitors, not even the same size, you can have the screen split them and have twice as much space. There are many options such as placing the monitors next to eachother and making the screen longer width-wise or putting the on top of eachother and having it be longer, etc. It's excellet. Most cards have an S-video output, which is OK. If you want to put your computer onto your TV screen, it's useful, but I had that option and never did it. My monitor showed anything better.
The dual VGA is enough almost to get this card if you have 2 monitors sitting around. I had 2 19" then sold one before I got this card unfortunately. I had a 15" as my second monitor and it was still a great option. I am a serious multi-tasker and it had me satisfied. I was ready to go out and buy a new monitor, but my wife may have strangled me.
The card is cheap now and improved my gaming a great deal. I can't compare it to the more expensive cards since I haven't owned any of them, but I can say I play games regularly now that I have this card and love the improvements.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 90
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Epinions.com ID:
zap3v
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Location: Olympia, WA, USA
Reviews written: 46
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
I am an Army officer, Exercise Physiologist, and computer hardware/software & electronics enthusiast.
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