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Please help me build my new computer, DC!
superboyac:
Fry's has a sale for 4GB RAM, Corsair, DDR3 PC3-12800 1600MHz Twinx Memory. $130
http://www.frys-electronics-ads.com/ads/2008/12/19/39221/Corsair-4GB-DDR3-PC3-12800-1600MHz-Twinx-Memory
Do i want this?
steeladept:
Now, I need help choosing a graphics card.
I currently have an ATI 9600XT, it's fine. I'm looking, as usual, for a bang for the buck card here. I'm not a gamer, but I'd like something decent. I don't know if I need anything special for supporting two monitors, but if so, please consider that. I don't know anything about graphics cards.
Also, maybe tv input would be nice, in case I live somewhere with cable in the room.
-superboyac (December 22, 2008, 04:26 PM)
--- End quote ---
For a video card, I have always like Matrox cards (unless you are a gamer, in which case go NVidia or ATI). The Matrox cards are usually cheaper and focus on 2D & 3D images rather than faster rendering. In other words higher polygon count rendered slower. They also were some of the first mainline cards with multihead support so it could be much easier to set up your dual (or more) monitor setup. I don't know if they still have the TV tuner card, but if not, I am sure you can get separate ones. Last time I looked, they called them AllInWonder cards (at least I think that was Matrox...)
Carol Haynes:
All in Wonder cards were from ATI (Radeon range).
I wouldn't recommend them though - drivers are rubbish and the TV stuff doesn't work well (at least not in my experience - and I have had 2 of them). One of the reasons All in Wonder cards have become rarer.
If you want TV you are better off buying a dedicated TV card.
superboyac:
So what is a good dual-monitor card for my case? I'm thinking ATI Radeon or Nvidia. The Matrox look interesting, but I'm not familiar with them, so I don't know what to think.
Carol Haynes:
Given that your choice of motherboard is specifically designed for ATI Crossfire I would suggest an ATI board is probably your best bet.
Lots of Graphics cards are dual head these days but they are often VGA and DVI on two channels.
You could go for lower power graphics cards and install 2 so that you can run both of your monitors on DVI interfaces. If you aren't gaming there isn't really a good reason to spend a fortune on top end graphics cards as they will mostly be wasted.
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