2D image quality on new ATI chips

[Yomat]

Here is an article:
http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/radeon/connect3d-2.html

Somewhere in the middle there is a table showing subjective 2D image
quality ratings. 9200 scores pretty bad while 9800 seems to be good.
Now I wonder if anyone can verify this.

And some related questions:

* Does low-end ATI boards have less good image quality these days?

* Connect3d doesent strike me as an unserious card maker. But it could
be their doings that cause the degrading?

* Perhaps someone have seen a reference cards quality and can report?

* Why could it be that its worse. Is it degraded quality in the
chipsets themselves or is it just bad filters as is common with Nvidia
cards?

 

[Kent_Diego]

It's a little hard to believe. I have a 8500LE (like 9200) and a 9700 Pro
and running at 2048x1536 gives very good 2D image quality with either card.
They both have 400 MHz RAMDAC so image quality should be the same. The 9200
reviewed looks like an attractive card due to low cost and no cooling fan at
a reasonable performance level.

-Kent

 

[Rich Selmon]

The 2D image quality has more to do with the capacitors and filter quality
than RAMDAC speed. The RAMDAC is what determines the refresh rates and
resolutions you video board supports. So in other words, two cards with the
same speed RAMDACs could have very different 2D quality.

 

[Yomat]

Yes. RAMDAC is irrelevant these days. Unless you have a huge monitor
worth at least $1000. Then you'll need higher resolutions and refresh
rates.

And Radeon 8500 is definitely not the same as 9200 when it comes to
reference layout. It has much higher quality circuitry. 9000 and 9100
is closer to 8500. 9200 seems to be proper junk. ATI has finally come
down to Nvidia standards. Well.. one can always get a 9800. If
ones got the buck and can stand the screeching noise the fan on it
makes.

 

[Bratboy]

Yes. RAMDAC is irrelevant these days. Unless you have a huge monitor
worth at least $1000. Then you'll need higher resolutions and refresh
rates.

And Radeon 8500 is definitely not the same as 9200 when it comes to
reference layout. It has much higher quality circuitry. 9000 and 9100
is closer to 8500. 9200 seems to be proper junk. ATI has finally come
down to Nvidia standards. Well.. one can always get a 9800. If
ones got the buck and can stand the screeching noise the fan on it
makes.

Uh, what brand 9800 you talking about with screaching fans? I just got my
very first ATI card, an 9800 np but prior an Nvidia user for years, and its
as quiets as a mouse...also installed a fx5600 on roomys system and that
ones makeing much more noise.