Help on buying an AGP video card

[cphillips581]

We are buying a Samsung SyncMaster 225BW 22'' LCD screen as a gift for
a family member. The screen says the Native Resolution is 1680 x 1050.
The only monitors I have ever owned were CRT's, so I don't understand
the ramifications of that.

Is it ok to run the monitor in 800 x 600 or 1024 x 768 or will it look
terrible. If a new video card is required, can you please recommend an
AGP model that's not too costly.

TIA

 

[Fidelis K]

Is it ok to run the monitor in 800 x 600 or 1024 x 768 or will it look
terrible. If a new video card is required, can you please recommend an
AGP model that's not too costly.

The LCD monitor should be run in its native resolution to give you the best
image quality. Some high-end LCD monitors do a better job of displaying
images in non-native resolutions, but that Samsung monitor uses the TN panel
which is poor at displaying images in non-native resolutions.

As for an AGP card, the Radeon X850 Pro is your best bet (<$100). It's one
of the fastest AGP cards and will have no problem driving the LCD in
1680x1050.

 

[Cari]

The LCD monitor should be run in its native resolution to give you the
best image quality. Some high-end LCD monitors do a better job of
displaying images in non-native resolutions, but that Samsung monitor uses
the TN panel which is poor at displaying images in non-native resolutions.

As for an AGP card, the Radeon X850 Pro is your best bet (<$100). It's one
of the fastest AGP cards and will have no problem driving the LCD in
1680x1050.

I'll second the recommendation for the x850 as it's a terrific card (for an
AGP) but the OP didn't actually tell us what is already in the PC! Their
current card may be just fine.

 

[Mike T.]

We are buying a Samsung SyncMaster 225BW 22'' LCD screen as a gift for
a family member. The screen says the Native Resolution is 1680 x 1050.
The only monitors I have ever owned were CRT's, so I don't understand
the ramifications of that.

Is it ok to run the monitor in 800 x 600 or 1024 x 768 or will it look
terrible. If a new video card is required, can you please recommend an
AGP model that's not too costly.

TIA

As others have stated (and they are correct) the 22" LCD MUST be run at 1680
X 1050. This is going to require a video card with a lot of RAM *ON* the
video card. Whatever you go with, make sure it has at least 256MB of RAM on
it. The following is a good budget choice, and it will run all current
games just fine, unless the user is a hard-core gamer that won't be
satisfied with anything less than maximum frame rates.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150107

If the user is more of a gamer, the following looks good too, but costs a
bit more:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814125039

 

[cphillips581]

I'll second the recommendation for the x850 as it's a terrific card (for an
AGP) but the OP didn't actually tell us what is already in the PC! Their
current card may be just fine.

The monitor is a gift, so I am unsure what video card is in the PC
already, but I am fairly certain it's a very low end card. The place
he bought the pc from is out of business now and they wouldn't have
provided a very good card.

I have an All-In-Wonder Radeon 9600 XT 128 MB card in this PC which I
could give him if that would be good enough. I still have an older
nVidia card I could use for myself. The person receiving the gift
isn't really a big gamer. He uses it for Excel, web surfing and things
of that nature as far as I know. The OS in use is Windows 98 SE I
believe. I think they might be looking at a new PC fairly soon, but I
am not sure they include a decent enough graphics card to use the
monitor, so would they have to upgrade the new PC with a better video
card?

Thanks again

 

[Mike T.]

The monitor is a gift, so I am unsure what video card is in the PC
already, but I am fairly certain it's a very low end card. The place
he bought the pc from is out of business now and they wouldn't have
provided a very good card.

I have an All-In-Wonder Radeon 9600 XT 128 MB card in this PC which I
could give him if that would be good enough. I still have an older
nVidia card I could use for myself. The person receiving the gift
isn't really a big gamer. He uses it for Excel, web surfing and things
of that nature as far as I know. The OS in use is Windows 98 SE I
believe. I think they might be looking at a new PC fairly soon, but I
am not sure they include a decent enough graphics card to use the
monitor, so would they have to upgrade the new PC with a better video
card?

Thanks again

Whoa, that changes things. If they are going to upgrade the PC soon, then
they will want PCI-Express. So any card you give or buy for them now would
be useless, if it's AGP format. -Dave

 

[DaveW]

The Native Resolution of an LCD monitor is the technically REQUIRED, ONLY
resolution that the monitor can be run at with an optimum image. (CRT's do
not have this limitation.) Any other resolution selected may work, but will
have a poor image. Secondly, by buying that large of a widescreen LCD with
it's required HIGH native resolution you cannot buy just any old inexpensive
AGP video card. You will need at least a mid-range quality card to handle
that high of a resolution without straining the video card.

 

[cphillips581]

The Native Resolution of an LCD monitor is the technically REQUIRED, ONLY
resolution that the monitor can be run at with an optimum image. (CRT's do
not have this limitation.) Any other resolution selected may work, but will
have a poor image. Secondly, by buying that large of a widescreen LCD with
it's required HIGH native resolution you cannot buy just any old inexpensive
AGP video card. You will need at least a mid-range quality card to handle
that high of a resolution without straining the video card.

Would the All-In-Wonder 9600 XT (Radeon) be adequate to run the LCD
monitor at it's native resolution. It only has 128 mb of memory, but
the listed resolutions on the box include a few higher than the native
one. It didn't list the native one, so I am not sure if it can do that
also.

 

[Mike T.]

Would the All-In-Wonder 9600 XT (Radeon) be adequate to run the LCD
monitor at it's native resolution. It only has 128 mb of memory, but
the listed resolutions on the box include a few higher than the native
one. It didn't list the native one, so I am not sure if it can do that
also.

It might work, if you never, ever play a game or install windows
ista. -Dave