G400 OEM vs. G400 Max

[artslave]

[I know I’m gona get flamed for this one]

OK here's my dilemma.

I am planning on buying a G400 very soon, I can get a Dual, 32 MB, OEM version for $203 CDN or a Max for $275 - $292 CDN.

What I would like to know is:
Is the Max worth the extra $$$?
Does the extra 60MHz really make that big of a difference in 2D or in 3D?

I spend most of my time in 2D apps and I play very few games (I play a little HL a couple times a month).

Is there any reason to spend an extra $70 to $90 for the Max?


[This message has been edited by artslave (edited 19 May 2000).]

[Brian R.]

My opinion is no, unless you have a reasonable chance of changing your computing habits. Another factor is the resolution you normally work at. If you work at high (1800x1440 or greater) resolutions consistently, then the MAX may show a difference on a great monitor.

[paulcs]

The Max is clocked faster, so you'll do better in 3D games. I assume you're talking about RAMDAC when you refer to the extra 60 MHz. That, as Brian pointed out, improves image quality at high resolutions.

I really like my Max, although if you have a slow CPU or you don't intend to do a lot of 3D stuff, it's probably overkill.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[Jeff]

Another thing to consider is OEM vs Retail. The Max will be a retail boxed unit. Some OEM products use slower memory. I don't know if Matrox does this on the G400 or not but they have with past products. Correct me if I'm wrong here. Also, you get a better warrenty with the retail unit. And let's not forget the shinny box.

JP

[Pace]

[I know I’m gona get flamed for this one]

Us MURCer's, flame you? You are trying to choose between two Matrox cards! Not 3dfx and NVIDIA! Hehe

Core clock speed differences will make a larger difference in 3D games esp. at high resolution > XGA.

The 60Mhz RAMDAC jump will help at UXGA+ in 2D and 3D - offering 85Hz at the highest resolutions:

<TABLE BORDER=1>

<TR><TH>Res.</TH><TH>MAX</TH><TH>Std.</TH></TR>

<TR><TD>1600x1200</TD><TD>100</TD><TD>100</TD></TR>

<TR><TD>1800x1440</TD><TD>85</TD><TD>80</TD></TR>

<TR><TD>1920x1440</TD><TD>85</TD><TD>75</TD></TR>

<TR><TD>2048x1536</TD><TD>85</TD><TD>70</TD></TR>

</TABLE>

If you, like me, can tell the difference between 75 and 85Hz, and get headaches quicker at 75Hz then go with the MAX for above 1600.

Retail boxed will come with software as well, useful for DVD playing and calibrating your monitor and some games too - check Matrox site for details. OEM is likely to come with card, drivers CD and er, the static bag.

Whether it worth $70? I don't know - but with the G450 based products on the horizon it may be worth waiting for these business aimed products - it's your choice.

Paul.

[Aurel]

Go for the MAX
1600x1200 looks kind of washed on a vanilla.
You can overcome the speed factor on a vanilla by a simple overclock, so this really comes down to the extra RAMDAC of the MAX.

[artslave]

but with the G450 based products on the horizon it may be worth waiting

The problem is that I use BeOS and I don’t know how long it will take someone to develop G450 drivers.
Also I think I was mistaken when I said that the OEM supports Dual Monitors, now I think it must be the single head model. I will have to double check. If it is a single my decision is already made, I would definitely go for the Max. I would pay ~$80 for the faster RAMDAC and Dual Heads.

[Ashley]

Is the RAMDAC really faster or just rated/marketed for a higher speed?

I've never yanked the heat sink off these things, but I thought that all G400 boards, OEM or retail, vanilla or standard, use the same G400 chip.

[Rags]

Ashley,

You, of all people, should know that the RAMDAC speed is a function of the bios.

Rags

[Ashley]

Rags - I'm sure you misunderstood my question. I know the G400MAX *card* has a different BIOS, that it has a fan and 5ns memory, perhaps some better passive components as well. But the maximum operational speed of an *integrated* RAMDAC would be chip, not BIOS determined; a BIOS limitation would be completely irrelevant, except of course to software that replied on the BIOS for information.

So: is 300/360MHz just a marketing distinction, are the G400s speed binned, or what?

[Kruzin]

All G400 chips are the same, with the same RAMDAC.
Matrox bench tests the chips, and the ones that can handle the faster MAX clockings are made into MAXs.
Like all of the other clockings on the card, the RAMDAC speed is controlled by the BIOS.

[Damien Green]

I have to concour with Kruzin - the bios does indeed controllall speeds/timigs etc. If you don't believe this - then just consider your motherboard's bios - this allows the adjustment of FSB speed, memory timings etc. There is no difference between this and a graphics card's bios - only that we're not able to access such settings without specialist programs on a graphics card.

[Ashley]

Damien, the M/B BIOS/FSB analogy is a good example of how maximum RAMDAC speed can *never* be determined by a BIOS setting - it is, at best, just a default maximum that can be changed or ignored. I can use my M/B BIOS to program a Celeron 566A to a 133MHz FSB, but its not going to work... Conservely, I can set the FSB to 66MHz in the M/B BIOS, and then use a utility like SoftFSB to change it to 100MHz, and it is going to work...

But I know what you guys mean. I just wanted to know if there was any discernable difference between the G400 chip on a vanilla as opposed to a MAX card.