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Image Quality Comparison between Matrox and Geforce

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  • Image Quality Comparison between Matrox and Geforce

    Read this FIRST! Remember the words from the Mighty ANT. Think before you reply. I have written this post because I would find such a post highly interesting myself.
    I am not trying to convince anyone or push my opinion. I am merely stating my own personal opinion after I conducted a test myself.
    Constructive criticism, comment, questions etc are, as always appreciated.

    I have just bought a new computer and I felt that it was time to change the video card as well.
    I have been with matrox since the days of the original millennium card, so I was ready to buy a G-800 eh I mean G-550.
    I am a computer engineer student and therefore I spend all day playing games. Well not really, but I would like to have the opportunity to play games @ high resolution.
    Therefore I wanted a gefart but not on the cost of image quality.

    When I ordered the computer, I made a deal. If I am not satisfied with the image quality of the gf3 card, I could replace it with a Matrox card (and get some dough back as well)
    I searched a bit on the Internet and apparently, Gainward was supposed to have a rather good 2D quality.

    So, I hooked up my two computers to my dual-input Sony F-500 Monitor.
    On the old, I ran a Matrox G-200 PCI 16 MB Card, and the new one had the gainward card.

    I do not know if G-4xx cards have better image quality than the G-200 but here is the result

    When I ran the desktop 1280x1024x32@85 Hz I honestly could not spot any difference. The picture is equally good. (In case you wonder I conducted a blind test, that means a friend switched between the desktops and I did not know if it was matrox or the gefart on display)
    At 1600x1200@85 I (sorry to say so) thought the Gainward had BETTER picture quality. That being said I did not find it particularly good but text was quite readable and somewhat sharper than the G-200. Maybe I have a bad Matrox?

    Anyway, I have been satisfied with my Matrox card image quality (I tried an original gefart card for over a year ago and the image quality was BAD, so apparently it has been an evolution)
    And now that my gainward offers equal quality I cannot complain.

    Remember this, just because I think the image quality is equally good it does not necessarily means that you do, but if you would like a fast gaming card try the gainward and you would probably not regret it.

    Love from the Viking (and I still consider myself a Murcer!)
    Last edited by The Viking; 24 August 2001, 17:29.
    Best regards
    Tor

    "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"
    Arthur C. Clarke

  • #2
    Well written post.

    What kind of connections to your monitor were these? Both DIN? What kind of cable?
    Gigabyte P35-DS3L with a Q6600, 2GB Kingston HyperX (after *3* bad pairs of Crucial Ballistix 1066), Galaxy 8800GT 512MB, SB X-Fi, some drives, and a Dell 2005fpw. Running WinXP.

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    • #3
      Cables

      Thanks.

      I forgot to mention the cables. I used a high quality D-sub15 pin with the Matrox and a standard 5 BNC cable with the Geforce.

      Originally posted by Wombat
      Well written post.

      What kind of connections to your monitor were these? Both DIN? What kind of cable?
      Best regards
      Tor

      "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"
      Arthur C. Clarke

      Comment


      • #4
        Switch the cables around and try again.

        Ciao

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        • #5
          A BNC cable will always give a better signal than a 15pin VGA.
          Your test is flawed, as you put the G200 at a big disadvantage right the bat by hooking the Geforce to the BNC, and not the G200.
          Run an equal test, both on BNC, or both on the 15pin.
          Core2 Duo E7500 2.93, Asus P5Q Pro Turbo, 4gig 1066 DDR2, 1gig Asus ENGTS250, SB X-Fi Gamer ,WD Caviar Black 1tb, Plextor PX-880SA, Dual Samsung 2494s

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          • #6
            Switching Cables

            I have switched the cables and run a new comparison at 1280x1024 and 1600x1200

            @ 1280x1024 I still could not spot any difference between the two cards.

            The story had altered at 1600x1200. In order to have an 85 Hz refresh rate I have to run the desktop at 16 bit (the Matrox card being the limiting factor here (I do not know if this affects the result))

            The G-200 was better than the geforce at this resolution when I piped the image through the BNC cable. The picture was improved, but the WOW factor was not present, in other words it was not a big difference, but still distinguishable.

            Probably there is an even better image quality with a G-4xx or G-550 card but I have not tested that.

            Anyway, the Gefart delivers a picture that is much better than expected and if you run the desktop at 1280x1024, I think that you will have a hard time spotting any dissimilarity between these two cards (when we evaluate the image quality, of course). At resolution above that It seems that our loving Matrox strut its stuff, but with a G-200 not by much. (It is not agonizing to run at this resolution but I find it more pleasing to run at 1280x1024)

            If you have doubts like me and the itching is so BAD that you have to buy a new card, I suggest that you try a Gainward if you would like a gaming card, but make a return-if-not-satisfied-deal.

            If anyone else has similar experience, bad or good, I encourage you to post a reply.

            The Viking
            Best regards
            Tor

            "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"
            Arthur C. Clarke

            Comment


            • #7
              Another issue that many people dont consider is something called personal preference. I have tested a G400 and a Radeon on a Sony G500 using the same BNC cable at a res of 1600*1200*32 and 85hz and I personally preferred the Radeon. Not that the Radeon produced a clearer picture or was more readable but simply because I found that the G400 displayed heavier text which isnt as well suited to my eyes. However the differences were smalland not something to get hung up about
              Interests include:
              Computing, Reading, Pubs, Restuarants, Pubs, Curries, More Pubs and more Curries

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              • #8
                Probably there is an even better image quality with a G-4xx or G-550 card but I have not tested that.
                My G400 max has bether image quality then my old g200 millenium!
                According to the latest official figures, 43% of all statistics are totally worthless...

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                • #9
                  I had the same results as Viking, But I couldn't really pick a winner. I was very surprised how good the Gainward was in 2d. The Visiontek cards were lacking in 2d , (Ultra, GF2) I like the Gainward. 2d is getting better in most cards these days. As the average user is moving up to 19" and higher.

                  Viking you don't answer emails ?


                  BTW I have a MAX right next door

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Hi there.


                    Originally posted by LAMFDTK

                    Viking you don't answer emails ?

                    Yes, I do reply, Lista Man. In fact, I am the mail-master. You will not believe how much crap I mail everyday. (Once I mailed almost 1 Gb with stuff, to my recipient’s horror but that is another story,)

                    I wrote you a long letter but I got it in return due to unknown address, I also sent you a mail through murc but obvious it was lost on it’s way to you.

                    So Farsund Man, please try again but this time with a valid e-mail.

                    (You can also mail me at: oldtor@pornostjerne.com but it worked the first time through murc so try that first.)
                    Best regards
                    Tor

                    "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"
                    Arthur C. Clarke

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      <I> &gt Once I mailed almost 1 Gb with stuff</I>

                      I send you this file in order to have your advice.


                      And you're proud of that?
                      Gigabyte P35-DS3L with a Q6600, 2GB Kingston HyperX (after *3* bad pairs of Crucial Ballistix 1066), Galaxy 8800GT 512MB, SB X-Fi, some drives, and a Dell 2005fpw. Running WinXP.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Wombat
                        And you're proud of that?

                        Yes, I am very proud of that.

                        Well, actually, I sent some files due to a request and ftp was not an option.

                        Mmm, maybe I will put YOU on my mailing list!
                        Last edited by The Viking; 25 August 2001, 17:33.
                        Best regards
                        Tor

                        "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"
                        Arthur C. Clarke

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Switching Cables

                          Originally posted by The Viking
                          I have switched the cables and run a new comparison at 1280x1024 and 1600x1200
                          .....
                          The G-200 was better than the geforce at this resolution when I piped the image through the BNC cable.
                          So now you'll believe it next time when you're told that using a (decent) BNC cable WILL result in better picture-quality?
                          But we named the *dog* Indiana...
                          My System
                          2nd System (not for Windows lovers )
                          German ATI-forum

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                          • #14
                            Hello Viking!!

                            Bra å se at det er andre nordmenn på dette forumet! Vet ikke om så mange.... Får vel fortsette på engelsk så folka ikke klager!

                            On my computer home I have an 19" monitor, and when I tested a GeForce3 card (ASUS) I noticed the difference! After a week, the GeForce card was kicked out, and my G400 MAX! was put back in.....

                            At fork I use two minitors, on a G450, soon a G550... :-) I cant imagine the thought of changing from Matrox to nVidia/ATI

                            But of course, perhaps your GeForce card is better in 2D.....

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                            • #15
                              Asus / Gainward

                              Atleast what i have read on reviews Gainward has one of the best 2d-pic of the GF3's and Asus has one of the WORST. So there is no point even comparing those two.

                              From the Anandtech GF3 Roundup...

                              In their subjective test of 2D Image Quality, 1...5 ( 1 is best, 5 worst ) The tests were done with Sony F500 21" monitor using BNC cables at 1600x1200x32 at an 85Hz refresh rate as well as at 1800x1400x32 at a 70Hz refresh rate.

                              Gainward 2 ( good )
                              Asus 4 ( poor )
                              Matrox G450 were given a 1 and Radeon got a 2.

                              ( the whole article can be found here: http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.html?i=1507&p=1 )

                              PeTe

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