Should I buy Parhelia 512?

[BoD.Led]

What should I do?

Buy the Parhelia 512 with 256 MB RAM when it comes out in September

or

Wait until ATI realeses there new card and buy that instead?

I'm a happy owner of a G400 MAX DH but I'm not using it myself. I really miss all the features of the G400. But due to the poor power in 3D-games I'm not sure if I should buy the Parhelia! I don't play games that much but I want to be able to. I know that Matrox offers the best image quality, at least in 2d? Right? But how much better is it then ATI's new card (I don't wich one I'm talking about! Perhaps the R9700)? Is it better at all?

The main reason for me that makes me want to buy the Parhelia is DVD-Max and the quality of both TV-out and a analog monitor!

What do all you guys and gals think?

[SoRnMaN]

Well, as I don't have a Parhelia card, I can't talk from experience. But for the casual gamer, I see no problems with the performance of the Parhelia. Many people are running games fine on their GF2/GF2U/GF2GTS/GF3/etc. without any problems. And the Parhelia beats them easy. So as far as gaming, yes, it can handle the games just fine, maybe not on something brand new, running it at 1600x1200 w/ all the goodies turned on, but it shouldn't have any problems running games.

All the reviews are comparing it to the latest and greatest gaming cards, and the highest settings possible. In that setting, and with it's price, you can look at the numbers and see that it isn't as strong as those other cards (GF4s), but that doesn't mean it won't run games great. I do agree the price is quite high for a gaming card with it's performance, but as you have had a G400, you know that gaming isn't everything that Matrox strives for.

Anyways, to conclude this, the Parhelia is a great card for its niche. Now whether or not you really need/want the 256MB version is up to you as I am not sure how much a difference it will make in any areas. The ATi 9700 is going to be a great 'Gaming' card from all the news we have heard about it, but it just depends on what you will be using the card for, and what performance you will want.

Hope that doesn't confuse you even more, but as newer drivers are released, the Parhelia has been getting better as far as its gaming speed.

[Steve Snyder]

Re: Should I buy Parhelia 512?

Originally posted by BoD.Led
What should I do?

You should do what I'm doing: deferring the purchase of a Parhelia until there are working Linux/XFree86 drivers for it. Then grab the best version that your wife will let you have.

[albatorsk]

Originally posted by SoRnMaN
Many people are running games fine on their GF2/GF2U/GF2GTS/GF3/etc. without any problems. And the Parhelia beats them easy. So as far as gaming, yes, it can handle the games just fine, maybe not on something brand new, running it at 1600x1200 w/ all the goodies turned on, but it shouldn't have any problems running games.

Well, that's the truth with some modification. Please take in to account that games such as GTA 3 and Counter-Strike (and other HL-mods) are hardly playable on the P at 1024x768 or higher.

[CaineTanathos]

yup but those are old games, so fixing things with drivers is possible

[albatorsk]

I just wish they'd do it sooner rather than later.