NVIDIA GeForce 2 MX - The new mainstream card (2/9)

All quiet on the west front?

But the increased processing power and the simpler (and consequently cheaper) board design aren't the only goodies (in terms of pricinf) NVIDIA has packed into the MX. In addition to DVI and TV-Out variants, there will also be a board with multi-monitor support, a feature NVIDIA calls TWIN HEAD. Unlike Matrox's G400, a extra second RAMDAC will be needed for the second output however.

NVIDIA has dubbed its second goodie DIGITAL VIBRANCE CONTROL (DVC). This tool is supposed to allow the user to better adjust the picture's contrast to the ambient light around the monitor, increasing overall picture quality. Basically it's an enhanced gamma-adjustment tool.

What NVIDIA is hoping will really catch the customers' eye aren't necessarily the features, though - it's the price! Expect the first boards to be priced around 400 DM at retail, but DIY prices will likely be significantly below that.

Yet the value market is already packed with other viable alternatives to the MX: thanks to the GeForce2 GeForce 256 SDRAM boards are now priced as low as 370 DM, and DDR's are tagged at only about 450 DM. Then there's also ATi's 2-chip Rage Fury MAXX, now relegated to the value market due to its lack of Windows NT/2000 support. Even Matrox's G400 DualHead can now be found in this price category.

The MX's specs are fairly crying out for a chance at a comparison with the GeForce DDR. Benching it against the GeForce2 GTS would make little sense, as the bigger model also comes at twice the price.

Copyright: 10.07.2000 -   RIVA Station 2000 - Lars Weinand
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