Finally, the 3d Graphics Industry is interesting again!

[merlocka]

Kudo's to both ATI and nVidia for bringing us consumers more options for graphics chipsets.

ATI : What a kick @ss job they did with the R300. The 9800 completly reinforces their performance leadership. Their lineup is currently filled with excellent price/performance products from top to bottom.

nVidia : Although the NV30 had to deal with an unexpected (and much advanced) foe in the R300, they seem to be responding well (to this butt-kicking) with the nv31, and nv34 for the mainstream. Throw in some rumors about the nv35 and it's going to be an exciting summer/fall for graphics consumers.

With that said, let the games begin!

p.s. ... to all the other guys, S3, Trident, SiS, etc... get off your butts!

 

[WyteWatt]

merlocka yep and the more interesting it gets the better! I hope nvidia and ati releases new video cards really fast so prices can go down even more. I hope this battle stays with us for years but i am not holding my breath.

 

[Hender]

Yeah, I wish we had one more real competitor in the industry. Obviously the more the better (at least according to the neo-classical economics that I've been pouring over for the last four years), but I think that three major players is more realistic and would give the companies something more to respond to besides just each other. Unfortunately, I don't see anyone emerging as a potential competitor. The company that made the tile-based rendering card a couple years ago (the name escapes me and I'm too lazy to look it up) looked promising, but they couldn't get enough cash together to make frequent enough releases, then they got bought up by someone. That would have been an excellent source of competition, IMHO, taking the industry is potentially new directions/

 

[MetroFly]

i believe that was STmicro? (not sure either), with their evil kyro cards

 

[GTaudiophile]

Funny. No one mentioned Matrox. You'd think they would try to merge with their fellow Canadians, but I don't know what Matrox can offer to ATi. Even better 2D?

 

[Hender]

I think the days of Matrox 2D superiority are over, actually. No one ever really talks about 2D quality anymore in reviews because there really hasn't been much difference between the major cards in awhile. Matrox tried the 3D arena and pretty much failed, and so honestly I'm not sure how they're even still in business since ATI and nVidia seem to have the ripe OEM plums. Does anyone know how Matrox sells cards? I mean, do they have some OEM contracts that I just haven't seen?

 

[MetroFly]

matrox sells stuff to businesses i believe. i'm not too keen on the graphic card's industry tho.

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
Funny. No one mentioned Matrox. You'd think they would try to merge with their fellow Canadians, but I don't know what Matrox can offer to ATi. Even better 2D?

I haven't been recommending Matrox cards for quite some time. Maybe they have still part of the high end market (non-3D high end that is)?

I don't feel their G series 2D is any better than the current crop of Radeons, at least in the medium resolutions. And of course, not too many of us in the consumer market run at 2048x1536. If we did I'm sure we'd run DVI anyway.

No one ever really talks about 2D quality anymore in reviews because there really hasn't been much difference between the major cards in awhile.

I have seen several Geforce4s (MX and the real 4 series) cards with terrible 2D. In fact, some were several notches below even Rage Pro cards. I still don't know why reviewers tend to ignore 2D.