The best video card for NON-gamers?

[PixelChick]

I do not play video games on my computer, online or otherwise. What I need to find out is what video card is best for working with high resolution graphics in programs like Photoshop and Illustrator. My HP Pavilion a1310n came with an integrated ATI RADEON XPRESS 200 and it's just not good enough for what I work with.
Does anyone have any useful advice for me?

Thanks

 

[prozac26]

Something like X1300 would be nice for you.

Quite a big upgrade from integrated.

 

[magus_gr]

I think ATI cards are generally considered to have better image quality than nVidia ones... I cannot really suggest a specific product for you, but a X1300 or X1600PRO -preferably a silent version - should be more than fine

 

[Assman]

Something like X1300 would be nice for you.

second, it should be best $/perf. choice for your needs.

 

[PixelChick]

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

Assman, I think you might have missed the point of my email??? That is what I'm asking you. What card would work best for manipulating graphics in programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator.

I'm looking to spend around $100 give or take. What would be the best card for these needs around that price range?

Thanks!

 

[Assman]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Category=38&N=2010380048+1069609641+1068509618+1068409613+1068109604&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=48&Description=x1300&Ntk=all

 

[PixelChick]

Thanks Assman! That's awesome!

 

[gomerpile]

none gaming and imaging is matrox, most hospitals use them and if that is not enough to see you through look at the wall solution
check wall solution forget the hdtv and others
and here

 

[Assman]

Thanks Assman! That's awesome!

glad to help

 

[t53186]

Too bad you only want to spend $100. I use a ATI FireGL 3400. FireGL cards are for workstations running graphics and CAD programs. Both of which I use for Technical illistrating along with all the fun stuff I do.

 

[magus_gr]

Matrox cards DID have much better image quality compared to everyone else until a few years ago, due to their far superior RAMDACs. But the prices of their current cards (which nowadays dont have much of a difference when compared to ATI's offerings, for instance) is beyond $100, I think. Of course there are more professional 2D graphics solutions (some of nVidia's Quadros are geared towards 2D graphics, and so is the FireMV range from ATI), but for about $100 you cannot go wrong with a X1300/X1600PRO

 

[gomerpile]

agreed dude forgot about the Quadros

 

[weilin]

hmm... Does photoshop etc even use the video card at all? why doesn't integrated cut it... im confused as to why an dedicated graphics card is necessary (unless you need DVI)

 

[magus_gr]

Actually, Weilin has a very good point there... I was talking about 'image quality' all along since thats what I thought interested you. A discrete graphics card is not gonna make any difference whatsoever to your system's performance in 2D graphics apps (Photoshop, Illustrator etc). I had a look at your system's specs, and if this is what you''ve got

http://www.amazon.com/Pavilion-Center-a1310n-Desktop-Processor/dp/B000E1VZ7M

then a dedicated graphics card is only gonna make a difference because it's gonna free up the 128 MB of system memory the ATI chip uses. Photoshop is very memory-hungry, especially when you're working with big files and you're applying filters and such. You may have to spend a bit more than you had budgeted if you wanna see a difference in Photoshop... I'd suggest an extra 1 GB of RAM and another hard drive if you wanna see some real difference -and possibly a cheap (sub-$100 but no 'hypermemory' or 'turbocache') graphics card as well...

 

[kamel5547]

none gaming and imaging is matrox, most hospitals use them and if that is not enough to see you through look at the wall solution
check wall solution forget the hdtv and others
and here

Matrox is particularlly good at specialized solutions (e.g. triplehead2go) but I wouldn't recommend their cards in his case. For the basic home user a mid range current generation card is the way to go, for a professional user I would lean more towards the professional cards (i.e. FireGL and Quadro). Hospitals are usually looking at black and white images of X-Rays and the like, and are a very specialized subset of users. Back in the day (ok, only 5 years ago) Matrox was the way to go for most business applciaitons, but not any longer.

 

[happy_fanboy]

The ATI X1300 would be Ideal for what you do and the price is right.
The power supply in the computer however will probably blow after a while unles you upgrade that too.
Heres a good card

Power supply
This power supply is awesome, and will fit into your computer ok.

 

[happy_fanboy]

Still image quality depends a LOT on your video card. Onboard images lack color accuracy and will be more prone to artifacts/distortion.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

You will not notice much of a difference but you may see some difference.

However for the apps you're using there isn't much benifit to big huge honkin' cards.

Get a PASSIVELY cooled X1300 and you should be fine for a long time (it support 10bit per channel colour accuracy, and a dual-link DVI for large LCDs, plus 2 400mhz RAMDACs for large CRTs).

The only major reasons to move away from the inegrated solution is the freeing of resources, option of dual-link tmds DVI for large panels, and the reduction of board noise which could affect the VGA out. If you are plugged into a CRT monitor and have great eye sight and a well calibrated CRT, then you might notice the quality of Matrox's VGA/DB-15 output, but I doubt it.

 

[Dahak]

The X1600pro512 would be a nice card for you as it is fairly inexpensive and has fairly good graphics.It will blow the doors off of your integrated graphics chip no prob.Goodluck.

Dahak

AMD X2-4400+@2.4 S-939
EVGA NF4 SLI MB
2X EVGA 7800GT IN SLI
2X1GIG DDR IN DC MODE
WD300GIG HD
EXTREME 19IN.MONITOR 1280X1024
ACE 520WATT PSU
COOLERMASTER MINI R120

 

[Assman]

nah,

for working with high resolution graphics in programs like Photoshop and Illustrator.

it's an overkill

 

[Jebazor]

A x1600pro would work good for photoshop and similar programs and probably won't age quite as fast as an x1300.

 

[SEALBoy]

A x1600pro would work good for photoshop and similar programs and probably won't age quite as fast as an x1300.

Wrong. The X1300XT owns an X1600Pro pretty much across the board. And they can be had for less than $100. With the exception of the X800GTO, they're probably the best sub-$100 cards on the market.

 

[Assman]

A x1600pro would work good for photoshop and similar programs and probably won't age quite as fast as an x1300.

wrong. VGA Charts

 

[quantumsheep]

Something like X1300 would be nice for you.

second, it should be best $/perf. choice for your needs.

Also has all those nice AVIVO features

 

[Jebazor]

I never said anything about the x1300xt, i said the x1600pro was better than an x1300 which it most certainly is and I assumed that was what we were talking about cause NOBODY mentioned xt, I thought why buy x1300 when x1600pro is only $15 more.