Low Profile Multi-Display Graphics on the Cheap

Conclusion

Diamond BizView BV200 PCI

BizView cards do not have a powerful graphics engine, so we cannot recommend them for users who need to run demanding 3D applications. The RV515LE only has two vertex shaders and four pixel shaders and is not intended to do heavy 3D work. The BV200 has a much older core and cannot support anything newer than DirectX 8.1. The BV300 has 256 MB of onboard memory, which should be good for most office applications and 2D workstation scenarios. It should be noted that the maximum 512 MB that HyperMemory can support under Windows XP is not currently supported with Microsoft's Vista operating system, making the extra system memory unavailable for HyperMemory.

Overall, the cards do what they say and they are easy to install. We were able to set them up on several platforms and did not encounter any issues. However, if you are in the market for dual-DVI outputs and have the space for a full-size card, you should still look elsewhere. Many Radeon X1600 and GeForce 7600 GS cards are available for around $100. However, if space is an issue and you need a low profile card that has dual-DVI support, this is a solution for you.

Related Article:
OpenGL Workstation Graphics: Now We're Talking High End!

Join our discussion on this topic