***Jamoke*** wrote:
I’m kind of new to using Photoshop and have never had a graphics card before. However, I want to buy one good enough to work on rather large photos (perhaps 24"x32" or so – maybe larger). I’m not into games at all. I’m a photographer and would use what a card has to offer to manipulate photos. I have Genuine Fractals and would probably have my files at 300PPI at 24"x32". Does this help at all in recommending a card for me? Right now, I have a 1GHz/512MB notebook which is in a docking station. The docking station has a PCI slot where I would place the graphics card. I want to buy something that will last me quite awhile. Which Matrox would you recommend and why? Thanks for taking the time to advise me……
You’re going to take a performance hit relative to "state of the art" video for two reasons: the PCI interface will be slower than the AGP 2-4-8X interfaces found in most newer desktop systems, and the pathway from the notebook through the docking station will introduce other delays (and perhaps performance limitations).
Working on large photo images means large photo image files, as well. I’m not sure a 1GHz/512MB machine will be enough platform. It will work, but you might experience excruciating delays for loading, saving, filters, etc.
All that said, anything from a Matrox G450 up (G550, Parhelia, G650, G750) will be a fine choice. I don’t know if anything beyond the 450 is necessary for your use (that is, will show any performance benefit given your other bottlenecks). I also don’t know if anything beyond the 450 comes with a PCI interface.
The *good* news is that a 450 can be had quite cheaply – check eBay – and is a helluva graphics card for 2D work up to 1600×1200.
—
| James Gifford * FIX SPAMTRAP TO REPLY |
| So… your philosophy fits in a sig, does it? |
| Heinlein stuff at: www.nitrosyncretic.com/rah |