New Mobo--Or Low-Profile Gfx Card?

[MegalosSkylaki]

Background:

I have an Aluminum IPro slim desktop/minitower Case, about 5" slim/hi, that can only accomodate low profile cards.

I'd like to use it, not only for its good looks, light weight--but mainly for its mobility. If you are going to stay a month or two away, and without a modern Lappy, a small light attache-case desktop computer seems like the way to go. (I have a CRT where I'm going, and hi quality CRT's can be bought for about $100 17").
Err..it also looks nice, and takes litle space.

Dilemma;

I have a microATX Mobo--which is the only ff that will fit in case. It is a Biostar M7VIG Pro, with a Via KM266 chipset, and takes either SDR ram or DDR ram--a nice touch because it lets you use whatever memory you can spare. The on-board Video royally sucks--a Savage6 with 32-64 Mbs of UGH "shared Memory"

So I can get a lo-profile Video card--most are MX440 for about $45-50, and I've seen an ATI 9200 for about $75.

OR-

I can get an nForce2 microMobo, dual memory, with intergrated MX440 Gfx for $68 (Biostar M7NCG 400) or for $87 (Shuttle MN31N, with dual-VGA MX440).

Now intergrated Gfx is undesirable, IMO, but a dual-memory nForce with 2 X 256 MB DDR PC2100 CL=2.5 (Crucial) might make quite a better go at it, especially with 128bit dual-channel memory than intergrated Savage8, working off 64bits and a KM266 chipset.

I am sure I would need to buy the lo-profile Video card ( at least a MX440) with the VIG Pro microMobo, at $50 - Still, it would avoid "sucking up" system memory and CPU processing--like any intergrated Gfx would do -even on dual-channel memory like one of the nForce2 microMobos.

So the choice is not as clear-cut as it may at first seem. The real issue is NOT the $20-35 difference, but the overall performance--not just video.

So what would you do:

Get a $50 lo-profile external VidCard to go with a KM266 chipset --or spring for $68 -87 for an nForce2, with intergrated Gfx ?

MegalosSkylaki

[Dputiger]

Overall, I say go integrated. The integrated video from the GF MX 440 isn't going to be blazing fast, true--but integrated video is a lot faster (relative to gaming itself) than it used to be.

Example: Even when the i810 chipset was new (1999) there was no hope of playing much of anything on its 1 meg of integrated video and shared bandwidth of 800 megabytes per second.

Compare that to today's integrated GeForce4 MX. Up to 64 meg of integrated video RAM, and sharing bandwidth of to 3.2 gigabytes of memory per second.

I haven't tested the NF2's integrated video, persay, but I know its possible to play games as recent as Jedi Knight 2 on Intel's Extreme Graphics 2. I'd imagine the NF2 integrated to at least be this good.

The dual-channel will also help keep that vidoe memory devoted TO the video card. Again, performance gains from this move are excellent.

All in all, I say you are MUCH better off with the new mobo. After all, you'll probably pick up a 10-15% speed boost JUST from the switch to NF2 from KM266, not to mention the USB 2.0, etc.

[MegalosSkylaki]

I'm increasingly thinking along those lines too, dputiger.

Actually no plans for gaming on such a 200W microPSU machine ...building a an Atec 350W or Fortron 400W with full ATX Mobo for that.

Just have this old, ingrained aversion, for "intergrated" stuff. Also, Leaves me with an unused microMobo. The Biostar Vig Pro actually is rather modern--despite the inexpensive KM266, and may have USB2, LAN . Err...can survive an xtra Mobo !

Problem of NIC for On-the-Road solved with External Modoms--preferably the USR hard serial modem I picked up fer $15.. Have cheaper externals, too, but don't know if they are soft or hard. External will spare Power-- and also CPU, if "hard".

Hmmm..maybe I'll dual boot it with Drake 9.1, so I'll learn it in CA. Lotsa Penguins there !
Thanks !

DOOOOG

[Dputiger]

No USB 2.0 on KM266. USB 2.0 integrated was intro'd until KT400.

[MegalosSkylaki]

Strange as it seems, the Biostar M7VIG Pro does have USB 2.0. May be the Via 35 SB ?

http://www.biostar-usa.com/mbdetails...odel=m7vig+pro

There were two versions of the M7VIG and the M7VIG Pro. The Pro is the one with the USB 2.0.
Now that the KM400 has come ut, the KM266 is doubtlessly obsolete.

DOOOOG

[Dputiger]

Huh, very odd. They could be using a newer SB. I know that when KT266 and KT333 shipped, however, USB 2.0 was NOT integrated into their south-bridges.

All things considered though I'd get the NF2-based Biostar mini-ATX. Iv'e used it--good board.