New Gateway FPD2485W 24-inch HD Monitor. P4 (2.4GHz) with AGP I/F used mainly for Nikon and Fuji med_lg (5-8 MByte) digital image editing and processing with Photoshop and Picture Window Pro software. Coming from CRT monitor and concerned about rendering these image files properly. No need for any gaming or high speed stuff. PLease help me sort out the key features required and those not needed for this work. I have briefly used ATI Radeon 2600 (512Meg) with this monitor but have no comparison point.

Regards
Tom B

Rendering?

Video cards don't help with rendering. They help with viewport refreshes.

But rendering of image files or videos... that's all CPU/memory.

Many thanks! Just could not get any local (small town) comment which had any believable content. Was going to add up to 2Gb main memory and that sounds like a way to go for all needs.

Regards (especially at the late hour for you).
Tom B

Not trying to be a PITA ..... but does the monitor itself influence this graphic card choice? ie. does the 24" HD Monitor place more demand on the graphic card than a similar HD 22"? OR a different (non-HD) 24" or 22" lcd ? If the 'higher-end' monitor places no extra pressure on the graphic card than I feel more comfortable selecting from the available AGP choices at local outlets.

Tom B

As long as you're getting a new videocard, the size of monitor shouldn't matter one iota.

Any new card - like a lowly 2400 PRO or 8400 GS - will easily handle 1920x1200 no sweat.

Yeah liek Cleeve said, it won't matter much, at least not as much as good host power. The only thing I'd ever concern myself with is get the most VRAM you can for things like After Effects or the 3D component built into CS3.
More VRAM helps with texture caching / large textures and when previewing work in the window. It can whitewash or go macroblocking if you run out, and it seems more common in CS3 than before (where IMO it just locked up, which will also occur in CS3 due to lack of VRAM too).
But if you're getting into that serious a body of work, then really you're likely better off with a little more 3D power at heart too, and I would suggest bumping up to a HD2600/GF8600 or even HD3850 then.

But for the most part for primarily 2D, I would say either the HD2400 or GF8400 would be fine.

Thank-you for additional detail. Since this is a new and decent monitor, I will look carefully at the better cards you listed and check available stocks.

Regards,
Tom B

If you still have AGP, maybe it would just be better to get a better motherboard and processor, which would also require new ram. But the video card will not affect much with picture editing. It may produce a crisper image, but if you get a mobo with a geforce 7 series it would not be needed.
This my opinion.

Yes ... quite correct ... BUT ... new Vista quad was pricey and will still require more software investment to update my library of image processing tools. I have all I need on the older PC (running XP) and am hoping to extend its usefulness a bit longer without major additional cost. The monitor and video card can likely move on to new PC later. This is precisely why I am in need of knowledgeable advice from you who have the experience and can help with this somewhat 'narrow' application issue.

Thanks,
Tom B

How would the equation change if the image processing needs remain the same, but the monitor becomes a 46"-47" 1080p HD LCD TV with HDMI input.? I will drive it (obviously) from the DVI graphic card output with a DVI_HDMI cable. Does this alter the graphic card requirements compared to the present Gateway FPD2485W HD LCD Monitor?
Would you Photoshop/PictureWindowPro users prefer 'strongly' not to use such a display for your editing work? ... even if properly calibrated?

Tom B

The graphic card doesn't really care about the SIZE of the monitor. It's the resolution that matters to it, anything else is transparent to the hardware.

Again, many thanks! This seemed more complex for me than it is since the 'entertainment-content' issues with HDMI input are unclear. I am pleased and comfortable now to move forward.

Regards,
Tom B

As far as photoshop thoguh... correct colors and whatnot, you might have to look into that display. I'd be a little wary of that.

Yeah really, osrry I may have given the wrong impression, if there's money then boost the CPU & Memory, effects/filters/transitions fly much faster so do undos and layer changes.
My recommendations for cards is sorta after you have the best CPU/Memory in place.

I also forgot the note about AGP, so considering the price premium, if you have the option of HD2400P+ new CPU/RAM or adding an HD2600/3870-GF8600 go for the RAM and CPU with the lower end card.

I find the colour depth of most small LCD TVs is very weak outside of the very small and very large LED lit LCDs (most LEDlit LCDs are either 17" and below or 65" and above [$7K in the larg ones]).

The edges are slightly more defined than Plasma, but I find plasma has better colour.

I would recommend a solid 24/27/30" monitor over a larger TV. Most importantly IMO you usually have more control over the settings.

Actually the speed and fluidity of what you're looking at is affected, like we said CPU/RAM is king, but if you already have those then just as much as HDD speed, a better card is icing on the cake.
And personally I wouldn't do onboard as it would barely meet the minimum CS3 requirements from dedicated memory, and you don't want to share any memory with the system, a cheap 128MB Radeon 9000 would be better, especially since thing like after effects use about 100 MB of VRAM to start with.

Today, local Best Buy has ATI Radeon 2600 Pro for $99. I would need to go online for 7600 and need to choose either 256 or 512. Both have mail-in rebates and PNY 512 is then ~$108. incl shipping. I wish I could just grab the local, but I trust your inputs and I guess I should order the 7600 and wait until ~Tuesday to get it. CPU RAM will be going from 1GByte to 3 DDR3200. OK combo? I can avoid PNY card and get another mfg's if that is important.

?????
Tom B

Sounds like you have a good plan. Is this an OEM copy of windows? If it is retail, you can upgrade anyways, without losing things.
@TheGreatGrapeApe: I only said that because if he spend $100 + on and agp today, he will still need a PCI-Ex down the line. Does CS3 really use that much? I have only dealt with CS2, so I am not sure on that. The only reason that I said upgrade to an geforce 7 series mobo is because $350 gets a 3800X2 with 2GB of ram, on a Biostar motherboard. Not the greatest out there, but it would be a step up. The onboard video would still be quite capable of handling this well he saves for a PCI-Ex. Well even a 256 MB 8400 would hold him off, which would only bring the total to ~$460. So he goes an pay ~1/5 of a new system on a card that he will probably dump a few months down the road when he upgrades.

I'm sure a 256mb 2600 PRO would be fine for your needs, hell probably even a little overkill.

I don't think we indicated a 512mb 7600 would be better, unless I'm missing something...

It'll also have an HDMI output if you ever want to hook it up to an HDTV, if that matters to you.