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  • The MX comes with two display pipelines. Much like Matrox's Dual-Head feature, the MX can run two displays at once. Each video out of the MX can be configured to use a VGA, TV or digital output. This allows all sorts of combinations of output. We expect most cards to carry at least one VGA output. Value cards will likely carry a TV-out and more business oriented-cards will likely carry a digital out. One of the display pipelines carries an integrated TMDS for digital output. The other can use an external TMDS if you want to use two digital displays.

    The MX integrates a single RAMDAC for both displays, capable of displaying up to 2048x1536 @60Hz on the primary display and 1600x1200 @100Hz on the secondary. While NVIDIA couldn't give us a RAMDAC speed, it takes a 350MHz RAMDAC to do 2048x1536 @60Hz@32bpp and it takes a 300MHz RAMDAC to do 1600x1200 @100Hz@32bpp.

    Being able to use two displays at once is a major advantage for business users. The added real estate of a second screen can make using large spreadsheets, image editing, and many other tasks go much easier and smoother. Dual-Head has always been one of the G400's strongest points and the GeForce2 GTS actually does the G400 one better by adding the ability to use two digital displays at the same time. The G400 can only use one digital display at a time when you add a DVI output. Matrox is not without an all-digital solution though. They also have their G2+/QuadP, a monster PCI board intended for the financial community that stocks four G200 processors and can control up to four digital displays at once, all for a measly $699US.

    In contrast, the GTS has only one display pipeline that includes a TMDS and can use a TV-out.

    The GeForce2 MX uses a relatively low ~4W of power. When you consider the power troubles of the GeForce 256 or the massive external power supply of the Voodoo5 6000, a fast graphics chip that only uses ~4W is quite a nice change of pace. There are a few major implications from the GeForce2 MX's low power usage.

    First, when a chip uses only ~4W, it generates very little heat and does not need a heat sink or fan. This not only reduces costs, it brings up the possibility of some freaky fun with overclocking. If it can do 175MHz without a heat sink, what could it do with a large heat sink and powerful fan? Second, it is part of lower system wide power usage, which means cheaper power supplies. This is important for the GeForce2 MX's success in the volume consumer and business OEM markets.





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