Most Future-Proof, Cheapest Card???

[PyRo]

It sounds like I am asking a lot but all i really want is a card that will run my games now, Quake2, Half-Life, and so on but will also run future games like quake 3. I dont want to have to get another Video Card in like less than a year and dont care if Quake 3 runs at 100 frames per secons. I just want it to run GOOD, not perfect! What card should i get, Under $200???

Thanks

[harddisk]

If u can get it, go for Neon250
it's future proof, steady framerate at complicated scene, but remember, it's 125MPixels/sec is bottleneck for higher resolution at smooth frame rate, not complicated scene with smooth frame rate.

[nimrod]

you could do a lot worse than the matrox G400
it should be out in a few days and will be around 200 bucks for the 32 meg model, cheaper for the 16 but id go for the 32. for a few more bucks you could go for the G400 max but then you dont want to go over 200. go to the matrox site and see. the graphics will be exceptional

[This message has been edited by nimrod (edited 06-29-99).]

[Kruzin]

I would also say G400. If you do some searching, you can find it just over $200 for the MAX in some places.

It's the most "future proof" because it's got a lot of features no other card has that will take gaming to a new level. Maybe the next gen will have some of these things, but right now only G400 has EMBM and Dualhead. There are already 50+ games in the works that plan to support the Environment Bumpmapping that only G400 can do. And there are a bunch coming out that will support multiple monitors (G400 has dualhead...otherwise you need 2 cards).

G400, baby! I got mine, and I'm lovin it =P

[stodge]

I may be cynical, but nothing in the PC world is truly future proof.