video card on core or md

[danfi]

Hi all,

My apologies for bringing up a Question that has been done to death, but this hardware thing is really confusing.  The more I read, the more confused I get.

Anyway, I haven't yet got lmce up and running but would like to get a setup going which I can eventually sell as a complete system, if it's viable with lmce. Originally I could not get lmce dvd installed with the sis chipset onboard but just last week my motherboard died, so now new opportunity on new hardware.

I had a nvidia fx 5200 agp.  No good with new motherboard as it uses pci-e (sli ready).  I have ordered a 7600 gs card 256mb ddr2, is this good or overkill?

My main question is this.  If i build a separate core and md do I need the decent graphics card in the core or the md (I know that some mini-itx systems have been used ) or both?

thanks for your help.
 

[1audio]

1) The card is overkill. You only need 128 MB of video memory for HD.
2) You need the graphics where ever you attach a display. No display on the core means its video doen't need to be too powerful.
3) The best choice for value are the MB's with onboard nvidia graphics using the 6150 chipset.

[danfi]

Thanks,

For now i will concentrate on getting a hybrid system going. but from what you have said I take it that a MB with nvidia 7series onboard would do well?

[1audio]

The Nvidia 7050 driver is still flakey. I would stick with a 6150 based system for now. HDMI isn't bringing any magic that a DVI connection lacks, only convenience in the combo AV connection. If you can get the MSI system mentioned elsewhere with a 6150 and HDMI that would be ideal. The 7050 doesn't offer any performance benefits yet.