Review: Diamond's Graphics Upgrade

Multimedia monitor graphics card PCI

The target audience is the knowledge worker who might find screen real estate hard to come by. With the BV200, adding dual monitors to a system is a simple matter of plugging in the displays and loading the appropriate drivers.

Installers will find drivers for both Linux and many flavors of Windows included in the box. While the unit proves to be no speed demonprobably hampered by the PCI interfacethe ATI-based GPU RV280 provides more than enough horsepower to run multiple business applications across dual monitors, with enough power left over to display a DVD movie in its own window.

The unit supports resolutions up to 2,048 x 1,536, but most users will probably prefer to go with dual wide screens at 1,920 x 1,080 with a 16:9 aspect ratio for optimal viewing.

While probably not a very good display adaptor for gaming purposes or video editing, the BV200 may be ideal for business users who need to multitask while running typical business applications.

The BV200 gives VARs the option of selling higher-end monitors with custom built systemsbundling integrated dual monitors from DoubleSight Displays, for example. That option not only offers increased margins, but also brings aesthetic appeal to the desktop.

The card's relatively low price keeps costs down and also is an excellent upgrade item for users with established PCs looking to add another monitor.

VARs will find that if they are building systems or leveraging the upgrade market, it won't hurt to have a few of these cards in stock and ready to sell.