NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440
Experiences
By: Jonathan
Martini - April 9, 2002
GeForce4
MX 440
Today we will examine the
mid-level GeForce4 MX chip; the 440. Launched with an initial price of ??? the
GeForce4 MX 440 is currently available for just over 80 dollars. At the price of
two new PC games, the GeForce4 MX 440 is priced to fly off the store shelves.
GeForce4 MX 460
GeForce4 MX 440
GeForce4 MX 420
Core/Memory
Speed
300/550
270/400
250/166
Max Memory
Amount
64MB
64MB
64MB
Fill Rate
1.2 Billion
Texels/Sec.
1.1 Billion
Texels/Sec.
1 Billion
Texels/Sec.
Memory
Bandwidth
8.8GB/Sec.
6.4 GB/Sec.
2.7GB/Sec.
nView
I have been on the lookout
for more multi-monitor supporting capabilities since my first foray into that
realm with my review of eVGA’s
e-GeForce2 MX TwinView Plus. TwinView was a very limited form of
multi-monitor support as it was pretty limited to clone mode, where both
screen displaying identical outputs, and extended mode, where the desktop is
spread across both monitors providing much more desktop space. Unfortunately,
the TwinView feature was only featured in the GeForce2 MX lineup, which
weren’t renowned for their great gaming performance. Many as well as myself
found it odd that NVIDIA didn’t incorporate it’s TwinView technology into
the much-anticipated GeForce3, leaving those looking for high-end performance
with multiple monitor solution to look for other ways to satisfy their needs.
NVIDIA set out to right its wrongs with the GeForce4 lineup as both versions
of it support multiple monitor display in the form of nView.
nView incorporates all the
features of TwinView as well as adding a new vertical spread option allowing
displays to be stacked instead of being placed side-by-side. nView also
incorporates a number of new features that I’ve yet to delve into much.
Transparent windows are one of the cool new additions I’ve toyed with. This
little feature will allows users to see what’s lurking behind the window
they’ve selected. I think it’s great for getting around cluttered
desktops.
PIC
The Multiple Desktop feature
can store up to 32 different desktop layouts to suite your every mood. I have
a setup for just about every use of my computer; from gaming, to chatting, to
surfing and finally to get some work done. J I could also do this with the users feature in
Windows XP, but this is a breakthrough for other windows versions.
Game PC’s preview
of the GeForce4 delves into an interesting yet fairly unmentioned feature;
OpenGL/ Direct3D multi-monitor support. Widescreen TVs are all the fuss, but
Quake 3 or Serious Sam II spread across two screens must be awesome. I’ve
yet to test this feature as testing this with a TV just wouldn’t do. I will
update this section of the review once I do.
Integrated
Extras
The GeForce4 MX has a unique
feature, an integrated video processing engine which is incorporates an MPEG2
decoder to reduce CPU utilization for DVD playback as well as an incorporated
TV-tuner. The incorporated TV-tuner allows every GeForce4 MX to be able to
display to a TV without the need of an additional on-board chip. TV-out is
obviously only available provided the manufacturer has placed an output on the
card, but I’ve yet to see a GeForec4 MX without this feature!
