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Review: Matrox Millennium G400 9.10.99 Bump Mapping Some of you have heard of it, some of you haven't. For those that haven't, bump mapping is, in layman's terms, the process of applying rough textures and shading to an image. The end result is a more realistic image that, at least for now, looks as close to the real thing as you can get. Imagine yourself sitting at a beach staring out into the ocean; now imagine the waves crashing rhythmically on the shore. If a scene like that were to be rendered, the water would probably have a superficial and fake look to it. However, if bump-mapping is added to the equation, a whole new realm of possibilities open up. The water will actually look like water, not like a lump of computer-generated polygons. And, if need be, the technique can be applied to sand, seashells, or anything else that might need it. What does this mean for games? In terms of playability, nothing. But when it comes to aesthetics, bump-mapping can take an average looking game and make it look fantastic. The only problem with bump-mapping right now is that it lacks support. At the time of this writing, only a handful of titles actually put the technology to good use. However, bump-mapping, much like the first 3D cards, will soon be widely accepted. In the not too distant future, a cornucopia of top-notch software (Slave Zero, which looks gorgeous, Drakan, and Vampire: The Masquerade, to name a few) titles will be available. Until then, though, you'll have to settle on the technology demos and games bundled with the G400, as well as select games sitting at your local retail store. Below are two images of the earth. The left picture has bump-mapping disabled, the right is how it would look with bump-mapping. Note: Pictures do not do this feature justice.
Dual Head Display The venerable TV-Out: plug a cable into the back of your video card and play games, watch movies, or whatever else you feel like doing on a television. Some people simply can't live without it -- which doesn't come as a surprise. For those who fall into that category, Matrox has taken the concept one step further with DualHead Display. Instead of using a video port, the G400 has not one, but two monitor jacks, which means that a TV, through an included adapter, or even a second monitor can be connected. Of course, not everyone knows why having a second monitor can be beneficial. Let me explain: Have you ever been editing an image and been forced to zoom in on an object, then zoom back out to make sure nothing appears out of place? It's a cumbersome process that no one wants to have to go through. If you're into image design, Dual Head display takes on an almost ethereal quality -- especially for professionals. By having two monitors hooked up to the G400, you can, essentially, see two different perspectives of an image. If a picture were being edited, a close up view, for touch ups, and a distant view, to make sure nothing was displaced, could be switched to and from with a touch of a button, allowing much more freedom to experiment, and a lot less hassle. The advantages of Dual-Head display don't stop there, however. It also allows you to do two different tasks at once with relative ease. You can surf the 'net, and while the page is loading, switch over to the other monitor and work on an important document or play a game of Solitaire. Dual Head Display is one of the most innovative and unique features I've seen implemented into a consumer-level retail product. To be honest, this is the only graphics card Cool Info has seen with a display of this type. In short, the Dual Head capabilities of the G400 alone make the card worth buying. --- Performance --- |
