Well, I didn't order a video card yet. I looked into their software for dual monitors, TwinView, and Steve was absolutely right ... it sux big time. ATI uses HydraVision, the same software that Appian uses for multiple displays, but it isn't as good as Matrox's software, either. Besides, ATI just isn't up to par with the nVidia-based cards.
So, for now, I'm just going to get a single monitor card. I have it down to two cards...
They're both GeForce3 Ti200 128Mb DDR ... one is by MSI, the other is by Chaintech. I tried to put the links on here, but got an error thingy that said it wouldn't accept parentheses in the html tag, but there were no parentheses in them!(?)
The 2 cards are only separated in price by $2, so that's not an issue. Anyone see any particular reason(s) to prefer one over the other? I'm leaning toward the Chaintech...

I'd really like to get advice on this before I order. Anyone have a reason for buying one over the other?

Hey SOS - Just finished searching pricewatch and came up (in the same price range) with 3 cards; the two you mentioned and an Abit. I've never heard of chaintech before this, but saw no other reason to stay away. Abit and MSI have been making Mobo's for several years, so I looked harder at them - the Abit version only has 64 megs instead of 128 and does NOT specifically mention drivers for XP. I didn't get to their download area to see if it's available. The other two both do mention XP and 2k drivers. Other than that, all 3 card sound like they almost came off the same production line as far as performance.

My two main comments:

(1) MSI is better known (at least by me) but has made some booboos in the past, at least on their mobo's. Chaintech, while new to me, at least knows how to make a website look and sound professional, although that only shows good management technique. Abit is one of the better-known mobo manufacturers but doesn't mention XP drivers and has half the ram. Given what I saw, I would probably go for the Chaintech, but not by much. If I had actually heard of both companies, I would lean more toward the Chaintech than I do.

(2) Whichever card you get, only buy the RETAIL box version, or you deserve what you get, which will likely be a bare card in a white plastic bag, and a chance to waste another 40 hours chasing brackets, cables, retainer clips, install disks downloaded instead of in the box, etc.

That's the best totally un-informed, experience-free advice I can give you. What's it based on? A seriously developed, highly tuned, paranoid-by-nature TBF. (Stands for Technical Bullshit Filter)

Good luck and I hope you finally finish this marathon... Steve

Thank You again, Steve, for being there to help.
I hadn't even thought of comparing the websites, but it does say something about a company's attention to detail!
I agree with you about retail versions of ANYTHING. It's always going to be worth paying a little more for the retail version as opposed to an OEM. For instance, both of the cards mentioned come with their software CD, plus free games. Yeah, I'm a sucker for games ... hehehe. Besides, I would be an idiot to cut a corner on my final component.
Anyway, I think I'll go with the Chaintech. They're pretty much identical, but the cooling system on the Chaintech looks a little more "beefy". It's a GeForce3 Ti200 with 128Mb DDR for $130 ... more than adequate.