Of course, Matrox is not getting rid of all their old features. The G450 will still feature environment mapped bump mapping for 3D gamers. Assuming the quality is the same, movie watchers will appreciate the stunningly high-quality DVD playback as well as the ability to play a DVD windowed on a monitor and full screen on a TV at the same time. As for board level features, such as Rainbow Runner compatibility or whether there will be a Marvel G450-TV, we are all going to have to wait for SKU announcements that should come in June, probably at E3. We certainly hope there will be TV-in functions, because the Marvel G400-TV is just about our favorite card for everything other than gaming.

We said it before, but it bears saying again. There is a major difference between Matrox's market direction for the G450 versus the G400. With the G400, Matrox went for the gamer (shirts) interested in visual quality, using their environment mapped bump mapping and stellar 32-bit graphics to carry the day. With the G450, they should still have all the same features, but they will no longer carry 3D performance that is comparable to the competition. So instead of going for the gaming market, they are going for the business machine OEM market (suits), a market where Matrox's strengths still lie. The G450 will work with Matrox's TurboGL and 3D performance will certainly not be any slower than the G400, so gamers in suits considering the G400 may want to consider the G450 instead.

We asked Matrox if the new direction taken with the G450 is a sign of them eventually leaving the gaming market entirely. They replied that Matrox would have a new gaming solution around the end of summer. There are currently rumors running around the net as to what that next-generation hardware will be. When questioned, Matrox said that these rumors were inaccurate.

With the G400, Matrox delivered a strong, high-quality product that won a lot of users' hearts. It was not the fastest kid on the block, but dual head output combined with topnotch visuals and unique features secured a following. With the G450, Matrox has fallen far behind in the speed race, but rather than bury their head (or dualhead) in the sand and continue chanting the bump mapping mantra, they are choosing to capitalize on their stunning visual and overall quality while building on their unique dual head feature to aim squarely for the business OEM market with the G450. A smart move that should keep them in the consumer graphics card business for another round at least.

Jon Simon
Assistant Editor