Define "good". There are better choices for PIII.

Well, crisp DOS image quality/compatibility, that kind of thing.

Crisp? Sure, although many old cards can provide "crisp" image at 640x480 or even 800x600 resolution. DOS compatibility? Not really, although some compatibility problems like sreen tearing are superficial.

There are a few interesting retro activities that you can do with a Matrox Mystique.

3D Accelerated Games List (Proprietary APIs - No 3DFX/Direct3D)

To put it into perspective, it was a great 2D card in 1996/1997 for typical desktop resolutions (~1024x768) but its 3D capabilities are pretty basic.

C0deHunter wrote on 2020-08-03, 21:23:

Hello all Do you know if this is a good retro card? A local retro shop has this on sale for $15. […]
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Hello all
Do you know if this is a good retro card? A local retro shop has this on sale for $15.

My system specs are in my signature file.

Thanks!

I have the 2 and 4 mb version both were good 👍

Great cards if you love having a sharp picture and dig the look of software rendered 3d games or plan to install a Voodoo2 on your rig.

Thanks for response. Do you know if this is a 2MB version? Also, what is its model?

I love those, they have excellent image-quality! and they are FAST!!!!
Dos, Win3x drivers, VESA-Support through univbe recommendet. There must be a bios-patch for better compatibility.

In short, these Matrox-Cards are my first choice when it comes to dos-win3x retro.

My FSC has it onboard and I put the MPEG-Upgradeboard on it. https://www.flickr.com/photos/94839221@N05/al … 157712522940812

Do you know if this is powerful enough to run Windows 95/98 games as well? (software render, no 3D at all), I am talking about Quake, Quake II, SiN, Hexen II, Heretic II.

I have setup my PIII, so I can play DOS and Windows games at the same time (Multiboot menu option using PARTITION COMMANDER, booting into DOS 7.1, Win98SE, WinME, and Windows 2000 Pro)

Thanks!

It is a very fast 2D video card, in DOS it's roughly on par/sometimes faster than GeForce 2MX400. It's 2D image quality is also great, at least in resolutions up to 1280x1024.

It doesn't have great DOS compatibility though with artifacts in games such as Commander Keen series and Prehistorik/Prehistorik II.

The Dos-Compatibility-List is fine, but sometimes wrong. Not all listed issues were present in every card/model/bios-revision or with additional software like univbe and so on. Beside that who cares about keen on P75-233-mmx or a PII anyway. These problematic games work best on old 286/386/486 systems with isa-cards. There are lot's of newer dosgames that require a more powerfull machine and work fine on matrox too. If you want to play the probably problematic ones, then go for an older machine or another card.

As you can see on my pictures, I can play 2D games on win9x as well. though with 200mmx some were best played in 640x480.

dr.zeissler wrote on 2020-08-05, 09:07:

though with 200mmx some were best played in 640x480.

My target software resolution is 320x230! I love them pixellated bits!

My target software resolution is 320x230! I love them pixellated bits!

Then it doesn't matter which card you use. Lowly S3 Trio64 should be enough.