3rd Generation 3D
Accelerators
(By Rice-Dawg)
VIDEO CARD ROUND-UPS AND BUYER'S
GUIDE (PART II)
By: Rice-Dawg
<-- Back to
Part I
_____Wow. You've made it to the end. Did you really read all the boring crap I
wrote or did you just skip down here? Heh heh... Let's review:
- The Summary
| _____Although the Voodoo3 doesn't include 32-bit, 32 megs of onboard memory, nor
support for AGP, its speed is nosebleed in 16-bit. Quake 2 framerates skyrocket, as do
every other game that runs under the Voodoo 3. They don't look quite as pretty because
they can't render 32-bit, but if you can't tell the difference or if you don't really care
how vibrant the blood of your opponent is, no other card offers silkier gameplay. The 2000
version is a bit slower than the 3000 version, but is cheaper. |
| _____The all-around favorite of gamers like me. Fastest performer in 32-bit 3D
rendering, and a moderately close 2nd only to the Voodoo3 in 16-bit. Plus support for AGP
makes the TNT2 a very future oriented card... meaning if you nab this baby, there is no
need for an upgrade for at least an year. There are an absolute VARIETY of TNT2's out
there. 16 meg versions, 32 meg versions, some faster, some slower, some with TV-out
(feature that allows the display of your computer screen onto your TV screen), some
without. Ultra versions, regular vanilla versions, etc.... you get the point. |
| _____Many reviewers are pouring over this card like it's the best thing since the
invention of the clip-on tie. I disagree. Although the DualHead feature is very nifty, and
Environmental Bump-Mapping is very pretty, the 3D is not as fast as the TNT2 or Voodoo3,
especially in OpenGL games such as Quake, Half-Life, or Kingpin. Also, check the price tag
at $250 dollars!! However, the G400 runs extremely well at super-high resolutions
(1600x1200). I question the sanity of ever needing that resolution. |
| _____If you're like Gerry and want to play a game just to see the hype, this card
is for you. The 2D features of this card is as good as any, and the 3D is acceptable for
playing. Throw in the S3TC feature, and you may have for yourself a sleeper card. If the
Voodoo3, TNT2, and the G400 are the Ferrari's of 3D gaming acceleration, the Savage4 is
the Chevy Camero. However, this card is NOT for the hardcore gamer. The 3D is much slower
than any of the above chips. |
- The Buyer's
Guide
_____Below are a few situations that I imagine people may be in as they are
hunting for a new video card, or just looking for an upgrade. It's impossible to address
every single situation, but I would gladly answer your question individually via the
Message Board or private E-Mail.
 _____I'd put my money on NVidia's TNT2
chip. Which board, specifically? I'm guessing since you don't want to upgrade anytime
soon, I would put my money on the BEST TNT2 card out there, the Hercules Dynamite
TNT2 Ultra. Why is Hercules the best? Because they have overclocked the TNT2 to
the point that it is nearly 30% faster than the regular TNT2 Ultra. Plus they have 32 megs
of onboard memory, and TV-out feature, you can't beat this card. However, it comes at a
price. $250 is the smack down you have to dish out for it, but believe me, this video card
is worth it if you can afford the dough. |
 _____You sound desperate. I suggest
the Diamond Viper V770 TNT2 Regular. This baby can be had for around $175
and can allow you to not only run windows without it crashing, but play 3D games with
smooth frame rate. The reason I chose Diamond over the other companies is because they
have a superb support staff and have consistent driver updates. Overall, Diamond is one of
the most reliable companies around. |
 _____I know how you feel. I belong in
the same category. That's why I'm purchasing a Guillemot Xentor 32 TNT2 Ultra
as my next video card. This card is almost as fast as a Hercules Dynamite TNT2, but not
NEARLY as expensive. It also sports a TV-out feature, and hardware DVD support so that
means you can play DVD on your computer and have it spit out onto the TV screen. The cost
is $230, but it comes with a $30 rebate until November, so hurry! This card is very
popular and is selling fast... |
 _____If you have the dough, go for the
Matrox Millenium G400. It produces moderately playable framerates,
although not as fast as the TNT2. The good part of this card is the DualHead feature,
which allows you to play a DVD movie on one monitor, while you type up your report on
another. Use your imagination, because there are so many possibilities with the DualHead.
Plus, the G400 supports Environmental Bump-Mapping, which makes textures look much more
realistic than software embossed bumpmapping. Overall, the G400 has a lot of things going
for it, and it certainly is fun to play with all the features. |
 _____Don't care about looks? 3dfx
Voodoo3 3000 is the way to go. This speed demon is clocked at 166 MHz, and will
render those 3D polygons and frames for you faster than you can say "3dfx
rules!". Like I stated before, this card only allows 16-bit rendering, meaning it
will only utilize up to 67,000 colors, as opposed to 32-bit rendering. Plus it cannot take
in large textures, nor can it utilize AGP appropriately. In conclusion, this card is
FAST... for today's standards. However, this card is NOT the choice for a long term
solution. Pricing is around $125 or $130, depending on where you look. |
 _____Ah... cheap card + good features
+ okay gaming = Diamond Stealth III S540 Savage4 Pro. Although the
Savage4 is not nearly as fast as the competitors, it will cater nicely to the occasionaly
gamer. It supports 32-bit rendering, so you can see Quake III: Arena and Unreal Tournament
in its true glory. Also, it holds 32 megs of onboard memory so that it lessens the time of
harddrive swapping during a crucial battle with your archnemesis in your favorite game.
Finally, it also supports DVD playing, so you can enjoy home theatre on your computer,
provided you have a DVD player in the first place. This baby can be yours for around $100
dollars. Whoop! =) |
| _____No questions. I reckon many of you poor students will fall into this
category. Go buy yourself a 3Dfx Voodoo2 1000. This thing is cheap as
hell. You can nab it for around $75 or so. The catch is you'll need your old 2D card,
because this thing is 3D only. If you can scrounge up some more change, pick up a 3dfx
Voodoo3 2000. It's cost is around that of a Savage4 Pro: $100 or so and it
screams with speed like its older brother 3000. All the drawbacks are also present though,
but hey, you get what you paid for.  ______________
|
_____Hopefully these will answer most of the questions that you guys have on all
this video card hype. God knows there are enough of these video cards out there to give me
a migrane. Thankfully, we can ignore most of these and weed out the best. Chances are,
with whatever video card you decide to pick up, you will be satisfied with it, as all of
these products are very well made. Good luck on your shopping!!
<-- Back to
Part I
*Disclaimer: The prices I list may or may not be correct. I will not be
held accountable if you find another video card that is priced twice as high as I listed
it. Spend some time and shop around... online if necessary (try www.pricewatch.com). Don't get ripped off by greedy
department chain stores!! |