Project Pygmalion, Part 3: Creative 3D Blaster TNT2
Written: Sep 14 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy to install, superb 2D and 3D graphics quality
Cons: Nothing significant
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| arbaro's Full Review: Creative Labs Creative 3D Blaster RIVA TNT2 |
This is the third in a series of reviews of the various components in the new computer that I just built.
You can have the fastest processor around, but with the wrong video card in it, your games will still look like it came from an old machine. Now that 3D games have become commonplace, any person who plays computer games needs a card with 3D capability.
Again, I went in search for the perfect video card for my machine. And again, good features at a good price was my primary consideration. The Creative 3D Blaster TNT2 was my choice, because of (1) the Creative reputation for quality and (2) the rather positive reviews I saw here on Epinions.
With 2X AGP, 32MB of video RAM, the card can handle the highest resolutions in amazing 32-bit color (hmm...I thought the human eye was satisfied with 24-bit color...guess I was wrong, huh?) That coupled with Direct3D support and nVIDIA's TNT2 chip made it all the more attractive. I'm no expert on 3D cards by any stretch of the imagination, so I'm not even sure about how the numbers on this card stack up with others. All I'm interested in is how the graphics look to the eye.
Of course, installing was easy, as is most Plug and Play software...just open it up and insert it into the short brown AGP slot. It would recognize the card and load the drivers and restart. Then install the utilities from the CD and you're good to go.
Overall, the quality of the graphics is great and there's almost no lag at all when playing graphically intensive games. The Sims, for example, gives bright, vibrant color and the characters really do seem to come alive.
But now came the test. I had used Microsoft Flight Simulator 98 on my old computer, and although it was a lot of fun to play, the graphics didn't look all that good. It would always give me grainy textures, and the sky always appeared banded. My computer did have 3D graphics built in, but when I tried to run it in full-screen mode it would run really slowly and the most resolution I could get was 640x480.
I installed FS98 and ran it, set my plane on the runway at Honolulu Airport, and set the program to use Direct3D mode. Immediately I could see the difference, and it was like getting radial keratotomy. Not only were the colors smooth, but FS ran really smoothly, even with the scenery set to Very Dense. Now I could see the skyscrapers of Waikiki and Diamond Head in all its glory. I could actually see, for the first time, Diamond Head getting closer and closer, and all the details of the mountains.
I can't recommend this card highly enough. If you play any sort of computer game at all, get this card and get the most out of your graphics. You won't be disappointed.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 75
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Epinions.com ID:
arbaro
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Member: Keith Higa
Location: Kailua, HI
Reviews written: 94
Trusted by: 20 members
About Me:
Computer instructor, choir director, marathon runner, and all-around crazy person, living in Paradise.
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