Voodoo 3: A mixed bag but worth it
Written: May 09 '00 (Updated May 09 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: FAST!
Cons: Sudden crashes w/o warning
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| otaking's Full Review: 3dfx Voodoo3 3500, (16 MB) AGP Video Card |
Just after the release of the Voodoo 2, I picked up a card manufactured by Creative Labs (Graphics Blaster Voodoo 2) and I had to say, at the time... it was a good solid card which impressed me enough to want to pick up the next step in 3d acceleration from this company.
Well, suffice to say, while 3dfx may not have lost their overall touch, there are still some rather glaring issues with the card which I don't exactly have much pride in. I'll try and break the problems and praise down for you as much as possible.
Framerate: 3dfx is still showing its worth with this particular point. Pound-for-pound, this card is your dream if you're worried about framerate. It will smoke every other card on the market, and this is what made the decision for me when purchasing. However...
Problems: While the framerate is great, and the overall bugginess of the card is minimal, it is very noticable in some of the games I tend to play. Star Trek: Armada and EverQuest have tendancy to suddenly crash without any warning whatsoever in the middle of gameplay. The mantra for using the V3 with these game should be 'SAVE YOUR GAME', unless you want to go through the agony of losing your place. I've not had any issues with other 3d games, such as Tribes, Dungeon Keeper 2, Rogue Squadron, etc. In my book, two games out of the 55 I own which use 3d acceleraton isn't bad.
2d Support: On a twenty-inch monitor at 1024x768 or higher, it's all the same. I have no problems running any applications which do not require 3d acceleration. DirectX/DirectDraw work without fail.
Overall: Despite the 'older' technology you might be reading about in this area... if you're worried about being 'brand loyal'... don't be. 3dfx is still a big leader, but even nVidia's chipset have similiar or worse issues with games as the V3 does. Stay tuned for the Voodoo 5, which will, no doubt, put 3dfx atop nVidia and reconquer the market for them. I've already got mine on preorder!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
otaking
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Member: Michael Garcia
Location: San Jose, California, USA
Reviews written: 15
Trusted by: 0 members
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