need 3d card opinions ASAP...

[pvt_ryan]

this is my computer:

Compaq presario 5190

19" sony trinitron multiscan420gs

AMD-K6-2 400 MHz with 3D Now technology

128 MB RAM

512kb L2 pipeline burst cache

100 MHz SyncDRAM memory

2X AGP 3D graphics

4MB 100 MHz SyncGraphics memory

and probably alot of other stuff that i also don't know what it means

I can get a VooDoo3 3000 pci 16 MB for $130

is it worth it?

thanks for your input

[Compassion]

For that price you can get a TNT2-Pro which performs very favorably to V3 PCI... wiht the added benefit of performing well in 32bit... That K6-400 probably won't do justice to some 32 bit games like Q3 or UT, but look yummy with CM (for faster paced games, you can always drop down to 16 bit mode). It's always a nice feature to have available and can grow with your system (unless you next upgrade is in the Duron/Willamet range) while that Voodoo3 is going to feel outdated very quickly as almost all games coming are 32bit capable and some look damn good that way.

Anyway, that's my suggestion... TNT2-Pro 32 meg. nearly TNT2 Ultra performance for a hundred twenty bucks.

[Mattias]

Exactly how does a TNT2-Pro relate to the Ultra model, the M64, or the plain vanilla one?

M.

[von shrad]

I'm looking for an upgrade too. It needs to be PCI because my comp. has integrated video.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

VS

[Juju]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by von shrad:

I'm looking for an upgrade too. It needs to be PCI because my comp. has integrated video.

Any suggestions?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

My advise would be to never again buy computers with integrated video. Makes upgrading all the more difficult.

------------------

Combat Axiom 46. Do unto others, before they do unto you.

[Echo]

I tested a voodoo3 when I upgrade. Took it back for a TNT2 Ultra w/ 32MB RAM. The TNT2 is faster, and the colors and textures are brighter and clearer.

To be honest, the voodoo3 ran like a slug with some of my flight sims. The TNT is smooth as glass.

[CoolColJ]

Echo, its probably due to the extra 16 megs of Vram Becuase the V3000 makes a lot shortcuts to get extra speed, at the expense of image quality.

ccj

[aka kingtiger]

I have had the following:

1) Diamond TNT 16 MB

Diamond TNT 16 MB with (2) Monster 3D 12 MB SLI boards

2) 3DFX Voodoo 3000

3) Riva TNT2 Ultra 32MB.

I would highly recommend buying a 16 MB TNT card used on EBAY for $40-$60.

Good Luck

Richard Kalajian

[Compassion]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by aka kingtiger:

I would highly recommend buying a 16 MB TNT card used on EBAY for $40-$60.

]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You can get a vanilla TNT like that for about $20... Check pricewatch.

Mattias:

The TNT2-Pro is a hopped up TNT 2 (as faer as I can tell from the lit, it's a highly clocked TNT2). Anand's has a nice comparison, and it rates very close to a full TNT2Ultra. But Ultras are still in the $175+ range (crazy since you can get a GeForce 256 NON-DDR card for not much more... if you can find one). The price difference is great and the performance diff is minimal. The TNT2-Pro comes in slightly more expensive than the M64, but the benchmarks, including the game demos, show a pretty good kick over the M64 for not much more.

Von Shrad-

PCI only becasue of integrated video? If you have an agp slot, I'd do the work and figure out how to disable the integrated vid... If you don't, I'd get another mobo. PCI is just too limiting these days as all the cool cards seem to be agp only (I don't know about the new Voodoos, though I think they are all agp only... could be wrong)... the only card I know comes in a PCI board is the Voodoo3 cards which for the price and performance are getting a little long in the tooth, but will still serve CM ok (but no 32 bit graphics... 16 only... not the end of the world).. If you play other games, you might eally thing of another card.

[Miles Teg]

Hi,

I have a friend who purchased a TNT-2 M64 32MB SDRAM PCI w/ DVD for his 200Mhz. It cost him $66.95+ship from buy.com and works great.

http://computershopper.zdnet.com/texis/cs/coframe.html?u=/texis/cs/nav.html

http://computershopper.zdnet.com/texis/cs/coframe.html?u=/texis/cs/nav.html

[Maximus]

No matter what the price of a Voodoo 3000 is, I wouldn't waste my money on one. I have a 32MB TNT2 Ultra and love it for its image quality even though it may be a little slower than Voodoo. It's like the difference between 32-bit Sony Playstation graphics and 64-bit N64 graphics. CCJ is correct in that 3Dfx takes shortcuts to produce better framerates but the image quality suffers.

------------------

"The greatest risk...is not taking one."

[Miles Teg]

The links didn't turn out the way I wanted. Searching under TNT might help you find something you like.

[FuSchnick]

Any "M64" version of a TNT2 is actually a slower version. Mainly because they are using cheaper VRAM. The M64's are usually priced much lower, but the performance is WORSE than a normal TNT2, not better (which the box might try and make you believe...)

Think of M64's as the "economy" version of a TNT2.

Regular, and "Pro" TNT2s are a pretty good deal already. Anything higher than a TNT 2 would be somewhat wasted on a 400mhz CPU (ie you COULD get a fancy new GeForce2, but you would not see much performance difference, because it would be sitting around waiting for your CPU to get its lazy ass moving all the time).

Also, The entire nVidia series (TNT 1 & 2, Geforce 1 & 2) have always had much better image quality and overall featureset than 3Dfx cards have had. Image is getting better in the newest Voodoos (5 and 6), but they cost a friggin FORTUNE.