Confused on TNT2/Voodoo 3 issues...

[Codeena]

Hi there, I'm wondering which card to buy next month, the Voodoo 3 or TNT2. I'd like to get the TNT2 because of the reviews I've read, but I was concerned about the card not being able to support GLIDE games, only OpenGL. What does this mean exactly--what's the difference between the two. I'd like to run my current games (Need for Speed 3, Rouge Squadron, etc.), but I'm wondering if with the TNT2, if you can only run them in Direct3D. If so, wouldn't that look worse (although may be faster) than running under GLIDE. With my current games, GLIDE seems better (to me) than Direct3D, and I have Diamond's Voodoo 2.

I hope someone can help clear this up and help me decide what to get. Thanks to anyone who assists.

[chad174]

ok here is my opinion along with syopts and tomshardware in their reviews: the tnt2, although not supporting glide, has 32 megs of ram, which is better, and it outperforms the 3500 v3 in d3d and opengl. i say buy the tnt2 for 2 reasons: get the tnt2 ultra, the equal to the v3 3500, becuase of 32 megs ram. it kills the v3 3500 in all the tests, and its 50 bucks cheaper.

[Codeena]

Thanks for your feedback, Chad174. I also read some reviews, but I'm still wondering about the GLIDE/D3D-only games--since you'd have to play the TNT2 using D3D in these, wouldn't Voodoo 3 look better graphically (in these games only)?

Oh, does that TNT2 that costs $50 less than the V3 3500 come w/TV-Out?

[harddisk]

Only 3Dfx cards will support Glide.
TNT-2 only supports D3D and OpenGL, yet TNT-2 looks better than any voodoo coz it supports 32bits rendering output.

Dont worry abt Games w/ Glide issue if u r not a 3Dfx supporter, most game nowadays come with D3D (at least) if not, it will support OpenGL then...
Glide is juz another API tat the programmer decided to add in to attracts 3Dfx users...
BTW, V3 beats TNT to hell if running with Glide.

[Codeena]

Those were very helpful comments, thank you. Hard Disk, will a game like Need For Speed 3 will look/play better under TNT's D3D vs. Voodoo 3's GLIDE? Or does the game have to support the 32-bit color for the TNT2 to be better? I'm also concerned about my "older" games too.

Thanks!

[WhoKnowsWho]

If I remember correctly, with NFS3, with a non-voodoo card, you will actually have a dash and steering wheel in the car... Glide vs. Direct3d or opengl, all will look essentially the same. They all have the same features. There is no real advantage to use glide except maybe for speed, but when things are running in the 60 fps range, it doesn't matter anymore. To use 32 bit color, usually the game will have to support it, but still, the tnt2 will still look better at 16bit or 32 bit than the voodoo's most likely.

[Tony M]

It is still early to say what card will be better and who will be faster. I have seen preliminary benchmarks to support both sides. At this point in time, both are still at least mist ware (little more solid than vapor ware) until they are released.
Tony@Sysopt.com

[Amburgey]

I'm running a TNT @ 105Mhz and Voodoo2 SLI @ 105MHz.... both constantly stable... The comparison with TNT2 and Voodoo3 is MUCH the same when it comes to actually graphic quality... Although Resolutions/Refresh rates will change they physical differences in the way the cards display graphics can't be denied... The MAX fill rate of the Voodoo family is tuff... With voodoo's I CRANK everything up in EVERY game @ 1024 and it loves it... Can't necc do that with the TNT... I'm sitting on OC p3's... Does that help with my TNT w/ Detenator... Not really... In Quake2 i prefer the V2's... In games like NFS3 same.. Rollcage same... Games like Diablo/Starcraft would look SO beatiful at the 1280&1600 settings but for D3D&Glide @ 1024... V2's are were it's at... Lets not forget.. if you have <=17" Monitor 1024 is were it's at!