Replacement Video Card - Voodoo 3 3000 or Matrox Millenium II

[Ian Inman]

I'm looking for some objective advice as to which is the better of the two
video cards, the Voodoo 3 3000 / 3500 or Matrox Millenium II. I'm about to
upgrade my video card from a Matrox Mystique 8 MByte card (the expansion
slot on it is knackered, so upgrading memory is not an option, also the
speed of both my proposed replacement cards is a lot higher) with limited
funds available after upgrading the rest of my system, therefore I'll not be
able to stretch beyond a 16 MByte card. These two seem to be among the
better ones available. I only require a single header card - the dual
header options are not required.

I have discounted the ATI cards, due to difficulties in getting ATI problems
to work with what was an AMD K6-2 system, now upgraded to AMD Duron 750 MHz.

My main uses for the computer are University related (I'm a postgraduate
research student), with moderately heavy use of graphics (hence my need to
upgrade), though very rarely, it is used for games, internet and video
processing.

Advice wanted (pretty) please,

Ian (alias 'Beefy')
----------------------
Beefy's World Travels:
Nepal and Tibet: http://uk.geocities.com/beefnetuk
Rest of World: http://www.geocities.com/beefnetuk

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Posted from p...@nyota.unn.ac.uk [192.173.1.81]
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[Mike Leslie]

If you are mainly using it to manipulate large 2d images it isn't your
graphics card you should be replacing (an 8Mb Matrox is more than enough),
its your memory and in some cases your hard disk. If the graphics are quite
large 128Mb Ram is the absolute minimum (although someone is bound to tell
you something different).

I did have a Matrox G200 (8Mb I think) but changed it for a Voodoo 3 3000
mainly for games, but the G200 was just as good as the Voodoo in 2d.

So to answer your question if you aren't playing 3d games go for the
cheaper.

Regards

Mike Leslie

"Ian Inman" <ian....@unn.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:C7170A92B50FD4119013...@central.unn.ac.uk...

[GSV Three Minds in a Can]

In article <C7170A92B50FD4119013...@central.unn.ac.uk>,
Ian Inman <ian....@unn.ac.uk> writes

>I'm looking for some objective advice as to which is the better of the two
>video cards, the Voodoo 3 3000 / 3500 or Matrox Millenium II. I'm about to
>upgrade my video card from a Matrox Mystique 8 MByte card (the expansion
>slot on it is knackered, so upgrading memory is not an option, also the
>speed of both my proposed replacement cards is a lot higher) with limited
>funds available after upgrading the rest of my system, therefore I'll not be
>able to stretch beyond a 16 MByte card. These two seem to be among the
>better ones available. I only require a single header card - the dual
>header options are not required.

<snip>

Since 3dfx are now history (nVidia bought part of them, the rest is
doomed) the voodoo cards should be on 'fire sale' at most places. If you
can live with little/no future support, that might be the way to go. If
someone tries to sell you one at what used to be full retail price, just
laugh a lot and walk away - and make sure you buy it from somewhere that
will offer you some warranty support, because 3dfx are not likely to.

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can

[zonehead]

personally as a voodoo 3 owner in 2 of my machines I'd say go out & get a
geforce 2 MX...£90 quid & its faster than both those cards put together.

ZoNeHeaD®
"GSV Three Minds in a Can" <G...@quik.freeuk.com> wrote in message
news:Bxb9HlAX...@quik.freeuk.net...

[Djimbo]

"Ian Inman" <ian....@unn.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:C7170A92B50FD4119013...@central.unn.ac.uk...

> I'm looking for some objective advice as to which is the better of the two
> video cards, the Voodoo 3 3000 / 3500 or Matrox Millenium II

I have both of these cards here, and there's no real contest. All prophecies
about the future of 3DFX aside, the V3 3000 is a country mile ahead of the
Mill2 in every respect (including 2D) and the Mill 2 only has any 3D on
paper, I've seen no evidence of it. I wouldn't consider an upgrade from a
Mysteque to a Mill2 much of an upgrade at all..
(Imho)

[S.W. Cooper]

Well, the 2000s were 50 quid in Dixons some time ago anyway.
Solid reliable cards in general, I think they were sold with 10year
warranties as it was.

--
Castrate me to reply.

[GSV Three Minds in a Can]

In article <3A55B436...@balls.hotmail.com>, S.W. Cooper
<s_w_c...@balls.hotmail.com> writes

>Well, the 2000s were 50 quid in Dixons some time ago anyway.
>Solid reliable cards in general, I think they were sold with 10year
>warranties as it was.

Yes, but try exercising your 10 year warranty when the manufacturer no
longer exists, and see how much joy you get.

[Mike G]

Wouldn't nVidia be obliged to honour the warranty?

--
Mike

[GSV Three Minds in a Can]

In article <3a5630c8...@news.freeserve.net>, Mike G
<m.a.g...@ncl.ac.uk> writes

Nope, afaik they bought the intellectual property assets, and probably
the 3dfx/voodoo names and trademarks. Not the stock, not the staff, and
not the support headaches.

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