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3D Graphics Grand Prix

We put 14 of the latest 3D graphics boards at the starting line and turned them loose on our challenging course of 3D games and imaging applications; no pit stops allowed.

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10. 3dfx Voodoo4 4500 AGP

What's Hot: The Voodoo4 4500 AGP sports an enhanced anti-aliasing feature that removes the stair-stepping effect you see at the edges of 3D objects. When enabled in the driver, 3dfx's anti-aliasing improves image quality dramatically. Plus, this board offers something the others don't: a lifetime warranty.

What's Not: The Voodoo4 performed poorly in our games. Colors were inaccurate in MDK2, appearing overly bright and displaying some noticeable anomalies: In Unreal Tournament, the overall picture was too dark; in Quake III, walls had a reddish cast. 3dfx's Voodoo4 and Voodoo5 boards lack hardware T&L acceleration, and its shows: Their performance trailed others in our tests with MDK2 and Quake III, both of which support T&L. Even at our lowest settings--640 by 480 resolution in 16-bit color--the Voodoo4 managed only 46 fps in MDK2.

What Else: This board completed our 32-bit color Test Drive 6 test at 1600 by 1200 resolution--although its performance level (at 13 fps) was the slowest of the four cards that passed that test. Linux users will appreciate the availability of open-source drivers. 3dfx also provides toll-free tech support.

Best Use: Other cards offer better value and performance, but open-source drivers may sway Linux users.

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