Voodoo2 Chip Works Magic in Shooters

Die-hard gamers need a powerful 3D-only graphics card, like those based on 3Dfx's popular Voodoo chip. Now, the Voodoo has a successor. We tested two cards built around the Voodoo2: the Diamond Monster 3D II ($250 with 8MB of EDO DRAM) and the Creative Labs 3D Blaster Voodoo2 ($299 with 12MB of EDO DRAM). Both come in 8MB and 12MB configurations.

Different amounts of RAM notwithstanding, the performance and image quality of these boards were almost identical--and virtually flawless. The only glitch arose when we played Redline Racer with the Monster II. With the Direct 3D driver that PC World uses in standard testing, the game wouldn't draw anything beyond the immediate foreground, so it always looked like you were about to drive off the edge of a cliff. But when we switched to the driver written specifically for the Voodoo2 chip--which comes with the game--the images were picture-perfect.

While our tests found little difference between the boards, extra RAM should help with texture-rich games like Epic MegaGames' Unreal, which are sure to proliferate as developers take advantage of this new technology.

When we compared the new boards to a first-generation Voodoo-based board--the Diamond Monster 3D--we didn't notice a pixel's worth of difference in image quality or speed during a test run of the flight simulator Flight Unlimited. A discernible performance difference cropped up only in first-person shooter games: Our hero in Quake on the Monster II machine was a few scenes ahead of the protagonist on the Monster machine. Why? Because shooter games are heavier on textures, at which the Voodoo2 excels.

Our conclusion: If you like to fly or race, you can probably hold on to your old Voodoo card a little bit longer. But if you're out to save the world from alien invaders, nothing will give you the edge like this latest crop of 3D-only cards.

SUMMARY

Diamond Monster 3D IICreative Labs Blaster 3D Voodoo2 PRO: Excellent 3D image quality and speed. CON: Had problems with Direct 3D drivers in one game. VALUE: A great buy for gamers addicted to first-person shooters. PRO: 8MB board is cheaper than the 8MB Diamond Monster. CON: None. VALUE: A good price for a powerful 3D board. $199 for 8MB (after $30 rebate); $299 for 12MB Diamond Multimedia Systems Creative Labs 800/468-5846 800/998-5227 www.diamondmm.com www.soundblaster.com