Its about time 3dfx get back to doing what they do best....................

[classy]

That's making chips. Ever since 3dfx started trying to make their own boards as well as produce their chips, they fell behind. But looks like they are going to return to their roots. Here's the article that Voodooextreme has confirmed as being true.

 

[snow patrol]

amen to that brother Let's see what 3dfx can do now.

 

[StickHead]

About time. Now they will be back in the swing of things and videocards will be cheaper!

 

[lsd]

I think that gives more of an indication that they're dieing

 

[pen^2]

i wonder who would take over 3dfx in the end... ati? nvidia?

 

[RobsTV]

<< The company plans to close its Juarez, Mexico, card manufacturing plant and remove itself from the business of building the graphics cards that reside in desktop PCs. This is an abrupt switch from the December 1998 takeover of STB Systems, which 3dfx heralded as a move that would put them in charge of their own destiny. Instead, that move -- combined with numerous production delays and supply problems -- has removed the company from its once-dominant position in the industry.
The company says it will now sell its chips to third-party manufacturers, who will create the boards that go in computers. Because 3dfx is in its quiet period (its latest earnings are due next week), officials declined to say how much of a write off would result from the closing of the Mexican plant. >>



3dfx death is much nearer than thought.
With the buyout of STB, and all the money spent trying to build new cards, they are way too deep in a financial hole to dig themselves out of by simply being a chipmaker. All of their financial mistakes will also mean they won't easily be able to obtain money from lenders to continue operations. You would have to be a fool to lend 3dfx money at this stage of there death. I think moving up the grave markers from Christmas 2001 to summer 2001 would be a wise move.

 

[RoboTECH]

I wouldn't be so hasty with that.

I'll reserve judgement upon Rampage/Spectre release.
of course, if it isn't released on time, and it doesn't kick royal ass, 3dfx definitely are done.

 

[classy]

I believe they will get back in the game rather quickly. ATI is very dangerous. More so than nvidia. Nvidia is still working with the year and half old architecture of the Geforce. Because of Xbox they will have trouble focusing on a new 3d chipset for pcs. But the Radeon chipset is more advanced than the Geforce and is producing similar performance at much lower clock rates. I look for them to refine the Radeon leap frogging into the top spot. I believe 3dfx can now just focus on making a good chipset. And without question many 3rd party companies Creative and the like will once again use 3dfx chips.

 

[Finality]

How did you figure that classy?

A GeForce DDR is 120 MHz and still keeps up with a Radeon. Its not clock speed its a combination of pipelines/pixels/clock speed and recently HSR. Which the PowerVR does very well but the Radeon is so so at.

PowerVR is a great card for its fill rate. Radeon is ~ok~ nothing as spectacular.

 

[Babrone]

Hmmm, I see a slow death in the works. The advantage 3dfx had was that most games were optimized for 3dfx Glide. Now that this is no longer true it would take one hell of a chip to pass ati and nvidia. Its sad, I was a big 3dfx fan, but after making me wait and wait, then wait some more for the voodoo 5 6000, I am now a proud radeon owner. I see a buy-out or going out of business within the next few years. I guess it kinda serves them right for buying out stb, then trying to hold a monopoly on the 3d card business, HUGE mistake. They are just recently admitting they will be switching to standard open GL, but it seems to be too little too late.

 

[Varborta]

I disagree with the previous freaking stupid post, 3dfx is now going to be just like Nvidia and doing something they are excel for which is always a good thing as to the statement of too late, hell no, unless 3dfx is out of money like scour.net then ya but they are not and as long as they churn out great chip then they will eventually go neck to neck with nvidia and reclaim their seat. And, their timing couldnt be better.

 

[Deeko]

I'm gonna laugh at you poor people who think 3dfx is dying when they release something powerful and are right back at or near the top again. I think even if Rampage flops, they still will live to release Fear. And if the rumored specs are true, Rampage is definitly not gonna be a flop.

 

[Babrone]

Chill out man! Its just my personal opinion.

Two questions:
1. How old are you?
2. Were not held enough as a child?

 

[Babrone]

Ooops, you got a post in there before my reply, my msg was meant for Verborta, not Deeko.

 

[Killrose]

Just who do they think they are going to sell chips to? They basically burnt all their bridges when they thought they could take on all the big board manufactures, and stopped selling their chips to them, bought STB and started producing their own. Do you really think they are going to sell chips to Creative, ELSA, LEADTEK, ect? JATON might buy some but thats about it. I have nothing against 3dfx, I just don't see them able to make large in roads with the board manufactures in the time needed to make all the needed contractual agreements, and ramp up production.
And I'm sorry, but they really don't have a chip right now that anybody wants (if they have trouble selling them themselves how can you beleive anybody else is going to think the can do better with it?)and nobody can plan on selling vaporware. I would hate to see them dissapear because as an end user we have benifited greatly from the great 3dfx Boogey Man, look at the great board prices we have today and the performance we get from them compared to even last year. Ok, i'm done

 

[3dfxAlf]

All we said is that we wouldn't actually be manufacturing the boards themselves, guys.