Kids system, 16mb Vanta or 8mb Velocity?

[cybrdmn]

We have an old Celeron w/0kb cache, running at 400.
Which would be a better video card?

3dfx Velocity with 8mb (running voodoo 3 drivers)
or
Vanta with 16mb

All different types of games are played on this system from Quake 3 to The Sims.

Thanks

 

[Bartman]

I'm more of a Nvidia fan but if I'd have to take a guess I'd say the Velocity using the TMU reg hack.

Bart

 

[vss1980]

Hmmm, the Vanta is pretty performance crippled. The Velocity is faster but doesn't have enough memory to be a good long term purchase.

If you want pure speed, then the Velocity is certainly faster. I would see if I could get a new or 2nd hand TNT2 card cheap if I were you (I've heard of some changing hands for $30) as its faster than both and usually has 32MB of memory, and the drivers are very stable.

 

[Hawk]

Between those two, the Velocity. If you can get something, I would probably get something else, probably cost $50 for a Voodoo 3 2000, TNT2 regular, maybe even a Viper II. Though I am not sure how well the cards will perform with the Celeron.

 

[hans007]

the velocity is very fast, faster than v3 2k. You can run 1600x1200@32bits with 8mb so no problem. ALso the 2d is very good. the only thing i can think is that 3dfx is out of business. the tnt vanta is probably slower than a regular tnt1 and probably has crappier 2d quality. but it is well supported. personally if i were you i'd try and hunt down a 32mb ati xpert2000, or a 16mb xpert128 (aka rage fury 16mb) for around $40. They are both faster than the vanta (especially the 16mb since it uses a rage128gl chip and the xpert uses a rage128vr with 64bit buss), have decent driver, better dvd, etc. Also better 2d than the 3dfx or the vanta. with just a 400mhz celeron, you really wouldn't be pushing a velocity 100 to the limit, and a rage128 card would fit very nicely for a CPU of that class

 

[kuk]

I think you need to get a Geforce II Ultra, with high-speed memory, video-in and video-out, and a new 24" monitor to hook up with some BNC cables.

I think that with this setup, "The Sims" should run quite good.
Ohh, and don't forget to upgrade to a P4 while at it



j/k

 

[cybrdmn]

Thanks alot guys,

That's pretty much what I thought. We do have the Velocity in there now, and I have an opportunity to trade a crappy old 14" monitor for a Vanta card, but wondered if it would be better than the Velocity. I'll pass on the deal as the monitor would be more valuable as a monitor for a game server, or even just a troubleshooting spare.

Marc

 

[cybrdmn]

When I upgrade to the P-4 and the NV20, then that system gets my Voodoo5 & overclocked celeron 533a...
That stuff is too powerful to be in the hands of kids...