The V3-2000 card is a really good choice for those who have PCs unable to cope with the all-singing, all-dancing cards of the latest generation. While it is not especially fast by today's standards (especially the PCI version, which I am reviewing), it gives a very welcome boost to computers ... Read review
Advantages: Compatibility, low price, PCI version available Disadvantages: Can't match the newer generation
...of which do only support 3dfx in terms of 3D acceleration.
Another point in favour of this card - it is easy and quick to fit. Unlike some other cards I have fitted into my PC, the V3-2000 snapped into place first time, the drivers loaded quickly and without fuss, and there was no need for any messing about - the first game I tried (Grand Prix Legends, which does not have Direct3D support) worked first time.
One minor ... ...rather than just a thin booklet telling you to look at a readme file - but then that's no different from many other products these days.
All in all, then, this card can be highly recommended to those with older PCs or on a smaller budget. And one positive side of 3dfx's recent problems is that it should be pretty cheap.
The V3-2000 card is a really good choice for those who have PCs unable to cope with the all-singing, all-dancing cards of the latest generation. While it is not especially fast by today's standards (especially the PCI version, which I am reviewing), it gives a very welcome boost to computers with an older 3D card, or, more especially, with no 3D card at all. The fact that it is availble in a PCI version is also important, as many older PCs do not have an AGP slot.
The first 3D card I ever had was a Diamond Monster 3D, one of the original "Voodoo 1" cards, so when the time came to upgrade, the V3-2000 was a logical choice. And the fact that it was compatible with almost every game was a major plus. Of course, Glide compatibility is less and less important nowadays, but people who use this card, and therefore probably have older PCs, are more likely to buy budget titles, many of which do only support 3dfx in terms of 3D acceleration.
Another point in favour of this card - it is easy and quick to fit. Unlike some other cards I have fitted into my PC, the V3-2000 snapped into place first time, the drivers loaded quickly and without fuss, and there was no need for any messing about - the first game I tried (Grand Prix Legends, which does not have Direct3D support) worked first time.
One minor quibble - I do prefer a proper paper instruction manual, rather than just a thin booklet telling you to look at a readme file - but then that's no different from many other products these days.
All in all, then, this card can be highly recommended to those with older PCs or on a smaller budget. And one positive side of 3dfx's recent problems is that it should be pretty cheap.
Advantages: The card of 1999-2002 Disadvantages: Not supported now, 3DFX went bust
3DFX went bust, is that another example of me getting the great stuff that fails? Surprising because I don't really remember it doing badly, I think the Voodoo one and two cards were great successes though I know spin offs such as the Hercules and Banshee series got limited attention. It must have been nVidia who got by me unnoticed, uppercutted 3DFX and sucked in their soul like Shang Tsung (bought up what they had). The first two voodoo cards were ... ...PCI versions, all made by 3DFX themselves. There is also a Voodoo 2 1000 for those on super budget. These cards have increasing clock speeds (and prices) through the series.
The budget 2000 model one is adequate enough and for the games of that era, the differences in speeds are minimal really. The 3500TV model has a television output to connect to your big screen television for higher cinema impact gaming, I'm just happy sitting up to a 14" monitor ...
RHawkins17 21.09.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of 3Dfx Voodoo3 2000
Advantages: Cheap and easy to fit Disadvantages: no TV out
Ever wanted a new PC for free?? Well, i was given a Voodoo3 2000 by a friend who considered it outdated. I put into my ageing pentium 200MMX and felt like i had been given a brand spankng new PC! the difference a new graphics card makes is awesome. The Voodoo3 2000 card i was given replaced a tired 4Mb S3 graphics card I had and it was a revelation to play games like Colin Mcrae Rally, let alone use a playstation emulator.
The Voodoo3 2000 is the ... ...as even the slowest is blisteringly fast. i had a PCI version as my ageing PC does not have a AGP slot, so the available processing power was under used, so dare not guess at what a AGP version of this card can do. The only gripe i had with this card was the lack of TV output, but then again what do you want for fifty quid.
In conclusion, you only get what you pay for, so either buy a brand new PC or kickstart your old one for a very cheap £50! ...
CuttingEdge 07.10.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of 3Dfx Voodoo3 2000
Advantages: Reliable, fast card for under £80, easy to overclock Disadvantages: Getting a bit old in the tooth
The Voodoo 3 2000 is at the budget end of the current Voodoo graphics cards, but although it is pretty cheap that isn’t to say it is nasty. With 143Mhz clock rate and 16Mb of RAM it performs admirably and quite satisfactorily with most games. If you are playing on-line then the connection and speed of your modem is far more important than the card, so buying something much more expensive will make only a little bit of difference.
The Voodoo 3 2000 ...
Bluecat 28.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of 3Dfx Voodoo3 2000
Advantages: Reasonable price+great performance Disadvantages: Compare it to the GeForce 2
I recently upgraded my computer from one with a rubbish inbuilt AGP card, with 32Mb RAM, to a great budget gamer with a Voodoo 3 2000 and 160 Mb RAM.
OK, so some of the statistics of this graphics card aren't as good as its rivals, but who cares at this price.
It may not seem incredibly cheap, but look at some similar cards, then think about it... Which other card provides this much inbuilt, and web support, with this level of performance.
Unreal ...
Strak 12.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of 3Dfx Voodoo3 2000
Advantages: Cheap and fast Disadvantages: No longer cutting edge
It's not very often that you can say "I got a real bargain at PC World." To be blunt their prices are usually far too high when compared to companies like Novatech or Dabs direct. But check this out: a Voodoo 3 card for £49.99 , wow, is that a bargain or what?
I bought one of these cards to replace my old, rather slow Voodoo2 card. It was extremely easy to install, the driver CD even included a video of the installation. The documentation was clear ... ...included with the package, but for fifty quid I can live without free games.
I know that this card is no longer cutting edge, but if like me you are into games like Quake3 and Unreal Tournament the Voodoo3 kicks some serious bottom. Buy one before they run out. ...
seanoconnell 16.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of 3Dfx Voodoo3 2000
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Advantages: Fast, reliable card from reputable company Disadvantages: Quite big! Check it will fit your machine!
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Advantages: Good compromise between quality and price, Doesn't need updating for a while, Speed-improving drivers for download Disadvantages: Not the fastest, The GEForce 2 MX is only a little bit more
I have had this video card since September 2000. It was a replacement for my ultra-outdated 3DFXVoodoo 2. I play a lot of 3D games and this card suits them well. If you are on a budget but require a graphics card which can cut the mustard in both 2D and 3D applications and games you can't go far wrong here.
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Installation is simple but if you are scared of your PC exploding when you touch it its best to get a tech-head to pop it in (and if it explodes you don't get hurt!). Then ...
Advantages: Could do worse and nice 3d glases Disadvantages: Doesnt like some low powered motherboards
-edge Riva TNT2 and Matrox G400-based cards which currently represent the ultimate power-gamers' choice. But few 3D games will be badly degraded by the Winner II and performance is favourable compared with ATI's Rage 128 generation and 3Dfx's cheapest Voodoo32000 offering, which Elsa still undercuts comfortably.
No games are bundled with this card, but you do get a video clip editor called MainActor and the Winner II does have a novel option in the form Elsa's 3D Revelator glasses, which give a startling pseudo 3D-realistic view of most Direct3D games using an active LCD shutter in the spectacle's special lenses.
Verdict
A decent manual with clear installation instructions shows that Elsa is hoping to win over many customers upgrading their older generation 3D AGP cards. If you are one of these and on a budget, you could do a lot worse ...
