Yep, that's pretty much like the Matrox M3D I had back in the day. I actually ended up placing a heat sink on the main chip on that card. I remember using some kind of silicone glue to fix the heat sink on the card, because there were no mounting holes on it. (I know, not very elegant. I'm sure there is some kind of way to do it more elegantly. 😅)

This was a long time ago, back in the late `90s, but I clearly remember that card running hot, not being able to keep my finger on the chip either, and like you, being concerned about it.

I eventually sold the card, after I got a 3dfx Voodoo 1. When I shipped the M3D, I wondered whether the buyer would complain about the dodgy and possibly non-reversible way in which I had "modded" it. But I never heard anything from the buyer about it.

Oh, these are pretty good news for me 😀 Thanks!
I'm already thinking about a heatsink. It definitely should have been installed at the factory, by design.

The bottleneck of the bus transfer probably won't let it get too hot in say a P4 anyhow. I've never had additional cooling for mine.

The only big conflict i've ever noticed is when a Nvidia card sees a PCX2 and breaks its D3D HAL leading to fatal BSODs and kernel crashes.

Not P4, you're right. But it definitely hotter than the regular prehistoric 3d accelerator without a heatsink.
BTW, where were my eyes? There are at least two topics about PCX's temperature.

I want to drill holes into my PowerVR PCX2 to mount a heatsink. Does anyone have access to an x-ray machine?
PowerVR on modern system & OS

NB for future wanderers in this topic.
I've checked the temperature on my Rendition Verite 2200 by "finger-test" 😀. It also doesn't have a heatsink and it's also very hot (maybe slightly "colder" than M3D). So, very hot chips on the 1st generation of 3D accelerators - it's a norm.

PS: Will check the temperature with a pyrometer and post the results.

I've checked the temperature under load conditions (Quake 2 demo)
- Matrox m3d - 61-62C (max)
- Rendition Verite 2200 - 52C (max)

So, PCX2 isn't hot as I expected (~60C is ok for silicon), but I'm going to install a heatsink. Grandma is too old for this sh~~ 😀

How have you checked this ? Which conditions ? I never checked my PCX2 before adding a heatsink but I checked on a PCX1 in free air and it's about 50C both in idle or full load.
50 is very hot already, painful to touch for 1 sec.
link :
Re: PowerVR Fun Thread

Never tried with a Vortex 2, what makes you think that they conflict ?
What's your primary video card ?

I was checking the temperature with a pyrometer.
Numbers are from running Quake 2 menu demo. In regards to m3d, it has 50-52C at idle conditions and the temperature raises to 60-62 after 10 mins of the running demo.

About Vortex 2. It was obvious IRQ issue. I've set proper IRQs and it finally works ok.