VOGONS


Voodo 2 SLI vs. Voodoo 3

Topic actions

First post, by Half-Saint

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Hi guys,

here's a quick question. Are there any advantages to using 2x Voodoo 2 in SLI over Voodoo 3 16MB?

Cheers
SainT

b15z33-2.png
f425xp-6.png

Reply 1 of 21, by Deksor

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Compatibility might be better and even though PCI Voodoo 3 exist, they are much harder to find, making hard to build a setup with a regular 3D accelerator in the AGP slot and voodoo(s) in PCI

Trying to identify old hardware ? Visit The retro web - Project's thread The Retro Web project - a stason.org/TH99 alternative

Reply 2 of 21, by TheMobRules

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

In my Slot 1 PC, I have a GeForce 2 GTS for DirectX/OpenGL stuff while the V2 SLI handles the Glide stuff. Not really necessary, but it allows for a card with better performance than the V3 while still being able to do Glide natively.

Reply 3 of 21, by F2bnp

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

The advantages are compatibility with early DOS Glide games and the fact that you can use a more powerful primary video card.

Other than that, even the Voodoo3 2000 should be faster than a couple Voodoo2 12MB cards, let alone 8MB cards. You might see the V2 SLI edge the 2000 slightly in some benchmarks on average framerate, but frametimes are almost always worse and the Voodoo2 can stutter quite a bit (especially the 8MB version). Voodoo 3 makes more efficient use of its 16MB VRAM, so you're unlikely to experience that in games of that era.
The Voodoo3 3000 enjoys a healthy boost in performance over the V2 SLI and the 3500 is faster still.

Reply 5 of 21, by tayyare

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

The most important advantage of Voodoo2 SLI over Voodoo3 is... Voodoo2 SLI is cool! 🤣

GA-6VTXE PIII 1.4+512MB
Geforce4 Ti 4200 64MB
Diamond Monster 3D 12MB SLI
SB AWE64 PNP+32MB
120GB IDE Samsung/80GB IDE Seagate/146GB SCSI Compaq/73GB SCSI IBM
Adaptec AHA29160
3com 3C905B-TX
Gotek+CF Reader
MSDOS 6.22+Win 3.11/95 OSR2.1/98SE/ME/2000

Reply 6 of 21, by leileilol

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Maybe the filter's an advantage.

Voodoo2's 4x1 filter is actually a single pass which doesn't have the feedback nor lines of the Voodoo Graphics. V3's based on the Voodoo Graphics and carries the 4 pass 4x1 filter.

V2 has overall worse video quality (including interference) though, and then there's that interlacing artifact...
V3 also has a compatibility advantage for Direct3D and OpenGL stuff - no MiniGL necessary and it works as the primary device.
You can also configure the alpha blend dither on V3 whereas you'll have to rely on whichever one's hardcoded per game on V2 and that can matter for visual quality

apsosig.png
long live PCem

Reply 7 of 21, by Baoran

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

I always thought that it is better to stick with voodoo 2 if you make pure dos pc and go for voodoo 3 if you make a pc for windows games. Or you can put voodoo 2 sli and voodoo 3 in same pc if you want.

Reply 9 of 21, by squiggly

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
gdjacobs wrote:

Voodoo 1 is what you want for pure DOS.

Yes it is. I actually find it hard to find a use for a Voodoo3....I have V1 in my DOS machine, V2SLI with a GF2Ti in my "win95" machine, and a V5-5500 in the "Win98" machine. I suppose if I was building a single stand-alone box with a good balance between performance/compatibility/image-quality the V3 would be a good choice. I have a few on ice just in case.

Reply 10 of 21, by lvader

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
Baoran wrote:

I always thought that it is better to stick with voodoo 2 if you make pure dos pc and go for voodoo 3 if you make a pc for windows games. Or you can put voodoo 2 sli and voodoo 3 in same pc if you want.

The voodoo 3 is still a good DOS 3D card, but actually is excels as a DOS 2D card.

Reply 11 of 21, by gdjacobs

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Yes, the V3 is quite good as far as DOS 2D compatibility, but so are ARK cards, S3 cards, and CL-GD5446 cards. The reason V1 cards are superior for DOS Glide is the fact that all other 3dfx cards have compatibility problems with static linked DOS Glide titles which have no patch.

All hail the Great Capacitor Brand Finder

Reply 12 of 21, by lvader

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

well it depends if you care about image quality as mich as compatibility with some games. I guess if you really want to run those games that are only compatible with a voodoo 1 there is no choice. But for someone already considering other 3DFX cards the Voodoo 3 is a good option.

Reply 14 of 21, by Godlike

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
Baoran wrote on 2018-06-08, 22:36:

I always thought that it is better to stick with voodoo 2 if you make pure dos pc and go for voodoo 3 if you make a pc for windows games. Or you can put voodoo 2 sli and voodoo 3 in same pc if you want.

Voodoo for dos build? 3dfx is just windows card as sun on the sky. I know it is possible to put such card in dos build, but rather steroids. Sst-1 been introduced late 96 and commonly available 97, 2 years after release of mighty windows95

5xv2YSm.png
ASUS P2B-F, PII 450Mhz, 128MB-SDR, 3Dfx Diamond Monster 3D II SLI, Matrox Millennium II AGP, Diamond Monster Sound MX300

Reply 15 of 21, by Baoran

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
Godlike wrote on 2020-09-26, 01:53:
Baoran wrote on 2018-06-08, 22:36:

I always thought that it is better to stick with voodoo 2 if you make pure dos pc and go for voodoo 3 if you make a pc for windows games. Or you can put voodoo 2 sli and voodoo 3 in same pc if you want.

Voodoo for dos build? 3dfx is just windows card as sun on the sky. I know it is possible to put such card in dos build, but rather steroids. Sst-1 been introduced late 96 and commonly available 97, 2 years after release of mighty windows95

Definitely not just for windows. Some of my favourite 3dfx games like archimedean dynasty are dos games.

Reply 16 of 21, by Godlike

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
Baoran wrote on 2020-09-26, 13:09:
Godlike wrote on 2020-09-26, 01:53:
Baoran wrote on 2018-06-08, 22:36:

I always thought that it is better to stick with voodoo 2 if you make pure dos pc and go for voodoo 3 if you make a pc for windows games. Or you can put voodoo 2 sli and voodoo 3 in same pc if you want.

Voodoo for dos build? 3dfx is just windows card as sun on the sky. I know it is possible to put such card in dos build, but rather steroids. Sst-1 been introduced late 96 and commonly available 97, 2 years after release of mighty windows95

Definitely not just for windows. Some of my favourite 3dfx games like archimedean dynasty are dos games.

Of course not only, but is't a windows card that support some dos game such as quake, mechwarrior2, shadow warrrior, blood etc.
Voodoo1 is more than enough for dos build. Orchid Righteous3D clicky 4MB card from late 1996 such a nice choice

5xv2YSm.png
ASUS P2B-F, PII 450Mhz, 128MB-SDR, 3Dfx Diamond Monster 3D II SLI, Matrox Millennium II AGP, Diamond Monster Sound MX300

Reply 17 of 21, by The Serpent Rider

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

dos game such as quake

Hardware accelerated Quake is not DOS game.

I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.

Reply 19 of 21, by Baoran

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
Godlike wrote on 2020-09-26, 15:31:
Baoran wrote on 2020-09-26, 13:09:
Godlike wrote on 2020-09-26, 01:53:

Voodoo for dos build? 3dfx is just windows card as sun on the sky. I know it is possible to put such card in dos build, but rather steroids. Sst-1 been introduced late 96 and commonly available 97, 2 years after release of mighty windows95

Definitely not just for windows. Some of my favourite 3dfx games like archimedean dynasty are dos games.

Of course not only, but is't a windows card that support some dos game such as quake, mechwarrior2, shadow warrrior, blood etc.
Voodoo1 is more than enough for dos build. Orchid Righteous3D clicky 4MB card from late 1996 such a nice choice

Calling it a windows card is just a label someone gives to it. I don't see any need to attach a card to a specific OS especially when it isn't the only OS that has drivers for it.