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In the Forums... |
Posted: August 17, 1999 Written by: Chris Burek MSRP: $199.99 Company website: www.diamondmm.com 2D & 3D In-Depth The 3D image quality of the TNT2 is nearly identical to that of the older TNT chipset, and despite that, still looks stunning. With the addition of support for such 3D high resolutions as 1600x1200 at playable frame rates, and utilizing 32-bit colour, you'll be taking full advantage of what today's games can truly offer. The TNT2 can push up to resolutions of 2048x1536, but don't expect very playable frame rates. As for 2D, the V770 Ultra supports up to resolutions of 2048x1536, but only a RAMDAC clocked at 300MHz, as opposed to the 350MHz RAMDAC of the Voodoo 3 3000 or the Matrox G400 MAX's 360MHz RAMDAC. Don't expect stellar 2D from the TNT2 compared to what's currently on the market. Cooling & Overclocking Bundled on the V770 Ultra PCB is an adequate fan+heatsink attached to the TNT2 chipset, which provides better overclockability and overall stability. This is a new trend we're seeing with recent video cards, as newer chipsets generate an almost overwhelming amount of heat, and these cooling systems are more-less needed. Via Diamond's InControl Tools 99 you can overclock the V770 Ultra from its standard speed of 150/183MHz, to four other increments up to a maximum of 175/200MHz. We found that first three increments over 150/183MHz to run without flaw, however running at 175/200MHz for extended periods (2+ hours) caused lockups in our game testing. Benchmarks Tested on:
Conclusion On the Viper V770 Ultra's downside, numerous other TNT2 boards include TV-OUT, a function growing in popularity, but the V770 Ultra lacks this option while still boasting its hefty $250 US price tag. And also the fact that we found the V770 couldn't hold its own for over two hours clocked at 175/200MHz. But overall, the Viper V770 Ultra spits out wicked frame rates, has a very impressive game bundle, and the InControl Tools 99 come in very handy, though the card is quite pricey compared the other TNT2 competition. This is a good TNT2 Ultra choice if you're looking for raw speed, handy tweaking and setup, and an impressive and customizable game bundle. |
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