VooDoo 5 5500 AGP

Overview…

“The Voodoo5 5500 AGP from 3dfx is the next stage in the evolution of ultra-high resolution gaming. Utilizing a revolutionary scalable architecture, the Voodoo5 5500 AGP features dual 3dfx VSA-100 chips for more 3D horsepower. Working in parallel, these processors produce over 667 Megatexels per second to create extraordinary 3D worlds in vivid 32-bit color. Boasting state-of-the-art Real-Time Full-Scene HW Anti-Aliasing, the exclusive T-Buffer Digital Cinematic Effects engine, 64MB of graphics memory for top performance and support for 2D resolutions as high as 2048x1536, the Voodoo5 5500 AGP gives today's PC gamers the raw 3D power and premium 2D performance they crave.”

                        --www.3dfx.com

Which translated means…

            With 64 megs of memory, dual processors, a slew of effects and engines, and the requirement that an additional power source be plugged directly into the card, you can rest assured that this card is not for the weak of heart.  64 megs of memory means that you can run your card at 32-bit color and still have all your T-buffer effects.  With the T-buffer you get:  1. Motion Blur – Is used to smooth motion to improve image quality or to exaggerate motion for special effects.  2. Depth of Field Blur – Gives you added reality by rendering a scene as if viewed through a real lens. Enables artistic depth of field effects often used in cinema, such as blurring all but the most important objects in a scene.  3. Soft Shadows - Adds soft edges to shadows to give them a much more realistic appearance.  4. Soft Reflections - Enables realistic reflections from semi-gloss surfaces like polished wood or stone and stainless steel.

Game play…

With the PC world going gaga over nVidia's line of Geforce cards, the VooDoo5 has been put on the sidelines by many journalists, and gamers. In my opinion, this is short-sighted mistake created by this "must-have-more-frames-per-second" mentality.  Though this card can perform, and perform well, it’s strong points are not the FPS.  With 3dfx pushing FSAA (Full Screen Anti-Aliasing), this card does take a performance hit, though it is still screaming fast.  I myself much more enjoy a more realistic game, one that brings you into a “suspension of belief” a state that you are there, holding your weapon, defeating the world.  The VooDoo 5 5500 does exactly that for me, and the whole time achieving more than acceptable frame rates.  With the FSAA enabled, the T-buffer working, and in a full 32-bit color world, you will not see those annoying little lines on the edges of textures, the water is more believable, the look, and lighting aspects on the blood stained steel and wood walls are incredible.  Overall, though it is not the newest, bleeding edge product on the market right now, it gets my two thumbs up.