RE: [TCLUG:2777] SoundBlaster Banshee 3D

["Eric Hillman" <ehillman@cccu.com>]

> I'm looking for a quick and easy upgrade in the vid card/3D Accelerator
> area and I see that Best Buy has the SoundBlaster Banshee 3D for $99 w/
> rebate.  Prefacing this with the statements that:
> 	1) I usually buy mail order and realize it's generally a better
> 	   deal
> 	2) I don't like Best Buy
> 	3) I prefer open spec hardware to closed spec
> 	4) I run linux almost full time
> 	5) I'M IGNORING ALL THAT ON THIS PURCHASE
>
> For this one purchase only all I care about is outcome and these are the
> only two requirements:
> 	X Windows at 1024x786x32
> 	Reasonable output when I run Myth II: Soulblighter
> 	I have no AGP port
>
> That's it. With all that said, can anyone confirm that this is the
> cheapest/quickest way for me to meet the above requirements.  Thanks.
>

	The Banshee cards are indeed cheap, and pretty respectable performers, and
are 3dfx Glide-compatible (Although I have heard that they're not quite 100%
in that respect).  As far as *current* cards go, this is probably the best
deal.  From your minimal requirements, though, it sounds as though a Voodoo
or Riva 128 card would meet your needs as well, and you could probably find
one used without too much trouble (I use a Diamond Viper V330 at home, and
it's an excellent card, although I'll be moving up to Riva TNT as soon as I
can afford it -- I'm sure a lot of hardcore gamers have already done the
same.)

	There's a good comparison of several Banshee and Riva TNT cards, (plus a
handful of others) at http://www.gamespot.com/features/3dtodie/  The Banshee
3D Blaster is listed at: http://www.gamespot.com/features/3dtodie/card5.html
I see that the MSRP they list for it is $149 -- the same price they list for
the Banshee-based Diamond Monster Fusion, which outperformed all the other
Banshee cards (and was the only Banshee that outperformed Voodoo2 on 3D).
You might want to look into that.

--
Eric Hillman - UNIX Sysadmin
City & County Credit Union
ehillman@cccu.com
The opinions expressed in this message are my own.  You can't have them.