The next product from 3dfx is supposed to be a heck of a lot faster than the Voodoo3 and it is also supposed to have many major new features (geometry acceleration being the biggest one). Games specifically written with the new version of Glide should look stunning. Of course, we've been hearing this for a couple of years (no exaggeration). This product was also supposed (according to Next Generation online last summer) to ship several months ago. Well obviously that didn't happen, and I'll believe a street date when 3dfx announces the product and commits to a street date. However, _if_ 3dfx were to produce this mind blowing product in September, it would undoubtedly receive rave reviews, _and_ I'd bet that 3dfx would be on the top of the (technological) heap for some time. Maybe 6 months or longer. Remember, just because a company releases a graphics card with what _they_ call "geometry acceleration", doesn't mean that it can seriously compete with "Rampage" or "Napalm" or whatever it's called this week. I think long term investors who don't have inside info (me hehe) are hoping (gulp) that 3dfx will once again blow away the competition. I can tell you that if nVidia were to match the next gen part of 3dfx within 3 months, that would be an _extremely_ negative development. 3dfx has been working on this part for _years_. It better be awesome.
Having said that, I recall reading somewhere that TSMC wouldn't have .18 micron facilities up and running for products to be sold at _retail_ in the 4th quarter. But that q1 2000 would see .18 micron chips in retail parts. Well, Sharky said that he was told at Computex that the NV10 would definitely be a .18 micron part. In _that_ case, we won't see the NV10 in October - or even this year. Any thoughts on my speculation? |
