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3Dfx Voodoo3 PCI

This page will show all objects that classify as 3Dfx Voodoo3 PCI. The Voodoo3 PCI has been made by 3dfx, the company that brought us the first affordable 3D accelerators. They started in 1994 and created the 'Voodoo Graphics' (Also known as Voodoo or Voodoo 1) for the desktop market. Till 1998 3dfx (back then named 3Dfx) didn't build it's own boards for the masses, other brands copied the 3Dfx reference design and used 3Dfx chips. During 1999, 3Dfx changed the look and name into 3dfx. 3dfx also bought STB Systems and stared selling boards under their own brandname. Except for a few (i.e. Powercolor) no-one but 3dfx sold 3dfx-boards.

3Dfx Voodoo3 PCI (PCI)

Quite an engineering sample! This is probably how the Voodoo3 PCI would like if 3dfx did not acquire STB.

The board has no Avenger chip installed and the PCB uses aluminium interconnects. I have another engineering sample which uses copper interconnects. This board would suffice using the aluminium because it would not feature a Nepenthe socket for swapping chips. Now I only wonder why the engineers at 3dfx never installed a graphics chip ... > Read more

3Dfx Voodoo3 PCI (PCI)

This board was probably used to test Avenger chips because it once featured a Nepenthe socket. The socket can be used to insert 3dfx chips and has a lifetime of around 100 insertions. This saves time on debugging because a chip is swapped in a matter of seconds.

The board has copper interconnects to ensure good contact with the socket. It also has four holes around the chip-area in which the socket is installed. Normal 3dfx boards only have two holes. > Read more