# To all owners of Powerful 3D cards (nvidia etc)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-all-owners-of-powerful-3d-cards-nvidia-etc/109244
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 15, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-all-owners-of-powerful-3d-cards-nvidia-etc/109244 "2002-05-15T19:19:53Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-all-owners-of-powerful-3d-cards-nvidia-etc/109244/1 "2002-05-15T19:19:53Z")
There is a problem that I believe is more common than it should be - Owners of powerful 3d cards are not getting the best of them.
Basic advice is this -
Definately get hold of, and install the Via 4in1 drivers.
[here](http://downloads.viaarena.com/drivers/4in1/4in1437v(a).zip)
set your agp speed to it’s lowest setting in your bios (the speed setting may only appear after you install 4in1)
These work for me, and my GeForce 3 now has excelent performance. these cards piss on all the latest generation of consoles. In fact a low/medium spec PC with a ge-force 3 is about the same as an X-Box, in game performance, technicaly it’s better.
I am no expert but I’ve seen time and time again that the 4in1 installation fixes things for people with powerful cards.
SDMB you may move this. I wanted to put it where people where asking questions about their 3d cards though.
I’d like to see atleast a little bit of blue in my status bar when I click submit this time. Not nothing at all.
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### Author:  [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2002, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-all-owners-of-powerful-3d-cards-nvidia-etc/109244/2 "2002-05-15T19:34:23Z")
Not all owners of nVidia cards have motherboards with Via chipsets.
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### Author:  [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2002, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-all-owners-of-powerful-3d-cards-nvidia-etc/109244/3 "2002-05-15T20:12:58Z")
Nor do all owners of powerful video cards use Nvidia chipsets…
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### Author:  [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2002, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-all-owners-of-powerful-3d-cards-nvidia-etc/109244/4 "2002-05-15T20:14:43Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Darwin’s Finch \*
> \*\*Not all owners of nVidia cards have motherboards with Via chipsets. \*\*
I suspect the ones without via chipsets will not have a problem in the first place. For all the ones with via chipsets the advice should work.
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### Author:  [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2002, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-all-owners-of-powerful-3d-cards-nvidia-etc/109244/5 "2002-05-15T20:51:48Z")
Lobley, that advice is only to be followed for people with Via chipsets and running older OSs.
You can and almost certainly will cause more problems by installing those drivers if your system has no use for them.
**Do NOT** install then unless you _know_ for a fact your system needs them.
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### Author:  [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2002, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-all-owners-of-powerful-3d-cards-nvidia-etc/109244/6 "2002-05-15T21:10:46Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by bernse \*
> \*\*Lobley, that advice is only to be followed for people with Via chipsets and running older OSs.
>
> You can and almost certainly will cause more problems by installing those drivers if your system has no use for them.
>
> **Do NOT** install then unless you _know_ for a fact your system needs them. \*\*
If the SDMB would let me edit my own post like it used to I’d add that information. but now we have to rely on people reading the replies. you being one of them (another reply covered what you said)
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### Author:  [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2002, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-all-owners-of-powerful-3d-cards-nvidia-etc/109244/7 "2002-05-15T21:18:40Z")
Only partially, lobley. Windows XP does not require 4n1s even if you run a Via chipset.
You’re right though, being able to edit posts would be nice but there are fears that it could cause more harm than good in some instances. So, the board in their wisdom decided not to allow it at all. I suspect it is a good thing as it has cause people in general to be more careful with their posts.
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### Author:  [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2002, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-all-owners-of-powerful-3d-cards-nvidia-etc/109244/8 "2002-05-15T21:18:55Z")
If you want cool stuff like [surround gaming](http://www.matrox.com/mga/products/parhelia512/technology/surround_gaming.cfm), you might want to investigate the [Matrox Parhelia-512](http://www.matrox.com/mga/products/parhelia512/home.cfm) - just released this Monday. 🙂
- s.e.
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### Author:  [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2002, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-all-owners-of-powerful-3d-cards-nvidia-etc/109244/9 "2002-05-15T21:35:54Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by scott evil \*
> **If you want cool stuff like [surround gaming](http://www.matrox.com/mga/products/parhelia512/technology/surround_gaming.cfm), you might want to investigate the [Matrox Parhelia-512](http://www.matrox.com/mga/products/parhelia512/home.cfm) - just released this Monday. 🙂**
Man…does that thing fold clothes too?
Being the skeptic I am I took a quick spin to my favorite hardware review site figuring such a card must certainly have mention there. I wasn’t disappointed. [Tom’s Hardware](http://www.tomshardware.com) had the following to say about this card in their article on May 14, [Matrox Parhelia-512 - The Challenger](http://www6.tomshardware.com/graphic/02q2/020514/parhelia-11.html) (highlighting mine):
> [@](#):
>
> We are pleased to see this new competitor, but this is somewhat dampened by the fact that up to now, working samples of the hardware have only been available for view at individual presentations. **There’s no card in sight, much less final specifications, names for the cards, prices and benchmarks.** These won’t be available until next month. Until then, the press is supposed to content itself with an extensive collection of detailed whitepapers. Of course, none of the claims made in these documents can be confirmed, due to the lack of hardware. **Therefore, we strongly recommend a healthy dose of skepticism** when you look at the new features, because otherwise, you’ll hardly find any weaknesses or disadvantages in the Parhelia-512.
I agree with the article that it is nice to see some competition. NVidia was looming a little too large for my tastes as they looked to be the only game in town for awhile. I like NVidia’s products so far (and I think they have the best driver writers in the industry) but lack of competition is never good for the consumer in my view. Till I see benchmarks of the Parhelia I’ll reserve judgement (but keep my fingers crossed that they actually deliver).
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### Author:  [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2002, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-all-owners-of-powerful-3d-cards-nvidia-etc/109244/10 "2002-05-15T21:41:58Z")
> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by Whack-a-Mole \*
> \*\*
> Man…does that thing fold clothes too?_\*
Yes, and it does Windows. (Pun intended.)
> [@](#):
>
> I agree with the article that it is nice to see some competition. NVidia was looming a little too large for my tastes as they looked to be the only game in town for awhile. I like NVidia’s products so far (and I think they have the best driver writers in the industry) but lack of competition is never good for the consumer in my view. Till I see benchmarks of the Parhelia I’ll reserve judgement (but keep my fingers crossed that they actually deliver).
Given I’m an insider, I’m pretty sure no one will be disappointed. This chip & board have been a long time in the making.
- s.e.