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  • PowerColor makes a broad range of inexpensive video cards. Their newest cards are the GeForce 256-based PowerGENE models. They have both SDR and DDR versions, with up to 64MB of memory. PowerColor told us that they have a GeForce2 GTS based card in the works and that NV11 is coming as well. Looking around the marketplace, PowerColor's most popular cards appear to be their TNT2 M64 based SNiperM series, which cost well under $100.


    On the 3dfx front, PowerColor is one of the few makers out there that still has Voodoo2 based boards. Their evilKING model is a Voodoo2 with 12MB of memory. PowerColor also has a Voodoo3-based card called the evilKING 3. PowerColor told us that a VSA-100-based board is a possibility if 3dfx moves away from their "one maker and it's us" strategy.

    On the S3 side, PowerColor has a broad range of products. They are the only 3rd party we have seen with a Savage 2000-based board. They call it the X-Demon 2000. PowerColor also makes Savage4 extreme, Savage 4 Pro+ and Savage 4 Pro video cards. With VIA buying out S3's graphics department, we are not wholly sure what will happen with PowerColor's S3 based cards. When we next talk to them, we will be sure to find out.


    PowerColor's low-cost Dakoda series uses ATI chips. Their Dakoda Pro weighs in with a Rage Pro and 8MB of memory. It's not exactly a powerhouse, but it would be fine for most 2D applications. It also costs less than $40.

    The SiS side is where PowerColor's video card line gets rather odd. They recently announced their Revenger CS300 series, based on the SiS 300 and 301 chips. The weird part is, PowerColor is manufacturing a model with 64MB of SDRAM! Matching 64MB of SDRAM to a SiS graphics chipset is kind of like matching racing slicks and a free flowing exhaust to a stroller. The extra 32MB of 166MHz SDRAM might help if you ever run a game at 512x384 but with several 2048x2048 textures, but even then, the 125MHz core clock will probably cripple performance.

    On the positive side, the SiS chip uses a 350MHz RAMDAC, supports hardware motion compensation for DVD playback, and it should be really inexpensive. Also, having 64MB looks very good on an OEM checklist, which is really why we think PowerColor is making the card they way they are.





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