A few months after the announced release, XGI graphics cards were found by enthusiasts and hardware reviewers to be less than competitive with ATi and Nvidia cards. Some of the many performance and visualization problems were blamed on underdeveloped drivers. Even so, XGI cards received good reviews in the low price/low performance video card market: XGI Volari V3 cards were judged by some reviewers to be competitive and even superior to equally priced video cards that were on the market, such as a Nvidia GeForce MX 4000 card. Many reviewers though were pessimistic of the possibility that XGI would be competitive in the 3D graphic card market.
Xgi Volari Family Driver
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The 985 chip was introduced together with 975 as a higher performance alternative. However, there does not seem to be changes big enough to avoid another 3D disaster. Trident like many others was in a race for first full AGP implementation. 985 is such chip, supporting AGP 2x bus with side band addressing. But at first AGP texturing did not seem to be available to me. Playing with Blade 3D this year I discovered high performance dependency upon proper AGP configuration and had to take a second look at the 3DImage 985. Eventually, with last beta driver followed by (re)installation of VIA gart, DiME texturing become operational along with all other features of AGP. Despite several hard lock ups I got through my tests. Suddenly, in certain games the card speed up by some 20 percent and I had to revise this article. Original specs hinted improved triangle setup engine with float to fixed conversion performance of 1.6 Million Triangles/Second. Claim of 60 or 67 megapixel fillrate remained, but Trident also admitted more realistic 45MP/s with bilinear filter enabled. Which makes me think that quite big 4 kB of texture cache in the chip does not have enough logic next to it to do "full speed" bilinear interpolation. But after the review of previous 3DImage the question is rather if it renders properly, than how fast it is.The cardJaton Video-97AGP-3DTV with memory expansion module detached.
I like the looks of this one. According to tools memory is clocked at respectable 84 MHz. Trident says maximum memory interface speed is 100 MHz so perhaps there are even faster clocked cards out there. I would not try to guess the chip clock, especially after finding out how sensitive it is to AGP configuration. Without that knowledge, one should conclude that unless the 9750 tested before was strongly bandwidth constrained, the chip frequency difference should be relatively same as memory. Both 3DImage chips use same driver, another hint of little architectural changes.
Shortly compatibility is almost the same as 975, only Expendable enriched the results. Beta driver needed for AGP has some troubles tough, Hellbender now cannot be started. The big AGP aperture would further extend losses by Forsaken, Motoracer 2, Populous, and Ultimate Race Pro, fortunately I tried values below 16 MB. Even then the Motoracer 2 remains limited to 640x400 resolution, despite all my tweaking efforts.
ConclusionIf only speed was of concern I could have just say 985 showed some reasonable framerates for its price. Trident however did not deliver usable 3d accelerator in the form of 3DImage. These secured market share for the time, yet it is obvious why they also started the downfall of Trident. Both 975 and 985 chips produced some of the worst 3d rendered images in a year when the market as a whole was maturing. Soon Trident's desktop products were able to sell only at dirt cheap prices and even notebook market was more and more insecure. Throughout 1998 Trident was silent, perhaps jumping into the trap of Microsoft's Talisman. Finally their new 3d chip was ready in early 1999 and unlike 3DImage it fully delivered on its promises. While being cheap the Blade 3D was high quality 2D and 3D renderer with full DirectX 6 compliance and sufficient performance for 640x480 gaming. Single cycle trilinear filter, even anisotropic filter support, texture compression, 11 LOD steps, true color 3d rendering, 1/16 sub-pixel precision and OpenGL driver out of the box made a good impression from the beginning. In the meantime however gamers lost confidence in Trident and reviews were scarce. Another letdown was end of integrated graphics cooperation with VIA, as the chipset maker aimed to swallow S3. Trident's notebook business was still fine because their architectures were quite power efficient, but could not feed the company with enough income. As next generation of Blade XP products slipped under the radar of the press and too-good-to-be-true XP4 was not delivered, the story of Trident graphics came to an end. The division was spun off and merged with graphics division of SiS to start a new company named XGI. Thus, their last design called XP5 saw the light of the day in Volari V3. Trident Micro found new focus in video processors for digital televisions and other multimedia devices and today still looks well alive.
Scan Computer for Trident Microsystems Driver Updates Acer VGA Driver version 4.12.01.2256Acer VGA Driver version 4.12.01.2265Acer VGA Driver version 5.00.2195.0104Acer VGA Driver version 5.00.2195.0127Acer VGA Driver version 5.01.2527.0122Acer VGA Driver version 5.1.2527.0122ASUS Pro Savage display driver ver.6.13.10.3124 for WinXPCompaq/InterVideo Software DVD ApplicationDell XGI Volari XP5DWL-500ES1879 Control InterfaceES688 AudioDrive (WDM)Gateway PCIC or compatible PCMCIA controller V2.44Gateway Trident Cyber 9397 PCI V6.35.4382c.15HP OmniBook 4150B DriversHP OmniBook 500 - Windows 98 SE Driver PackageHP OmniBook 6000 Windows 98 SE Driver PackageHP OmniBook 900 Drivers PackageHP OmniBook 900B Drivers PackageHP OmniBook XE Windows 98 DriversHP OmniBook XE2 DC Windows 95/98 Driver PackageHP OmniBook XE2 Windows 98 DriversHP Omnibook XE3-GF and Pavilion N54xx-GF driver packageHP OmniBook xt6050 -- Windows 98 SE driversIBM ThinkPad 770/770E/770ED (Cyber9397)IBM ThinkPad Installation Supplement Files for Windows 98Legacy WHQL KPLE driversM7VKQPC Card Driver PackagePCMCIA Card ServicesPresario 1200 Series Modem/Sound DriversProxim Wireless CardSystem EnhancementsTexas Instruments CardBus ControllerTrident 3D Image 9750/9850 PCI/AGP (v6.45.5424.98)Trident 9388/9388-1 PCI (v6.15.5355.95.14k)Trident 9388/9388-1 PCI (v6.15.5420.95.26)Trident 9388/9388-1 PCI (v6.15.5425.95.26)Trident Accelerrator ISA/VL (v6.10.4364)Trident Blade 3D PCI/AGPTrident Blade 3D PCI/AGP (48)Trident Blade XP /ICDTrident Blade3D/MVP4 (72)Trident Cyber 9397 Linear Accelerated for PCI (v6.20.7148h)Trident Cyber9525DVD PCI/AGP (22)Trident Cyber9525DVD PCI/AGP (W98.23_2)Trident Cyber9525DVD PCI/AGP W98(22)Trident Cyber9525DVD PCI/AGP(W98.26)Trident Cyber9525DVD PCI/AGP(W98.26R)Trident CyberAladdin P4 Display Driver for Windows 2000Trident CyberALADDiN-P4 v6.4616.22ICD_SE_NPTrident CyberBlade Ai1 AGPTrident CyberBlade Ai1 AGP (22)Trident CyberBlade Ai1 AGP (88)Trident CyberBlade i1 AGP (77)Trident CyberBlade i7 AGP (55)Trident CyberBlade XP (22)Trident CyberBlade XP (69)Trident CyberBlade XP Ai1Trident Video Accelerator -XP SeriesTrident Video Accelerator 9525DVD 5.6037.26Trident Video Accelerator 9525DVD 5.6050.22_2_n7Trident Video Accelerator 9525DVD 5.6056.26Trident Video Accelerator 9525DVD 5.6072-03.26rTrident Video Accelerator Blade 3D v5.8064MDSTrident Video Accelerator Blade-XP v5.8147-008ICDTrident Video Accelerator Blade-XP v6.4022-021ICDTrident Video Accelerator Cyber-XP4 v6.4823-060.22_2Trident Video Accelerator Cyber-XP4 v6.4823-104.22_2Trident Video Accelerator CyberBlade i1 AGP 5.8071.83Trident Video Accelerator CyberBlade XP Ai1Trident Video Accelerator CyberBlade-Ai1 AGPTrident Video Accelerator CyberBlade-Ai1 AGP 5.8089-21.100Trident Video Accelerator CyberBlade-Ai1 AGP 5.8089-48.22ICDTrident Video Accelerator CyberBlade-Ai1 AGP 5.8089-62.19Trident Video Accelerator CyberBlade-Ai1 AGP 6.2011.49Trident Video Accelerator CyberBlade-Ai1 AGP 6.2011.88Trident Video Accelerator CyberBlade-Ai1 AGP 6.2014-010.19Trident Video Accelerator CyberBlade-i7 5.8052.55Trident Video Accelerator CyberBlade-XP v5.8125.22Trident Video Accelerator CyberBlade-XP v5.8126-123.69Trident Video Accelerator CyberBlade-XP v6.4022-003.22Trident Video Accelerator CyberBlade-XP v6.4022-003L.69Trident Video Accelerator v.42052Trident CyberBlade i7 Graphics Driver UtilityVIA 8602VIA P/KLE133VIA Tech VT8361/VT8601 Graphics ControllerVIA Tech VT8361/VT8601/VT8501 Graphics ControllerVIA Tech VT8361/VT8601/VT8501 Graphics Controller for Windows XP Driver V6.13.10VIA Tech VT8501 Graphics ControllerVIA v8501Video DriverWin98SE & ME KPLE driverWindows 2000 Dispaly Driver for Trident Cyberblade Ai1 display adaptersWindows 2000 Display Driver for Trident Cyber-XP4 display adaptersWindows 2000 Display Driver for Trident CyberBlade Ai1Windows 2000 Display Driver for Trident CyberBlade Ai1 display adaptersWindows 2000 Display Driver for Trident CyberBlade ALi Display AdapterWindows 2000 Display Driver for Trident CyberBlade e-4 (2816)Windows 2000 Display Driver for Trident CyberBlade XPWindows 2000 Display Driver for Trident CyberBlade XP Ai1 Display AdapterWindows 2000 Display Driver for Trident CyberBlade XP Ai1 display adaptersWindows 2000 DriversWindows 95 display driver for Trident CyberBlade e4-128Windows 98 Display Driver for Trident CyberBlade e4-128Windows 98 DriversWindows 98 Trident Video Driver - HP Omnibook XE3-GD and HP Pavilion N5xxx/XhxxxWindows 98SE Display Driver for Trident Cyber-XP4 display adaptersWindows 98SE Display Driver for Trident CyberBlade Ai1 display adaptersWindows 98SE Display Driver for Trident CyberBlade ALi AGP display adaptersWindows 98SE Display Driver for Trident CyberBlade XP Ai1 display adaptersWindows 98SE Driver PackageWindows Me Display Driver for Trident CyberBlade Ai1 (10850)Windows Me Display Driver for Trident CyberBlade e4-128 (10182)Windows ME DriversWindows ME Trident Video Driver - HP Omnibook XE3-GD and HP Pavilion N5xxx/XhxxxWindows XP Display Driver for Trident Ai1 Display AdaptersWindows XP Display Driver for Trident Cyber-Aladdin P4 display adaptersWindows XP Display Driver for Trident Cyber-XP4 display adaptersWindows XP Display Driver for Trident CyberBlade XP Ai1Windows XP Display Driver for Trident CyberBlade XP Ai1 display adaptersWinME to Win2K upgrade driversXGI Volari Family v1.12XGI Volari Family v1.13XGI Volari Family v1.13.23.DXGI Volari V3XGI Volari-XP5 v2.059.DELLXGI Volari-XP5 v2.072.DELLXGI Volari-XP5 v2.087.DELLXGI Volari-XP5 v2.096.DELLXGI Volari-XP5 v2.097.DELLXGI Volari-XP5 v2.113.DELL_CXGI Volari-XP5 SE v1.11.07.ECS_532 Manufacturer Name: Trident Address: 1090 East Arques AvenueSunnyvale, CA 94085USA Phone Number: 1-408-991-8800 Support Number: E-mail: antispam('tridentmicro.com', 'techsupport'); Main URL: Driver URL: =drivers Additional Information: 2ff7e9595c
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