X800 vs 6800 = Voodoo3 vs TNT2

[evilchris]

You're forgetting the XBox people!

If you want to speculate on my conspiracy theory, then I'd be more worried for NVidia than ATI with respect to comparing history...

Voodoo vs NVidia is a close matchup. Voodoo on the verge of releasing some amazing technology with the Voodoo 6000. NVidia is pulling ahead in the speed ratings.

Microsoft declare that they are going to use NVidia chips in their XBox and give them a cash injection of $2m for R&D.

Coincidentally, NVidia buys 3dfx for about $2m and removes API development competition from the upcoming consoles DirectX needs.

This forces developers to start using DirectX in all of their games, even though it's the worst thought out, and least impressive rendering API available for 3D gaming.

Microsoft declare that they are going to use ATI chips in their XBox2.....

Microsoft is making the Xbox 2 chip using a customer micro-kernel engine designed by ATI. ATI will not be providing Microsoft silicon. There is a big misconception out there that ati is supplying "R500" chips for Xbox 2. Voodoo5 6000 was also not "amazing technology". It used 4 VSA 100's. It was, literally, 2 V5 5500's slapped together.

[BuzzLightyear]

Microsoft is making the Xbox 2 chip using a customer micro-kernel engine designed by ATI. ATI will not be providing Microsoft silicon. There is a big misconception out there that ati is supplying "R500" chips for Xbox 2. Voodoo5 6000 was also not "amazing technology". It used 4 VSA 100's. It was, literally, 2 V5 5500's slapped together.

My story was tongue in cheek, but to make a point. The 6000 was going to be crankingly fast with AA which, to your average gamer, is "amazing technology".

I haven't been following the ATI XBox stuff at all, other than the headlines. I assume NVidia is out of the picture because of the 're-pricing' MS did to NVidia? Let's hope they don't try to screw ATI over, because having ATI and NVidia duking it out can only be good for the consumer.

[evilchris]

NV chose not to bid on it due to "bad" experiences working with Microsoft.

[sabrewulf165]

my FX5800 beats many 9800pro's .....:)
uh... no

[mezkal]

You're forgetting the XBox people!

If you want to speculate on my conspiracy theory, then I'd be more worried for NVidia than ATI with respect to comparing history...

Voodoo vs NVidia is a close matchup. Voodoo on the verge of releasing some amazing technology with the Voodoo 6000. NVidia is pulling ahead in the speed ratings.

Microsoft declare that they are going to use NVidia chips in their XBox and give them a cash injection of $2m for R&D.

Coincidentally, NVidia buys 3dfx for about $2m and removes API development competition from the upcoming consoles DirectX needs.

This forces developers to start using DirectX in all of their games, even though it's the worst thought out, and least impressive rendering API available for 3D gaming.

Microsoft declare that they are going to use ATI chips in their XBox2.....

I think you need to go a bit further back than the XBOX and 3DfX buyouts.

MS has been doing major business deals with many IHVs...

Try like at least 15 years. Do you remember the the SEGA game Crackdown (http://www.system16.com/sega/hrdw_system24.html)?

That was built to run on the SYSTEM24 PCB. Guess who supplied the Multiplatform Devkits? MS. Guess what it was a predecessor too? DirectX.

Then take a look at the NOAMI (http://www.system16.com/sega/hrdw_naomi.html) - and it's consumer version the DreamCast. Both ran the PowerVR Kyro II chipset (who's development was sponsored by none other than MS). MS supplied the OS (WinCE) and the devkit software (DirectX).

The company with most money always supports whatever technology suits its needs.

ATI WILL be screwed by MS and they know it. They'd be fools not too.