Usage of advanced achievements of electronics and constant perfection of the architecture of computers stimulated appearance of appropriate [1 videoadapters. Bus AGP became standard solution of a video subsystem of the modern computer. The videoadapters using bus AGP, allow to reach essentially more a high speed creation and output of the graphics information, than the similar arrangements calculated for bus PCI.

Growth of productivity of videoadapters is caused not only development of the architecture of computers, but also complicating of their own inner pattern. Videoadapters step-by-step turn to the most powerful computing system with own BIOS, memory, buses, the processor which role fulfils a video chip set with functions 2D, 3D etc . And all it is controlled by the special software — drivers. Power of all system of the videoadapter and, eventually, computer power depends on perfection of the given components and a coordination of their operation.

It is necessary to mark, that advantages of high-powered videoadapters with the greatest force appear in computers with processors and high efficiency chip sets, for example, such as processors of Pentium II and Pentium III with internal clock rate 450 and above, chip sets i440ZX, i440BX with frequency of the bus of the processor of 100 MHz. Even more strongly — at overclocking similar systems, for example, on frequencies of 112 MHz or even 133 MHz supported by many motherboards with i440ZX, i440BX. This results from the fact that modern videoadapters possess very high parametres and processors with chip sets of smaller productivity will constrain operation of high-powered videoadapters with AGP.

Complexity of the architecture of the modern computer and the big variety of the accessories which are its basis does the task of their choice the uneasiest. Especially it concerns problems of a choice of the optimal videoadapter. In solution of the given task the analysis of results of testing of videoadapters can render considerable aid.

Results of the testing fulfilled Mercury Research (www.mercuryresearch.com), of some widespread video chip sets and videoadapters released on their basis with usage of tests Ziff-Davis WinBench 99 v.1.0, and the computer with the processor of Pentium II 450 MHz, motherboard GA-686BX (a chip set i440BX) are more low presented   .

The videoadapters created on the basis of a chip set (video accelerator) 3DFX Banshee (3DFX Voodoo Banshee — 2D/3D, 230/250 MHz RAMDAC, to 40 million operations/sek, to 100/125 million pikselov/sek, support of a mode 1600 ґ 1200 Highcolor (16 bits), podderzha SGRAM/SDRAM):

• ASUS V3200 AGP (8/16 Mb SGRAM),
• Chaintech Desperado AGP-3F10 (8/16 Mb SGRAM),
• Creative 3D Blaster Banshee PCI (16 Mb SDRAM),
• Diamond Monster Fusion AGP (16 Mb SGRAM),
• Gygabyte GA-630 AGP (16 Mb SGRAM),
• Gainward Dragon 4000 AGP (16 Mb SDRAM),
• ELSA Victory II AGP (16 Mb SGRAM),
• Wicked3D Vengeance PCI (16 Mb SDRAM).

The videoadapters created on the basis of chip set Nvidia Riva TNT (2D/3D, 250 MHz RAMDAC, to 180 million pikselov/sek, support of a mode 1600 ґ 1200 Highcolor (16 bits) and Truecolor (32 bits), podderzha SGRAM/SDRAM):

• ASUS V3400 TNT AGP (8/16 Mb SDRAM/SGRAM),
• ASUS V3400 TNT-TV AGP (8/16 Mb SDRAM/SGRAM, TV-in/out),
• Creative Graphics Blaster RivaTNT AGP (16 Mb SDRAM),
• Creative Graphics Blaster RivaTNT PCI (16 Mb SDRAM),
• Canopus Spectra 2500 AGP (16 Mb SDRAM/SGRAM),
• Diamond Viper V550 AGP (8/16 Mb SDRAM/SGRAM),
• ELSA Erazor II AGP (16 Mb SGRAM),
• ELSA Erazor II PCI (16 Mb SDRAM),
• STB Velocity 4400 AGP (16 Mb SDRAM).

The videoadapters created on the basis of chip set ATI Rage 128 (2D/3D, 250 MHz RAMDAC, to 200 million pikselov/sek, Rage 128 GL/VR: Rage 128 GL — support of the interface of 128 bits with SDRAM/SGRAM; Rage 128 VR — support of the interface of 64 bits with SDRAM/SGRAM and DDR SGRAM):

• ATI Xpert 128 (16 Mb SDRAM),
• ATI Rage Fury (32 Mb SDRAM, TV-out),
• ATI Rage Magnum (32 Mb SDRAM).

The videoadapters created on the basis of chip set Matrox G200 (2D/3D, 230/250 MHz RAMDAC, podderzha SGRAM/SDRAM):

• Matrox Mistique G200 (8/16 Mb SDRAM),
• Matrox Millennium G200 (8/16 Mb SGRAM).

The videoadapters created on the basis of a chip set of Intel 740 — i740 (2D/3D, 205 MHz RAMDAC, 45-55 million pikselov/sek, support to 8 Mb SDRAM or SGRAM):

• Intel Express 3D AGP (4 Mb SGRAM),
• Diamond Stealth II G460 AGP (8 Mb SGRAM),
• ChainTech Desperado Tornado I7000 AGP (8 Mb SDRAM),
• ASUS AGP-V2740 (8 Mb SDRAM),
• ASUS AGP-V2740TV (8 Mb SDRAM, TV-in/out).

For tasks of multimedia of rather high complexity which modern games concern, high-powered computers are required. Such tasks demand a high speed of graphics calculations which is provided with AGP videoadapters with chip sets ATIRage 128, Nvidia Riva TNT, 3DFX Banshee, S3 Savage 3D, Matrox G200.

As a part of the computers intended for office tasks, it is expedient to use rather cheap videoadapters on the basis of chip sets i740, S3 Trio 3D, ATI Rage Pro Turbo, etc . The given tasks often do not demand high efficiency from video subsystems, usage of the arrangements released and on less efficient chip sets therefore is possible.

As a part of the workstations occupied with processing of two-dimensional maps, it is possible to use videoadapters with chip set Matrox G200. Such videoadatery possess a high speed of processing of the two-dimensional graphics information.

The literature

1. Rudometov E, Rudometov and multimedia: the quick reference. — SPb: Peter, 1999.