ATI 3D Xpression+ PC2TV
The ATI 3D Xpression+ PC2TV renders authentic-looking perspectives and textures, straighter lines and more fluid motion. It includes the 3D Xpression accelerator card, uses a 64-bit 3D Rage chip and provides 3D software support for a variety of technologies. The card comes with ATI's own software MPEG player that runs Video CD movies in either a small window or full screen. The TV tuner part of this package--added on to the 3D Xpression card--lets you watch television on your PC. 2MB $169; 4MB, $199 ATI Technologies, 905-882-2600, fax 905-882-2620. Winfo #589. Go To Full Review

Diamond Stealth 3D 3000XL
This 3D card uses the S3 ViRGE graphics controller to deliver up to 16.7 million colors at a resolution of 1280x1024, and 64,000 colors (high color) at 1600x1200. It supports the OpenGL and Microsoft Direct3D standards, among others, and comes with Diamond's InControl Tools display utilities. The card produces crisp images and is especially speedy at lower resolutions and color depths. $299 Diamond Multimedia Systems, 800-468-5846, 408-325-7000. Winfo #590.Go To Full Review

Hercules Terminator 3D
The Hercules Terminator 3D, an S3 ViRGE-based card, comes loaded with 4MB of EDO DRAM and displays 16.7 million colors at a resolution of 1024x768. The Terminator supports 3D features, including accelerated MIP mapping with trilinear filtering; video-texture mapping; depth cueing and fogging; alpha blending; Z-buffering; and perspective correction. It also supports technologies such as Direct3D, Reality Lab, 3DR, Criterion RenderWare, Argonaut Brender and OpenGL. 2MB, $129; 4MB, $159 Hercules Computer Technology, 800-532-0600, 510-623-6030. Winfo #591. Go To Full Review

Number Nine Imagine 128 Series 2
Designed for multimedia applications, the Series 2 increases 2D performance and reduces the load on the host system's CPU. Integrated color space conversion allows for high-quality video playback at higher frame rates, and interpolated hardware stretch provides full-screen video playback. The card also offers integrated 3D acceleration with 32-bit Gouraud shading. $699 Number Nine Visual Technology Corp., 800-GET-NINE, 617-674-0009. Winfo #592. Go To Full Review

STB Velocity 3D
The STB Velocity 3D proves that 3D isn't just for games--it's a good choice for 2D business graphics, too. The card offers 2D and 3D hardware acceleration and accelerated full-motion video playback, including an MPEG I video player with x- and y-axis interpolation. Based on the S3 ViRGE VX graphics controller, the Velocity 3D produces up to 16.7 million colors at 1280x1024 pixels and a still-respectable 64,000 colors (high color) at 1600x1200 pixels. The board supports both Microsoft's Direct3D and OpenGL standards, among others. $199 STB Systems, 888-234-8750, 972-234-8750. Winfo #593. Go To Full Review

Multimedia: Introduction