In our lives we often make assumptions which usually hurt us more than they help us in the long run.  Things like assuming that bigger is always better, and that more expensive means higher quality can sometimes bring us success and earn us the title of "elite consumer" however, nine times out of ten, we're almost completely wrong.  Today's fast paced world has brought about many changes in the way we think, work, and interpret even the most simple buying decisions.

The release of nVidia's Riva TNT chipset not too long ago sparked the interest of many in finding the best TNT based card for the buck, with conflicting reports popping up all over the web and with memory supply issues present in virtually any discussion a full review/comparison of all of the available cards shortly after their release would've been an injustice to both manufacturers and consumers.  Although to satisfy the needs of the consumer who simply can't wait, such a comparison was necessary, an indepth review of the individual cards couldn't be performed until both the hardware and software drivers matured.  The weeks have gone by, the TNT is no longer the news hog it once was, and it's about time to begin considering what the best of the best has to offer when it comes to TNT based video cards.  One of the first manufacturers to announce a TNT based graphics accelerator, and unfortunately one of the last manufacturers to ship an AGP version of their card is none other than the multimedia king, Creative Labs.

Known for their widely used sound cards, Creative Labs has become somewhat of an Intel of the multimedia market, and as Intel has attempted to do in the CPU/Mainboard/Chipset industries, Creative is looking to broaden their horizons by making a more prominent effort in the 3D world.  Armed with the outstanding 2D/3D acceleration capabilities of the Riva TNT Chipset, and the Creative name we've all grown used to (whether good or bad ;)...), the Graphics Blaster line of video accelerators is extended to yet another level this time to include the rightfully titled Graphics Blaster TNT. 

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Chipset highlights   128-bit wide graphics engine and frame buffer   180 million pixels/sec peak fill rate   6 million triangles/sec peak   Large 12K on-chip cache   36 billion operations/sec pixel processing pipeline

3D features

	Optimized for Microsoft's Direct3D API
	Complete DirectX 6.0 support
	100% hardware triangle setup
	Twin texel (TNT) 32-bit graphics pipeline
	2 texture mapped, lit pixels per clock
	Single pass multi-texturing support
	(DirectX 6.0 and OpenGL ICD)
	Square and non-square texture support
	Anisotropic filtering
	Triangle Setup Engine
	Setup hardware optimized for Microsoft's Direct3D API
	TextureBlend support examples:
	Anisotropic filtering
	Multi-texture
	Bump map
	Texture modulation
	Light maps
	Reflection maps
	Detail textures
	Environmental maps
	Procedural textures
	Sub-pixel accurate
	Per pixel perspective correct texture mapping
	Fog
	Light
	Mip mapping
	24-bit or 16-bit Z buffer (floating point or integer)
	8-bit stencil buffer
	Anti-aliasing: full scene, order independent

2D features

	High performance 128-bit 2D/GUI/Direct Draw Acceleration
	Fast 32-bit VGA/SVGA support
	Multi-buffering (Double, Triple, Quad buffering) for smooth animation and video playback

Video Support

	Video Acceleration for DirectShow, MPEG1 / MPEG2 and Indeo. Planar 4:2:0 and packed 4:2:2 Color Space Conversion
	X and Y smooth up and down scaling with filtering
	Per-pixel color keying
	Multiple video windows with hardware color space conversion and filtering
	Vertical and horizontal stretching

Interfaces

	Comprehensive AGP2X support
	Bus mastering DMA PCI interface
	32-bit PCI version 2.1 or AGP version 1.0 with 2X data transfer and full sideband support

Specifications

	Single-slot 2D, 3D graphics, and video accelerator
	NVidia's Riva TNT graphics engine
	Integrated 250MHz Palette-DAC supporting up to 1920x1200@75Hz
	16MB of 125MHz SDRAM
	MPEG1 / MPEG2 and full-motion video playback acceleration
	PCI Bus version 2.1 compliant for GB TNT PCI (CT6701)
	AGP Bus version 1.0 compliant for GB TNT AGP (CT6711)
	Multi-monitor Support
	VESA DDC 2B + DPMS
	Full Plug and Play compliant

Drivers

	Windows NT 4.0 display drivers
	Windows 95 and 98 Display Driver, DirectDraw, Direct3D, DirectVideo, ActiveX
	OpenGL ICD for Windows 95 and NT
	VESA 3.0 Compliant

Utilities

	Enhanced BlasterControl™
	Creative SoftMPEG-1 Player

System Requirements

	IBM. PC 100% compatible
	Pentium. 90 processor or higher, or compatible for Graphics Blaster Riva TNT PCI (CT 6701)
	Pentium. II processor or compatible for Graphics Blaster Riva TNT AGP (CT6711)
	16MB system memory, or higher
	PCI 2.1 bus slot for Graphics Blaster Riva TNT PCI (CT 6701)
	AGP 1.0 bus slot for for Graphics Blaster Riva TNT AGP (CT 6711)
	CD-ROM Drive
	Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT 4.0
	Supports standard VGA and multi-frequency monitors

Warranty
Three-year limited hardware warranty covering parts and labor.

2D Resolution Table

Refresh Rates(Hz)	Number of Colors
Resolution	256	65K	16.7M
640x480	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120
800x600	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120
1024x768	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120
1152x864	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120
1280x1024	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120
1600x1200	60, 70, 72, 75, 85	60, 70, 72, 75, 85	60, 70, 72, 75
1920X1080	60, 70, 72, 75	60, 70, 72, 75	60, 70, 72, 75
1920X1200	60, 70, 72, 75	60, 70, 72, 75	60, 70, 72, 75

3D Resolution Table

Refresh Rates(Hz)	Number of Colors
Resolution	256	65K	16.7M
640x480	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120
800x600	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120
1024x768	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120
1152x864	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120
1280x1024	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120	60, 70, 72, 75, 85, 100, 120
1600x1200	60, 70, 72, 75, 85	60, 70, 72, 75, 85	60, 70, 72, 75
1920X1080	60, 70, 72, 75	60, 70, 72, 75	N/A
1920X1200	60, 70, 72, 75	60, 70, 72, 75	N/A

Refresh rates shown are the highest obtainable and are monitor-dependant. Resolutions, pixel depths and refresh rates are driver-dependent and may not be available in all applications or operating systems.

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The trademark Creative Labs box was nothing more than indicative of the trademark Creative Labs installation procedure.   In the AnandTech Pentium II test system, the Graphics Blaster TNT (both AGP and PCI versions) installed flawlessly, and the drivers on CD quickly and cleanly installed themselves without so much as a hiccup.  Tossing in a network card and a Diamond PCI sound card didn't do too much to disrupt the installation procedure, however when using the graphics card as an upgrade for the test system's Matrox Millennium G200 (AGP) accelerator a reboot into safe mode was necessary to remove some foreign drivers before the card would operate properly.  Overall, as long as you remember to remove all previous video drivers before proceeding to install the Graphics Blaster TNT, you should be fine.

Super7 users may find that the installation procedure is a bit more obscure and definitely much more complex.  Regardless of what type of system you have, you want to make sure that DirectX 6.0 is already installed and that there are no conflicts resident prior to the video card installation.  The AnandTech VIA MVP3 test system had a little temper tantrum when AnandTech first attempted to install the AGP Graphics Blaster TNT and later resumed its actions after installing a non-Intel Socket-7 CPU.  Luckily, Creative's latest drivers solved most of the issues presented by the CD which shipped with the card and helped put things back on track.   Naturally, for the AGP version of the Graphics Blaster TNT, VIA's AGP GART drivers had to be installed, v2.9 of the drivers contained full support for the nVidia Riva TNT Chipset, a feature which was accurately reflected in the fairly smooth installation procedure after the drivers were installed.  Aladdin V users shouldn't have too much more of a migraine than their VIA counterparts, however once again, the key to the installation process of this card (as well as any other next-generation graphics accelerator) is to be sure to remove all foreign graphics card drivers and to be sure to install the latest AGP drivers from your chipset manufacturer.

With the initial software installation out of the way, a quick reboot put the AnandTech test system in a nice and crisp 1024 x 768 resolution with a 16 bit color depth, the default setting for the tests run in this review.  Although the 2D quality on the test monitor wasn't as sharp as that of the Millennium G200 nor the Matrox Millennium II, it was enough to satisfy the demands of a 17" monitor, a 21" screen at a high resolution may be pushing it though.   While owners of normal CRT monitors should be fine from this point on, the 14.1" Viewsonic ViewPanel VP140 LCD monitor used for compatibility testing didn't provide such a smooth transition from the installation phase to the usage phase.   Very strict about the supported resolutions/refresh rates (as are almost all of today's LCD monitors), the Creative Labs Graphics Blaster TNT consistently reset to a refresh rate unsupported by the Viewsonic monitor.  A trip down to Viewsonic's web page for a driver update for Windows 98, and a manual refresh rate adjustment in safe mode rectified, albeit in an annoying manner, the situation. 

Upon the first successful restart of the system, a new icon found its way into the Windows 98 Systray as well as four new tabs present in the Display Properties Control Panel.  The standard configuration options are available with the new tabs and icons, there is even a unique gamma control utility which is "cute" at the least.  Unfortunately with all of the "cute" features in the Creative Labs drivers, an overclocking utility was not included...thankfully so...why?  Read on...

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For more complete benchmarks of the nVidia Riva TNT Chipset, search the AnandTech Video Accelerator Reviews and Comparisons.

Test Configuration

The Slot-1 Pentium II Test System AnandTech used was configured as follows:

CPU's
•		Intel Pentium II 266
•		Intel Pentium II 400
Motherboard
•		ABIT BH6
Memory
•		64MB Mushkin SEC PC100 SDRAM
CD-ROM Drive
•		AOpen 32X IDE CD-ROM Drive
Operating System
•		Microsoft Windows 98
3DMark99 for all Benchmarking Tests

VSYNC was disabled during AnandTech's tests (VSYNC is the synchronization of all buffer swaps to the refresh rate of your monitor, theoretically limiting the attainable frame rate by the refresh rate your monitor is set at.  Disabling it will improve performance but may degrade visual quality by introducing "tearing").

 

The performance of the Graphics Blaster TNT is on par with that of the rest of the TNT squad, so performance among competitors isn't really an issue.  However to illustrate not only the incredible processor scalability the TNT boards but also the virtually insignificant difference the AGP/PCI versions hold in current gaming tests (this may change in the future with more complex and texture hungry games).   

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How creative did the king of the multimedia world get with the Graphics Blaster TNT?  Well, if you're looking for a sleek new design, TV-Output, and a helpful little on-board fan to cool the TNT chipset, you're probably looking for Canopus' Spectra 2500.  The Creative Labs Graphics Blaster TNT is a no frills, bare bones, TNT based video card.  Packaged with nothing more than the driver utilities and one of the millions of copies of Forsaken that you probably already have from other recently purchased components (c'mon guys, isn't it about time to stop packaging Forsaken with every little peripheral?), the Graphics Blaster TNT sticks to the nVidia TNT reference design down to the last solder point. 

The uninteresting rectangular card brought much attention to itself when it became the most overclockable member of the TNT family with the use of Fujitsu SDRAM, unfortunately since then, it seems as if Creative has gone the path of their predecessors with the memory selection for their TNT boards and opted for the much more available and cheaper (in quality) Samsung SDRAM.  The SEC modules on the AGP version of the Graphics Blaster TNT wouldn't even make the jump to 115MHz reliably, up from the standard 110MHz clock frequency whereas the PCI TNT which AnandTech received right after its release could be taken up to 130MHz reliably.  The unfortunate truth which is present in today's profit driven world, quality is quite often the sacrifice for cost.

Bringing us to the next and final point, the reason the Graphics Blaster TNT still holds its charm, in spite of the poor software bundle, and in spite of the lower quality SDRAM now used on the boards, is its rock bottom price.  Retailing for well under the $149 estimated retail price for a TNT based graphics card, the Graphics Blaster TNT can be found for an affordable $125, and even lower (a little net searching can turn up prices in the $115 range!) depending on the vendor.  If all you're looking for is a TNT based video card, Creative has your answer.  But be sure first, that you do in fact want a TNT card, take a look at the October 1998 Slot-1 and Super7 Video Comparisons here on AnandTech to see if you are making the right decision...and if so, happy gaming with your new investment.

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