[comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc] Diamond SpeedStar

mek4_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Mark Kern) (12/04/90)

I've read some great things about the Diamond SpeedStar 
SVGA graphics card.  PCweek called it the fastest they have tested to
date.  Is this true?  If you have one, could you please send benchmarks?
Specifically, is the SpeedStar faster than the new Orchid Prodesigner II?
How does the Diamond acheive it's speed. I hear they use the Tseng chip
set with a new bios...

Mark E. Kern

ray@ole.UUCP (Ray Berry) (12/07/90)

mek4_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Mark Kern) writes:



>Specifically, is the SpeedStar faster than the new Orchid Prodesigner II?
>How does the Diamond acheive it's speed. I hear they use the Tseng chip
>set with a new bios...

	The Diamond board uses the Tseng 4000 chip as does the Prodesigner
II.  I've seen claims that the Diamond is 13-15% faster on *some* types of
operations- but I doubt the difference is significant.  The Prodesigner II
supports the new "ergonomic" 72 Hz refresh rate; the Speedstar does not.
(However, there is a new "Speedstar+" coming RSN that *does* support it)..
	OTHO, Speedstars are good boards, overall.  And can be cheap.  An
outfit called "FMG" advertised Speedstars w/1 Mbyte of ram in the December
Computer Shopper for $209..

-- 
Ray Berry  kb7ht  uucp: ...sumax!ole!ray CIS: 73407,3152 /* "inquire within" */