The ASUS P2B Pentium II System that was used as the test bed for the Canopus Pure3D II was equipped with an AGP Matrox Millennium II as the 2D accelerator prior to the Pure3D II installation. Finding and occupying a PCI slot that would hold the Pure3D II on the P2B wasn't a problem at all, the manageable size of the card also helped in finding a home for the new Voodoo2 accelerator.
Upon the initial boot-up Windows 95's famous New Hardware dialog box popped up beckoning for the insertion of the provided Pure3D II drivers (updated files can be found on Canopus' website at: www.canopuscorp.com). After installing the drivers from the CD-ROM (which was nothing more than a Sony CD-R disc bearing Canopus' label on the front cover) the Pure3D II was fully operational without any problems at all.
Another advantage Canopus boasts over the competition is their highly configurable set of driver utilities. Using pre-defined keystroke combinations you can change the gamma settings of your Pure3D II during game-play, in situations where every second counts this handy addition can be a life saver, in frag terms.
| Entering your Display Properties Control Panel will reveal a new tab creatively named, Pure3D II, which allows you to select from and set the most popular tweaks for the Voodoo2 chipset. These options include disabling Wait for V-Sync for both Glide and Direct3D games, and manually setting the Memory Clock to add a little more spice to your already sizzling gaming experience with the Pure3D II. | |
| Much like the Microsoft Office 97 Shortcut bar, Canopus included an Application Launcher utility which quietly rests at the top of your screen by default. Indicative of a Start Menu supplement, the Application Launcher is easily disabled, and happily so it remained disabled throughout the testing process. While some may find it useful, it can often just add to the clutter on your desktop. Those that have a strongly organized Windows 95 Desktop may want to take the initiative to disable the application at first sight. Call this reviewer protective of his desktop, but nothing is more annoying than an application whose use becomes diluted in Pure looks. | |
The test suite for the Pure3D II was limited to idSoftware's Quake 2, Acclaim's Forsaken, and Turok. There are still a few games out there that won't work with the Voodoo2 chipset however the most popular titles have either been complimented by patches or have programmers cooking one up this very moment. The installation of all of the mentioned games went without a hitch as could be expected with such a well-made product.
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