So, what is this chip that we are talking about? Well, it's none other than the 3Dlabs Permedia3 graphics processor!

Although 3Dlabs apparently sells the Permedia3 to other card manufacturers, they also manufacture their own Permedia3-based card - the Permedia3 Create!. In this review, we will be concentrating entirely on this 3Dlabs product.

While the Permedia3 may have been out for quite a while now and definitely does not come close to the GeForce GPUs in raw performance, let's not forget that 3Dlabs has much more experience with professional 3D rendering than nVidia and that, unlike the GeForce GPUs, the Permedia3 was designed with the professional user in mind. As such, 3Dlabs is probably better positioned than the nVidia in this market.

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3Dlabs, being 3Dlabs, has kept the focus resolutely trained on visual precision and high sustained polygon throughput. In short, professional 3D performance. However, gaming performance won't be anything like we have seen so far with professional 3D cards. Besides ensuring that the silicon boasts the latest 3D gaming features, 3Dlabs has also ensured that the Permedia3's drivers would be more tuned towards 3D gaming, rather than just professional 3D applications.

On paper, the Permedia3 looks set to grab quite a big chunk of the sub-professional pie. How successful has 3Dlabs really been in creating a professional 3D card that would appeal to the sub-professional market? Let's find out! First, let's check the Permedia3 Create!'s specifications.