A powerful GPU for less $100

[System]

Check this: a GPU fromTrident Microsystemst, the XP4, with the 70% perfomce of ATI´s R300 and 80% of NVidia's GeForce4 Ti4600 for less money! A must have for Amiga One. Read it from this interview: Gamersdepot

[Kronos]

And by the time someone has finished the driver, you will also
get a R300 at that price ...

It's basiclly the same problem as it was back then with the Zorro-
GFX-card. They were always outdated when the finally went on sale.

Start with 1 or 2 high-end chips NOW, and by the time the driver is
finished, they will have become affordable.

[Hammer]

The claims must be verified i.e. the need of quoting numbers from well known benchmarking software.

Refer to events surrounding the Matrox 512 GPU card’s paper spec hype and it’s mediocre performance.

PS; Competition is good but not the hype. Credibility problems increases my doubts in regards to actual product performance delivery.

refer to Anandtech's preview of the Trident XP4.

I don’t think the long time survivor*  ATI is stupid enough to ignore this threat, i.e. both nVidia and ATI will keep on moving.

*Recalling back the 32bit/64bit 2D acceleration wars in mid 90s with S3 Trio 32/64, ATI Mach 32/64, Cirrus 54xx, Matrox, Trident and 'etc' .

To put things into perspective (speculative at this time); refer to
http://freespace.virgin.net/m.warner/RoadmapQ402.htm

Geforce 4200 based GPU is currently around $~131 USD, maybe less by the time of September 2002. (Refer to Price Watch).

I don't know were did Le Nguyen gets their Geforce 4x00 prices. What do you expect from the marketing person??

NV28 existence is revealed in the latest nVidia driver (30.82). It may further push the existing Geforce 4 4x00 prices down lower.

[Hammer]

(Part 2, Continue from above)

Speculative lowend GPU  outcomes as of September 2002.

Geforce 4200 may be priced less than $131 USD i.e. $~100
 VS
Trident XP4 $100 USD.

Some questions
1. I don't why Trident aimed at Geforce 4600?

Did they missed Geforce 4200’s current price and performance relative to Geforce 4600?  

2. Why Trident spreading propaganda BS in regards  "highway robbery of the 21st century "?.

3. The Geforce 4200 is roughly ~80 percent(e.g. 3D Marks2001) of Geforce 4600 and it’s ready striking distance of $~100 USD.

Refer to tomshardware for the 3DMarks2001's numbers
http://www6.tomshardware.com/business/02q2/020417/winhec11-10.html

Trident XP4 T3 yields around ~6990 points(reading the bitmap picture).

My downclocked testbed AMD Athlon* 1.1Ghz (from the initial 1.4Ghz) with Geforce 4200 yield 3DMarks2001SE ~6880 points (driver 30.82). That's without SSE2 enhancements nor having DDR SDRAM.
 
The same testbed AMD Athlon* @ 1.2Ghz delivers 3DMarks2001SE ~7050 points.

*Multiplier unlocked AMD Athlon Tbird. Trident's claim numbers seem to be rubbery.

[JetRacer]

The marketing guy probably compared introduction prices. When NVidia:s GF4 entered the market they were everything but cheap. If their XP4 figure is an intruduction price which will drop to 25-50% of the original cost.. ..Well, then their competitors are in for a very rough fight for survival.

They have actually chosen a very good time to rock the market; the previus generation gfx boards are like slugs compared to the new, therefore such cannot compete with the low-end cheapos of the new generation (XP4). The GF4 mx400 market exists for a reason. And that market may very well taken over by the XP4 in a not so distant future, giving them a solid foundation to operate from, and NVidia shareholders cold feet.

The game is not about the technology itself, nor sales; it's about to what lengths competitors shareholders will stay onboard when the boat starts rocking.