VIA Apollo Pro 133: A Camino Preview

AGP Gaming Performance

Quake 3 Arena test is noticeably slower on all VIA chipsets, regardless of FSB, when compared to the Intel BX.  The performance difference is around 17% at worst using the old Apollo Pro Plus and around 8% at 133MHz FSB using the Apollo Pro 133.  To the occasional gamer, the performance difference isn't great, but to the hard core gamer the drop in frame rate is unacceptable. 

Even with the 133MHz FSB, the Apollo Pro 133 is not a viable option for a performance oriented gamer. 

The AGP implementation on all of the VIA chipsets is also noticeably slower, strengthening the argument that for the performance oriented gamer, Intel is still probably the best solution for Slot-1/Socket-370 users.  The Camino chipset should be slightly faster than the BX, but once again, for actual numbers we'll have to play the waiting game.

The 3D Winbench texture test is another great way of measuring AGP performance differences, and although the Apollo Pro 133 is still noticeably faster than its predecessor, the Apollo Pro Plus, the VIA AGP implementation still lacks behind the Intel BX.