Inspired by TM30 i unmounted two heatsinks from two V3 3000 cards.... and found something interesting  :D

http://www.outofrange.ch/3dfx/DSCF1094.JPG

nothing special, but makes me happy somehow  ;D

earlier version above one

yes, got some other third party v3's with the old 3dfx-logo on the chip  :) but never seen one from STB self with this in my collection  ;)

And what about the dates ? (PCB, Chipdate etc.)

old logo card:
BIOS 1.8
PCB labeled as week 11 Year 99
Chip label:
F10515.10
9912 20005
Tawian 1301

new logo card:
BIOS 2.15.07
PCB labeled as week 19 year 99
Chip label.
F10808.10
9916 20005
Taiwan 3301

both chips are labeled: 3000 355-0017-010

both cards have Rec C PCB and the same 6ns RAM
weird about the Rev C is the difference on the AGP connectors right part: the old card hasn't the same form as the newer one, some prints on the PCB are also different, and the production date isn't printed at the same place on the PCB. same with the 3dfx logo on the back of the pcb... there's one on the newer but no on the older card.

yet the chips have weeks 11 and 16.

It is then between those weeks during production, the shift to the new logo was made.

I should imagine that is all that's different between the two chips.  A simple case of production time.

you meant between weeks 11 and 19 ;) heeh yeah rather cool to know really.

No.  The PBC's are labelled 11 and 19, but the chips are 12 and 16.   :)

In between those dates, the decision for the logo swap for the card was made.

nice to see its actual looks without the heatsink =)

yeaps, the cards have an entirely new look like this :)

and it's very easy to clean the gpus... there are only pads under the heatsinks :) not the ugly glue which is under the VSA100 ones.

What are you gonna replace the stock heatsinks with?

;D

the cards are not in use this moment. i put them in the showcase without heatsinks, they're lookin nice there :)

Note the numbers '3' and '4' on the AGP foot of the earlier and the later card, respectively.

What do you suspect these indicate?  ???

some newer motherboards has hardware locks to hold the agp card stable in the port.. if you have a card like the older one, the lock cannot close so you must pull it off from your motherboard to use the card.

http://www.techwatch.com.au/reviews/hardware/leadtek_7350KDA/agplock-o.jpg

interesting thing about is, that the PCB Rev. is still the same on both cards. it looks like the Revision are showin modifications on the electric circuits and not on the mechanic pcb himself.