I can remember being about eight years old when I got an encyclopedia set that contained fifteen 3D pictures and a set of the cheap green and red 3D glasses. I was amazed at the illusion. Over the years I’ve been curious about various 3D technologies and tried some that were more successful than others. Now Nvidia has a 3D kit that brings high quality 3D gaming to the mass audience.  This review will be based on the 3D Vision kit bundled with an ASUS G73S gaming laptop.  The laptop has a 120 MHz LCD that is fast enough for the 3D technology to work. They also bundled  the 3D glasses as well as the module (typically a usb device for desktop computers) that synchs the 3D glasses with the display.

Setting up Nvidia 3D Vision

With the 3D vision built into the laptop configuration the setup was a breeze. There is a control panel that allows you to set your display in case you have multiple monitors. This same module also allows you to determine the depth of the 3D and configure hot keys that can be used in-game to make adjustments.  A wizard walks you through identifying various objects and within seconds you are up and going. NVIDIA also supplied a 3D test video that quickly allows you to see just how well the 3D setup is working for you.

What are the results of 3D Vision?

I can’t say enough good things about the quality of Nvidia 3D Vision. The quality is eye popping. There is very little ghosting and the images are extremely crisp. This is much better than the typical 3D quality you will find at movies.  At first I had primarily considered 3D more of a gimmick and didn’t see playing all that many games with it enabled. The more I use 3D Vision, the harder it is to go back to 2D games. You also begin to take 3D for granted. After more than a week or so, my eyes have gotten much more acclimated to the technology. This has allowed me to increase the depth of the 3D effect and I can play much longer without eye fatigue.

With 3D Vision, so much depends on the game

What is so amazing about Nvidia 3D Vision is that it works with so many existing games right out of the box.  Given the sophisticated technology this is a stunning achievement.  Even some much older games such as Roller Coaster Tycoon, are eye popping in 3D. The technology does a great job creating 3D effects for games that were never intended to be played in 3D. Even when the results are eye popping, they are not always perfect. Games that have not been specifically tweaked for 3D vision typically have some display issues. Sometimes the user interface of the game does not blend well with the other graphic elements in the game. Water effects and shadows shadows sometimes need to be disabled for the best 3D effect. For the most part however, Nvidia has done an amazing job of rolling out new technology that is backward compatible with many games.

The best 3D Vision games

As I started playing more with the 3D vision I quickly began to seek out the games that have the best support and 3D quality. One of the best supported games that is also very popular is World of Warcraft. Blizzard and Nvidia have done an amazing job at implementing 3D vision into this game. There is a dedicated 3D vision control panel in the graphics options that allow you a lot of control in how the 3D works within the game. Even if you are not a World of Warcraft fan it is certainly worth downloading the free trial and spending a few hours playing the game in 3D. Few other games have the level of 3D polish and playability that you will find in World of Warcraft.

In the same game genre, another standout is Lord of The Rings Online.  The 3D effect really brings the game to life and most of the time the results are near perfect. Another nice bonus is LOTRO is now free to download and play. Like World of Warcraft, anyone with a 3D vision kit would likely want to download this game and give it a spin.

Another game I really enjoyed in 3D Vision was Age of Empires III. This real time strategy game works very well with 3D vision. The graphics are sharp and there is very little ghosting. The top down design is easy on the eyes and the results are very satisfying.

Other quality 3D vision games that I have personally tried and think are worth checking out include:

-          Call of Duty 4

-          World In Conflict

-          Majesty 2

-          Company of Heroes

-          Titan’s Quest

-          Eve Online

-          Starcraft 2

Getting better results with 3D Vision

As you begin playing with 3D Vision you will likely get the best results if you adjust settings to your own personal viewing style. Some people have a bit of trouble seeing 3D as it is. Starting off at lower 3D depths and then moving to deeper 3D illusions is a good strategy. Some people may not really ‘see’ the 3D depth however unless it is set higher.  Fortunately Nvidia provides hot keys so that you can raise and lower the depth of the 3D within the game.

Overall Impression

While the technology is still a bit of a novelty the quality is now to a level that it can be much more enjoyable to play games with 3D Vision than without.  I’ve probably got well over 100 hours of gaming in 3D and with each hour I find it harder to go back to 2D only games. If you are getting a brand new gaming laptop I would strongly recommend considering the 3D option.  For me it was a bit of an afterthought and I never imagined that 3D would completely change the way I game.

At first you will want to take it easy. Gaming for 8-10 hours straight in 3D vision is probably not a good idea. Frequent breaks should be encouraged. I played a ton of 3D the first week I had the system and I know at times I played past the point of where it was a good idea. It can be possible to be having a great time enjoying the visual eye candy while at the same time your brain is calling out for a bit of rest. Typically I will now game for an hour or so in 3D before taking a break and often it is hardly even noticeable.

3D Vision has changed gaming for me more drastically than just about any other technology. Nothing can so dramatically change the entire appearance and graphic quality of games.

OVERALL RATING – 96/100