Buying

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Although the basic technology is the same, there is a range of different glasses out there. You'll find lightweight, wireless glasses, as well as more basic (and therefore cheaper) pairs. The view through the glasses depends more on your computer's graphics card than the make of glasses, but you will find that different manufacturers offer extra software or other minor incentives. The lesson is: Shop around! If you get the chance to try a pair out before buying, don't hesitate -- try to imagine wearing them for an hour of intensive gaming. You might want to put in the extra money for a slightly better model.

Bear in mind, too, that all glasses come with the standard video game warning concerning epilepsy, eye-strain and tiredness. If you generally find it difficult to cope with a standard flat monitor, you will definitely want to try out the glasses before you buy. Be wary also if you have an LCD flat-panel monitor, because current 3-D glasses don't work well with this kind of monitor. Be sure to check compatibility before you buy.

Check out exactly which kind of video card you have (manufacturer and model) and do a little bit of research before you make your purchase. The X-Force 3D Game Glasses, for example, will only work with nVidia video cards. Many glasses will work with various graphics cards, but the only way to tell for sure is to read the side of the box carefully.

For lots more information on PC 3-D glasses and related topics, check out the links on the next page.