The Test
For this test, we used the same setup as in our 6800 and x800 launch articles. This time around, we are using newer drivers, a beta windows service pack, DX9.0c, and the 1.2 version of FarCry. The numbers that we originally ran are much different (in a good way) than the numbers that we will see here for the SM2.0 path on both cards.In order to test image quality, we couldn't use Windows' built-in screen capture, or HyperSnap 5 (which we usually use to accommodate DX9 captures with special requirements). We had to use FarCry's built-in screen capture (default key is F12), which only captures images in .jpg format rather than any of the uncompressed formats that we would rather see for IQ comparisons. As such, pixel perfect comparisons (though not technically possible in the first place) aren't even a distant hope. Small versions of the images have only been cropped, not resized or resampled, and the full 1600x1200 images will be linked up.
| Performance Test Configuration | |
| Processor(s): | AMD Athlon 64 3400+ |
| RAM: | 2x 512MB OCZ PC3200 (2:2:3:6) |
| Hard Drive(s): | Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 |
| Video AGP & IDE Bus Master Drivers: | VIA Hyperion 4in1 4.51 |
| Video Card(s): | NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra Extreme NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT NVIDIA GeForce 6800 ATI Radeon X800 XT Platinum Edition ATI Radeon X800 XT ATI Radeon X800 Pro |
| Video Drivers: | NVIDIA 61.45 SM3 Beta Graphics Drivers ATI Catalyst 4.6 |
| Operating System(s): | Windows XP Professional SP2 RC2 with DX9.0c and the Summer 2004 DirectX SDK Update |
| Power Supply: | PC Power & Cooling Turbo Cool 510 |
| Motherboards: | FIC K8T800 (754 pin) |
As is apparent from the table, we are introducing a couple of new cards this time around. For easy reference, here is the pixel width, core clock speed and memory data rate of all the parts included:
NVIDIA GeForce 6800: 12 pipes, 325 core, 700 mem
NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT: 16 pipes, 350 core, 1000 mem
NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra: 16 pipes, 400 core, 1100 mem
NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra Extreme: 16 pipes, 460 core, 1200 mem
ATI Radeon X800 Pro: 12 pipes, 475 core, 900 mem
ATI Radeon X800 XT: 16 pipes, 500 core, 1000 mem
ATI Radeon X800 XT Platinum Edition: 16 pipes, 520 core, 1120 mem
ATI cards are always run in SM2.0 mode (as they don't support SM3.0), so the labels on the graphs only reflect the code path that NVIDIA's cards take. Each level analysis will have an SM2.0 comparison (both NVIDIA and ATI on the same path) and an SM3.0 comparison (NVIDIA running SM3.0 with ATI running SM2.0).
Also, keep in mind that this test is performing an analysis of two different rendering paths, and not the performance difference between SM2.0 and SM3.0 code. If this were really a test of SM2.0 versus SM3.0, we would be talking about using the same rendering techniques with different instructions (in which case, the lower complexity of SM2.0 has the potential to be faster in many cases). What we are looking at here are two different rendering methods.
In other words, this is the performance difference between two different implementations of CryTek's engine, not a generalization of SM2.0 versus SM3.0 performance. In this case, CryTek determined that SM3.0 provided functionality, which made changes to the rendering path, worth the cost of implementation. Let's take a look at the end result.
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misnad - Monday, December 20, 2004 - link
Hey guys, when playing an adrenaline pumping game like far cry or doom 3, how on earth does one take the time to notice the minute details??? True enough you need decent quality, but what's required the most is a decent framerate!!! Or else, we'll end up with a slideshow of hi-res pictures! My 2 cents.misnad - Monday, December 20, 2004 - link
KJ1a - Thursday, July 8, 2004 - link
I noticed a difference in the comparison pictures.I lloks like Nvidia is rendering less and in lot of the areas the quality is lower and bumpmapping is a little less pronounced as well.
I have owned ATI and Nvidia cards and I can honestly say my games allways look better on the ATI cards.
Look at the detials in the pictures.
Thats my 2 cents.
bangbilo - Saturday, July 3, 2004 - link
I once was a really happy ATI customer, until i bought my 9600 ( this was before the XT ) and i liked the card at the time it was kicking the crap out of any game out there. Then one day i decided to have some fun with a thing called Linux. I started out with the Suse 9.0 distro and i quickly noticed i did not have 3D support. After a week of my life slaved over forums and people saying that this works and ATI's drivers not i decided my next card was going to be a NVidia. Ati has always had crappy support issues with there drivers in my opinion and if they would just get that fixed i would be buying me a X800 XT not a 6800 Ultra (Ordered that baby today) I love ati they have allowed me to be a somewhat descent gamer for 4 years not its time to try out the other guy. If i'm not satisfied with them and ati figures out a few things that the customers have been wanting for years. Then i might be buying me an XI800 XT ULTRA PLATNUM EDITION with CHROME HUBCAPS.... yes i said it HUBCAPS... :) thats my 2 cents-Bangbilo
"pain is weakness leaving the body"
Bangbilo@dynxweb.com
www.dynxweb.com/sort
Staples - Saturday, July 3, 2004 - link
In some of those first few screens, you may want to fix the gamma in an image editor. They are dark in the game but not that dark, at least they shouldn't be unless you are playing at default settings.DerekWilson - Saturday, July 3, 2004 - link
I could use those burgers ...Thanks again, Pete :-)
Pete - Saturday, July 3, 2004 - link
Craziness! Nice to see that you're on top of things, Derek. Now that you've averted an aliased crisis, head out to the grill and set some burgers to medium. :)Dasterdly - Saturday, July 3, 2004 - link
Then you gotta get the Ultra Hyper (Kung Fu) Fighting Edition.Or dont forget the Ultra Extreme XT Platinum Edition or the GT2 Pro Turbo Extra-Special Edition.
.
bearxor - Friday, July 2, 2004 - link
Wow, that little change with the AA really changed the look of those benchmarks.The ATi X800 XT PE Alpha 3 Pro Turbo doesn't look so bad now.
nordlaw - Friday, July 2, 2004 - link
9800 Pro's referred to as 'Older' video cards - Moore's Law is being smashed open, lately by GPUs.CPUs, not so, of course.
I need a slightly better CPU so I can keep up with GPUs. ;)