The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Prior to the launch of our new benchmark suite, we wanted to include The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which is easily the most popular RPG of 2011. However as any Skyrim player can tell you, Skyrim’s performance is CPU-bound to a ridiculous degree. With the release of the 1.4 patch and the high resolution texture pack this has finally been relieved to the point where GPUs once again matter, particularly when we’re working with these slower midrange GPUs. As such, we're now including it in our test suite.

Unfortunately for the 7770, at 1680 this is another case where the 6850 is well in the lead; even XFX’s factory overclock can’t overcome the gap. At 64.3fps it’s still above the 60fps mark, but there’s clearly room for improvement. As for the 7750 it’s once again tied with the 5770.

It’s interesting to note though that at 1920 the 7700 series fares well, in fact it fares too well. 1920 is clearly hitting a memory limit for 1GB cards, and while the 5000 and 6000 series completely flounder, the 7700 series does unexpectedly well. Did AMD improve their memory allocation methods for the 7000 series? Is PCI Express 3.0 helping to alleviate the bottleneck? It’s hard to say, but clearly AMD has improved on something between the 6000 series and now.

Starcraft II Civilization V
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  • chizow - Sunday, February 19, 2012 - link

    Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

    There's a reason we look at the past, because chances are, what's already in your rig performs the same or better than what AMD is trying to sell you at the same or higher price than what you paid "in the past".

    Everyone needs to set the bar for themselves in terms of what they are willing to pay for an "upgrade", and given there is negative scaling with these parts, its pretty obvious they fail on all fronts. But hey, even you acknowledge this.
  • Galidou - Tuesday, February 21, 2012 - link

    Those with a choosen side should not try to explain whatever the history tells us because they have a biased opinion. They can't see both side of the medal as objectively possible as someone with an impartial view and form the beginning you've proven to be on nvidia's side.

    End of the discussion, you can try to explain history but it's YOUR perception. I never said history wasn't worthy of anything the thing is you always are on the same side which means it's worthless from the very beginning.
  • Galidou - Tuesday, February 21, 2012 - link

    I do not think it's a TOTAL fail, the 7970 and 7950 isn'T very well priced, but it's not a fail like those. From your point of view a fail is from historical pricing. From my point of view and ALWAYS was like that, it's from a performance/price standpoint and I won't change because you tell me we should look at everything things from the past. Sure we can learn from it.

    There was once a man that beleived the earth was round. But the historians and everyone else beleive it was flat so they killed him. No need to put names in there... History used as an argument makes that sometimes.... You've got to renew your point of view else, you can't see further from what you know.

    AMD is trying to sell you at the same or higher price than what you paid "in the past".

    Like we said before, nothing new here, it's always the same with x2 parts from last gen for years now... And it's only an example from many others of rebranding older designs selling at higher price point which AMD and Nvidia are both strong at.
  • Galidou - Sunday, February 19, 2012 - link

    The price is a failure from my perception, 7770 and 7750 is a big fail..... Unlike 7950 and 7970 non-attractive price/performance but still a little justified by it's performance compared to parts that are out NOW and not compared to freaking history of pricing or future video cards...

    People out there will buy the 7770 and they'll be totally satisfied for as long as they'll own the thing. If you spent 4 hours on the internet looking at video card prices and benchmarks and realize you're way better off with a 6850 you might find it a bargain. But for others, if you tell them what you did to get to that conclusion, they'll maybe end up being happy with their choice without searching because they had 4 hours of playtime outside on a sunny day and that's worth it, while you're on the computer looking to spend your money on the best you can find.

    So in the end, whatever we might say, perception is the key in life, we can take a whole day speaking about that and in the end, everyone will be right, because each of us create it's reality by thinking and seeing it the way THEY want... You want to live in the past and the future analyzing everything, you'll end up loosing the present which is the only thing that exists...
  • chizow - Sunday, February 19, 2012 - link

    Yes Rarson, its proof stupid people have low standards and will buy anything. How's your 7700 treating you?

    Plenty in stock actually: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Sub...

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