Level Analysis: mp_airstrip
This is our default benchmark here at AnandTech. We've been using this demo to benchmark with FarCry ever since we first included it in our benchmark suite.
ATI mp_airstrip screenshot.
Click to enlarge.
NV SM2.0 mp_airstrip screenshot.
Click to enlarge.
NV SM3.0 mp_airstrip screenshot.
Click to enlarge.
Image quality is not an issue here as the NVIDIA and ATI screen shots show.
With no AA or AF enabled, the SM3.0 path offers a small performance boost that nudges the GeForce 6800 Ultra Extreme up over the X800 XT in performance. The improvement in our default benchmark is negligible, and (except for the 6800 UE) statistically insignificant. Also, the 6800 shows a very small drop in performance here.
Turning on AA and AF gives a little extra help to seeing a performance improvement with the SM3.0 path, but this still isn't anything to brag about. With AA/AF and SM3.0 the only card that slips in position is the X800 Pro (which is really too close a race to call anyway).
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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. ;)