Is it worth going nVidia for PhysX?

Mattios · Jul 7, 2013

Hi,

I'm looking at the AMD 7850 OC 2GB. I'm doing a new build and will be playing things like: Cities in Motion, Train Simulator, Battlefield 3, Rome Total War, and possibly Crysis (1/2/3), Far Cry, Metro 2033, Civilization V etc.

Is it worth me getting the nVidia 650 Ti Boost for PhysX?

I've heard that not all games utilise PhysX, but will they support it more and more as time goes by? I've also heard that you don't notice it too much...?

Thanks in advance for any help

Supernova1138 · Jul 7, 2013

Well, only one game on that list supports PhysX, and that's Metro 2033. Metro 2033's PhysX effects weren't all that impressive, and given how demanding Metro is, you probably couldn't afford to take the performance hit by turning PhysX on with a 650Ti Boost, not unless you are willing to reduce other graphical settings.

I'd say it probably isn't worth going with Nvidia just for PhysX unless you plan on playing some other titles that actually support that feature.

swifty_morgan · Jul 7, 2013

be nice to know the rest of your hardware......... having said that, no, not with a 650. the card isn't that great to begin with. add physx and it will drag your system down.

get the 7850

maestro0428 · Jul 7, 2013

No, Phsyx is for the most part, marketing. Let your cpu run it for ya as a dedicated card isn't necessary.

DeusAres · Jul 7, 2013

Meh, not really. I got the GTX 670 mainly because of this reason, and now I'm regretting it. I should have went with a HD 7950 or a 7970. In the time that I have had this card, I have played one game that utilized physx. That game was Borderlands 2, and it really wasn't that big of a deal. The only thing that I really noticed was more dirt and particles were kicked up during battles and I could move certain liquids around with my feet. Oh and I could shoot holes in flags.

I recommend getting the GPU that gives you the best performance for the money. Don't fall for gimmicks.

bryonhowley · Jul 7, 2013

Go for the 7850 OC. I have two AMD/ATI rigs one with a Crossfire HD 7950 and the other with a Crossfire HD 7970 plus my i5 with a SLI GTX 670 and with 230+ games on Steam I have a few that support Physx and really they all play just as great with my AMD/ATI setup as they do with my intel/Nvidia rig. Going for Nvidia just for Physx is not really worth it on a GTX 650 Boost since it would not really have the performance to support it by itself anyway.

swifty_morgan · Jul 7, 2013

DeusAres :

please don't say physx isn't worth it. it does add a lot to the eyes in games.

but in his case the best performance would be the ati card.

DeusAres · Jul 7, 2013

swifty_morgan :

DeusAres :

please don't say physx isn't worth it. it does add a lot to the eyes in games.

but in his case the best performance would be the ati card.

PhysX isn't worth it....to me. And with such a low end card, it's rather pointless.

swifty_morgan · Jul 7, 2013

the latter........... just what I just got done saying/

coozie7 · Jul 7, 2013

@ Mattios: Looks like you want to use the HD7850 as renderer with a GTX650 for PhysX.
Not a good idea, it IS possible but a lot of work can be involved (although I'm sure a few here will be willing and able to help).
Best bet would be to get a stronger Nvidia card as renderer and a cheap, used card for PhysX.
Both the cards you linked come to 271 Pounds but you'll easily find the far superior GTX760 for under 230 pounds UK (I spotted one on Ebuyer for 200!) as I recall any card of the 9XXX or later will run as a dedicated PhysX processor.

17seconds · Jul 7, 2013

I'm confused as to why you think it's worth sacrificing PhysX to get the 7850. Out of the two cards you listed, the GTX 650 Ti Boost is cheaper AND faster. You also don't have to sacrifice PhysX and regret it later when you try to play Metro Last Light or the upcoming Batman Origins or Witcher 3. Even without PhysX, the 650 Ti Boost is still the better and cheaper card. No need to compromise on your graphics.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/GeForce_GTX_760_TF_Gaming/27.html

17seconds · Jul 7, 2013

Here's what HardOCP has to say about the PhysX effects in Metro Last Light:
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2013/05/29/metro_last_light_video_card_performance_iq_review/9

PhysX ran great, and was utilized by all of our video cards. It only required about half the performance of enabling 2X SSAA, making it performance affordable for NVIDIA GPUs. AMD video cards cannot tolerate PhysX, as these are not optimized for it. PhysX greatly improves the overall quality of the game, making every shot we fire and explosion we create more dramatic. Our AMD video cards were not a flop by any means, but missing out on PhysX means that the NVIDIA video cards provided a better gameplay experience. You will currently want an NV GPU to really appreciate everything that Metro: Last Light has to offer.

NVIDIA and 4A Games did a great job of implementing PhysX. It had an impact on every scene when it was enabled. PhysX brought the world around us to life by doing simple things like adding more smoke to barrels that are burning, and improving the way cloth interacts with people and the environment. PhysX also brought more particles to life. Anytime a bullet hits a wall, there's sure to be debris spewing out and cluttering together on the ground. Fog isn't just stagnant with PhysX enabled, you can clear a path through it just by walking through it. And let's not forget the large particles that come flying directly at you anytime there is an explosion. It is a shame for AMD users that they will miss out on such great technology.

swifty_morgan · Jul 7, 2013

before you start flashing fancy charts, how do the two platforms compare? OP's vs the one at tpu?

the 650 is a turd.

17seconds · Jul 7, 2013

swifty_morgan :

So I guess anything slower would be a Super-turd then.

swifty_morgan · Jul 7, 2013

that pretty much sums it up. if you want to play with physx, the card and the cpu have to be able to keep up. if they don't perform the graphics will spit and sputter.

smeezekitty · Jul 7, 2013

In my opinion, no it isn't worth it.

Physx is a gimmick.

Now as far as performance vs price. It is hard to say.

renz496 · Jul 7, 2013

Supernova1138 :

personally i can't see any difference even with advance physx being enabled in metro 2033. but for the sequel (last light) the dev really make good use of physx to enhance the graphical effect. from my personal experience enabling gpu physx will not hamper the performance much if you have good cpu. in batman arkham asylum my performance will be cut to half just enabling gpu physx with my overclocked E7500 + GTX460. but ever since i got my 2500k i can enable gpu physx while maintaining my fps at 60 except scarecrow dreamworld level.

other than that just thinking of using nvidia you got something extra (physx). going for amd you will miss it but since it does not affect how you should play your game then it is just a matter of preference to have it your games or not

Mattios · Jul 8, 2013

( @coozie7 ) Sorry, my post wasn't written very well - I will get only one of the two cards, but should I get the 650 for rendering AND physx (I won't be getting both and using the 650 as physx renderer)

And the general consensus seems to be go for the 7850? Personally I think that you won't miss physx because you can't see what it would look like with it.

coozie7 · Jul 8, 2013

@ Mattios: Ok, was n't sure

.
In this case I'll suggest you get the 650 and experiment, there's very little between the 7850 and 650Ti Boost, each gets a victory here, the other gets one there and I doubt the situation will change much over the next year or so.

Is it worth going nVidia for PhysX?

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