7800 GS Slower than 6800 GT in Doom 3 Demo1

[S]

This indeed seems to be the case. And if it's a software issue, I don't know what else to try.

My 6800 GT at 404/1040 at a resolution of 1280 by 960 with the driver set to 4x anti-aliasing/8x anistropic/high quality -- provides over 55 FPS.

My 7800 GS OC at 400/1250 with other settings identical, only manages 51.7 FPS.

Does this make any sense? This was a big let down when I installed the thing. In yesterday's reviews, I learned that the 7800 GS only has 8 ROP pipes versus the 6800 GT's 16. Maybe that's the problem here.

I know this was a questionable upgrade. I will say that transparent anti-aliasing is very nice. Still hoping this is a software issue, somehow...

 

[chuckshissle]

is your 6800 GT a PCI-Express? If it is, then I believe that it can be faster due to more data transfer rates compare to an AGP slot graphics card like the 7800 GS.

 

[MadModMike]

know this was a questionable upgrade.

Chuck, he said he upgraded, meaning he has AGP!

 

[S]

Both cards are AGP. System has a Northwood P4 at 3.53GHz with fast memory.

 

[apache_lives]

Diffrent Drivers?

I had an old GF4 Ti4200 and with the 44's it hit 13,000 3DMark's (3DMark 2001), where as the 5x series drivers it killed it back to 10,000.

 

[Nytro]

7800 gs is faster than 6800 Ultra, it can't be slower than 6800 GT(all on AGP). Perhaps it is a problem of drivers (what version do u use on 7800gs? Or try to install a clean windows with 7800, see if there is any difference ). Btw, u've wasted ur money, 6800gt is still e very good card....

 

[Nytro]

that's because nvidia does not offer support for 3Dmark 2001 in the new drivers

 

[S]

I've tried several drivers, presently: Forceware 83.40.

Yeah, the 6800 GT is a very good card. I still might return the 7800 GS the way things are going...

 

[ak47is1337]

pft, 6800gt is a great card regardless, why upgrade till it is obsolete? get a zalman, overclock and save 300 buck

 

[cleeve]

Return that card if you can.

Use the money to buy a true 7800 GT and PCI-express motherboard for your current CPU...

...then you'll see some REAL performance increases.

 

[mdd1963]

"7800 gs is faster than 6800 Ultra,"

Most of the 7800GS benchmarks I saw showed it a full 30-40%% slower than a 7800GT, and in fact, the GS only marginally faster than even a 6800GT at up through 1280x1024.

Conclusion...a waste of $300-$350 dollars if users already have at least a 6600GT or 6800GT, I'd stand pat instead of 'upgrading' to this relatively crippled '7800' series card...

 

[mdd1963]

"If it is, then I believe that it can be faster due to more data transfer rates compare to an AGP slot graphics card like the 7800 GS."

The inital comparisons of AGP 8x vs. PCI-e with 6800 Ultras a while back showed that just because PCI-e has a faster interface, does not really make the card any faster; most cards were not even maxing out the AGP 8x interface at the time...

The 7800GS will sell because of the '7800' moniker, but there wil be lots of pissed 6800GT owners who "upgrade", only to find most framerates went up a whopping 2 frames/sec if that!

 

[mdd1963]

"I still might return the 7800 GS the way things are going..."

I sure would, after reading the 7800GS reviews...

Performance/numbers-wise, it should have been called a 6850 GT, at best!

 

[S]

I take it then that you guys don't think it's my system or that I somehow got a uniquely slow 7800 GS.

It doesn't look good.

From a benchmark, I remember that the Doom 3 engine was one place where the 6800 GS falls behind the 6800 GT. Presumably, the extra clock ticks just aren't enough to compensate for the missing pipes. Maybe it's the same here. The 7800 GS with a massive overclock can overtake the 6800 GT, but that's certainly not what I expected would be necessary.

 

[ak47is1337]

i take it the price was higher than the 6800gt?

 

[S]

The 6800 GT AGP was more expensive when I bought it. I don't know current pricing and availability.

 

[S]

I'm reading a review from Hilbert Hagedoorn on guru3d.com. He suspects the 7800 GS's problem with Doom 3 at 4x/8x AA/AF is due to a driver bug. This makes more sense than my suspicion about the fewer ROP pipes, as the card also falls behind the 6800 GS. Guess we'll see.

 

[Heyyou27]

Overclock your 7800 GS the way you did your GT, and then you'll notice a difference.

 

[S]

Overclocked, the 7800 GS can overtake the 6800 GT in Doom 3 Demo1, but not by much. And it's a substantial over clock.

I hope it is a driver issue.

I will say that in Half Life 2, the card did not disappoint. It went from around 52 to well over 60 frames in a session I had recorded in Lost Coast. This was even with transparent anti-aliasing, which does add significant PQ. This is without HDR though. Turn that on and FPS dip deep into the 40's.

This all at 960 by 1280 -- raising the resolution to my desktop resolution as I had hoped (1472 by 1104) also causes a big drop in FPS.

I don't mean to be all complaining however. The card does bring significant improved features and the mysterious Doom 3 framerate mystery may yet pass...

 

[rampage]

As long as its faster than a 6800GS you cant complain too much.

A 7800GS upgrade is the way to go if you dont already have a 6800 series AGP card, IMHO.

I'd return it if you still havent sold the GT.. save for a mobo/cpu upgrade.