What is your favorite GPU feature?

What is your favorite GPU feature?

  • Anti-Aliasing

    Votes: 20 31.3%
  • Anisotropic Filtering

    Votes: 4 6.3%
  • High Dynamic Range Lighting

    Votes: 24 37.5%
  • Soft Shadows

    Votes: 2 3.1%
  • Advanced AA (Adaptive AA/Transparency Supersampling)

    Votes: 2 3.1%
  • HDCP Capability

    Votes: 1 1.6%
  • Some other feature that the OP neglected to add to this poll

    Votes: 11 17.2%

  • Total voters
    64

sdrawkcaBgoD

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Apr 24, 2006
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Just wondering what everyone else looks for in a gaming GPU. Personally, I can't live without AA and HDR (tie). If I overlooked something, please feel free to post about it.

EDIT: Let's say you could only enable one of these features while playing your favorite game with no performance hit whatsoever.
 

hannibal

Distinguished
Speed?

Yep, the most important feature is the capacity to maintain high speed with all the candy on...

Is this somewhat silly question :)

Seriously speeking it's really hard to say what is the most favorite feature... Good quality graphic is combination of many things... If I have to take one, it's shader speed and quality... maybe...
 

Steve911924

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Jul 12, 2006
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GPU speed is what does it for me. I personally don't use AA above 1280x1024 (too taxing), but HDR is a neat feature.

I always ask what good are numerous features on a GPU if it isnt capable of rendering at a smooth speed? My friends X1300 has similar features to my X1800, however in F.E.A.R, he doesn't have the freedom of using HDR, etc. Speed is the number 1 priority for me.
 

FeareX

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Mar 13, 2006
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I chose for the anostropic filter (or something like that) i hate the textures to go fuzzy. And it doesnt slow much down, maybe 1 or 2 fps'es.

But i chose this because the feature "playing games" wasnt there :lol:
 

sdrawkcaBgoD

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Apr 24, 2006
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GPU speed is what does it for me. I personally don't use AA above 1280x1024 (too taxing), but HDR is a neat feature.

I always ask what good are numerous features on a GPU if it isnt capable of rendering at a smooth speed? My friends X1300 has similar features to my X1800, however in F.E.A.R, he doesn't have the freedom of using HDR, etc. Speed is the number 1 priority for me.

So you'd rather have 200 FPS and no "candy" as opposed to 60 FPS and all the bells and whistles?
 

choirbass

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i just chose anisotropic filtering, because it gives a nice boost to the overall image quality sharpness, and theres virtually no performance hit to speak of at all, so a win-win situation.
 

Doughbuy

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MONEY, MULAH, GREENBACKS, DOUGH, WASHINGTONS, BONES....

you get the point... freaking high-end graphics cards cost is rising faster than gas prices...

But otherwise, HDR is probably the most important... Whatever makes things games more realistic, not just pretty explosions...

Physics should be on there soon also.
 
Favourite VPU feature: Video acceleration decoding/encoding.

Favourite Gaming feature SmartShader Effects (breaths life into some old titles, interesting look/feel for the heck of it), most usefull gaming feature for me AF/HQAF.
 

Vokofpolisiekar

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Feb 5, 2006
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Can I vote twice??

I like HDR, but only since Oblivion started using it (few games can really show off HDr as TESO does). AA is also up there, along with AF.

Technically, I LOVE the big fat pipelines of the X1900 architecture, probably one of the best turning points in shader intensive hardware.

While we on the topic, my hates include noisy fan, and those damn shimmering of shadows which happens so very often... :lol:
 

SciFiMan

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Apr 19, 2006
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I voted other, since to me it's the best price/performance ratio, although of the list I'll go with HDR too. But I can't pin it down to just one thing.
 

sailer

Splendid
I think the HDR is great, but my favorite feature is the water cooling on my latest card. Quiet, cool running, and it overclocks without me getting nervous about heat.
 

angry_ducky

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Mar 3, 2006
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Teh only game that I've really been playing recently is NFS:MW. I play it at 1280x1024 with Bloom lighting on (X series don't support HDR), as it gives less of a performance hit than AA. The game looks good, aside from some jagged edges.
 

Heyyou27

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Jan 4, 2006
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By "Soft Shadows" do you mean the X1900's Fetch 4 ? It would be great, but as far as I know, it's never really been implimented in a game. I don't know of any hardware limitation behind softshadows.
 
hmm, ape, have you recently returned to the forums or have i just not seen you posting. no point to me asking just that i ain't seen you posting that much which is unusual on these forums. you been away skiing or something.

Was on Vacation from Aug 25- Sept 8th (working my butt off before leaving [ie few posts]), then working out of Toronto office Last week and this week, drive back to Calgary on Thursday. I was able to send some stuff from the cottage (where I have ADSL) but not from the parent's here in T.O. who have dial-up. At work Busy all last week working 8 to 8+, and even this week is a write-off except a few quick moments. Haven't even had a time to surf Tech news stories. 8O

BTW, it's snowing in Alberta I am thinking of skiing (and my potentially now snowy drive back), but ski hills won't open until late Oct at the earliest (they still need their Ozzy workforce to come out to Banff :twisted: )
 

pauldh

Illustrious
Hey welcome back GrApe. :)

OP:
For me it depends on the game. AF is a must and AA is downright difficult to live with out now. HDR is nice in Oblivion if the card is powerful enough not to make other resolution/detail level sacrifices.
 

pauldh

Illustrious
Teh only game that I've really been playing recently is NFS:MW. I play it at 1280x1024 with Bloom lighting on (X series don't support HDR), as it gives less of a performance hit than AA. The game looks good, aside from some jagged edges.
Fun Game. There is no HDR in NFSMW. Overbright is a bloom effect that simulates HDR.

I am so looking forward to Test Drive Unlimited. Enough so that I go weeks without checking updates on NFS:Carbon.