9800 GX2 Framerate issues in Far Cry 2 and Crysis: Warhead

[camnipotent]

Hey guys and gals,

I just installed Far Cry 2 and Crysis Warhead on my machine. I have an EVGA 9800 GX2 with the latest drivers. My screen resolution is set at 1600x1050.

Should I be able to run these games at max settings in DX10 with AAx2? I feel like I should (maybe I'm dreaming) but when I try, I'm getting a terrible (4-10 fps) framerate. If I take AA off, I'm still getting a choppy picture (15-25 fps).

When I run FC2 in DX9, I have no problem with max settings (I haven't run Warhead in DX9, yet).

Is there something I'm missing about my card that would explain the low fps, or is this normal? I figured I'd be getting some pretty decent framerates with the 9800 GX2, but for some reason I have the feeling that something just isn't right.

Some people say they're getting ~60 fps (Crysis) with my same card. Does that mean they're most likely using DX9?

If they are, that makes me feel better. However, if they're using DX10 and getting that (or even half that!) I'm obviously not doing something right.

Thanks for all of your help in advance!

Cam

 

[invisik]

you should be getting slightly more frames. maybe the games are not utilizing both gpus, so i've heard and experienced myself. you should reinstall drivers and see if that helps.

 

[jeremyrailton]

currently very poor driver support for those two games. I have the same issues with Crysis: Warhead. I have to turn it to mainstream settings to get any kind of decent frames. Far Cry 2 is basically the same. Nvidia needs to do more to support this card. Hopefully we'll see some new drivers soon.

 

[radguy]

I have heard of several problems over at the guru site with the 9800gx2 lately in some games including farcry 2 and crysis warhead.

http://www.guru3d.com/article/core-i7-multigpu-sli-crossfire-game-performance-review/15

http://www.guru3d.com/article/far-cry-2-pc-vga-graphics-performance-review/5

In the second link I don't think they are even running the game maxed out just with dx10 on some high settings. The 9800gx2 doesn't beat an 8800gt for some reason at 1600x1200. Anyway I had read this and thought the info might help you.

 

[invisik]

nvidia is dropping support for the 9800gx2. there improving drivers for gtx200 so i doubt any new good drivers are coming out for this card.
gtx200 series scales decently with crysis warhead and farcry 2.

 

[L1qu1d]

Its got to do with the drivers, you need to wait till they fix it.

I wouldn't jump quick to immediatly dropping support, but it is happening, but I'm sure they'll fix atleast this. (Ofc when I say atleast that doesn't mean they are right away after not going to make anymore drivers) People think that if they see the name of the video card on the driver it means that something was improved for that card, but it just means that the card can use the drivers, it doesn't mean it actually fixes that specific card. The drivers can be the same driver for your card, just to make sure ppl even with old cards can play new games, example my drivers were old for my laptop to play far cry 2, I updated the drivers, it did nothing to fix the GPU, just stopped the annoying pop up

 

[dagger]

It's driver problem. You need updated drivers with the fix.
http://downloads.guru3d.com/GeForce-Forceware-180.43-Vista-64-bit-download-2109.html
It's not limited to x2 cards, but all sli/cf configurations as well.

For FC2, there is also an upcoming update that fixes the problem on game's side. Although you should probably just get the new driver and get it over with. Not sure about Crysis Warhead.

 

[camnipotent]

Thanks for all of your help!

Well, after seeing some more problems with the GX2 in games like FC2, I'm considering getting rid of this card and getting a GTX 260.

Do you think it's worth the extra $100-120 (I think I can get $200 for my current card) to get the GTX 260?

It seems to be a good jump in it's capacity. I'm not sure if I'm splitting hairs here, but if you think the idea is worthing anything, let me know!

Again, I know my cards pretty good, but after seeing terrible high-res framerate issues, I think it might be worth it. Let me know if my GX2 will still outperform in other games.

Thanks again!

 

[dagger]

Thanks for all of your help!

Well, after seeing some more problems with the GX2 in games like FC2, I'm considering getting rid of this card and getting a GTX 260.

Do you think it's worth the extra $100-120 (I think I can get $200 for my current card) to get the GTX 260?

It seems to be a good jump in it's capacity. I'm not sure if I'm splitting hairs here, but if you think the idea is worthing anything, let me know!

Again, I know my cards pretty good, but after seeing terrible high-res framerate issues, I think it might be worth it. Let me know if my GX2 will still outperform in other games.

Thanks again!

I wouldn't do it. It's a pretty huge downgrade for extra $120. Not a good deal no matter how you look at it.
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3341&p=13
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3341&p=14
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3341&p=15
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3341&p=16
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3341&p=17
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3341&p=18
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3341&p=19

 

[gamerk316]

Agreed with above, no point in downgrading to a 260.

Understand, that at high resolutions, the GX2 simply doesn't have the extra OMMPH to do AA at the same time. Thats understandable.


My GX2 on XP (DX9 obviously) gets a stead 50-60 FPS on Far Cry 2 at 1280x1024 with everything but AA at very high settings (Ultra high is probably closer to 35-45 FPS, which is too shoddy for me). So figuring Vista and DX10...yep, a 20 frame loss sounds about right...

Make sure your using the 180.42 beta drivers, those help a TON with Far Cry 2. Also note, the game is only at 1.01 now. And you point out, that DX9 runs fine. Maybe the issue is DX10 just...stinks?

 

[dagger]

Agreed with above, no point in downgrading to a 260.

Understand, that at high resolutions, the GX2 simply doesn't have the extra OMMPH to do AA at the same time. Thats understandable.


My GX2 on XP (DX9 obviously) gets a stead 50-60 FPS on Far Cry 2 at 1280x1024 with everything but AA at very high settings (Ultra high is probably closer to 35-45 FPS, which is too shoddy for me). So figuring Vista and DX10...yep, a 20 frame loss sounds about right...

Make sure your using the 180.42 beta drivers, those help a TON with Far Cry 2. Also note, the game is only at 1.01 now. And you point out, that DX9 runs fine. Maybe the issue is DX10 just...stinks?

That means the dual gpu bug is still there. My g92 8800gts gets the same fps at 1280x1024, dx9 in fc2.

 

[gamerk316]

Forget to mention, I have Vsync on, so I can't go over 60FPS anyways

Still, GX2 driver support has greatly improved over the past year; thats why only the 280, and the 4850X2 and 4870X2 are faster (and not by much...). You just need to know how hard to push it for each game.

 

[monsta]

I wouldnt give up so easily , im sure there will be driver updates for far cry2 and the 9800GX2 in the near future

 

[darthvaderkenneth]

yeah far cry 2 does not hav good performance with any x2 cards geforce or radeon and crysis warhead is a glitchy mess.

 

[L1qu1d]

i doubt that will give up on the drivers that quick. Nvidia does want to phase out the 9800 GX2, but atm I see it staying for a bit more

 

[JAYDEEJOHN]

Didnt see this posted http://www.fileshack.com/file.x/13229/Far+Cry+2+Retail+1.01+Patch
Hope this helps

 

[L1qu1d]

Far cry 2 updates on its own, atleast it did for me

 

[crysis900]

Back to Crysis Warhead. I have an EVGA 9800GX2 KO. I've NEVER, not once had a driver issue with this card. I'm using the 180 beta drivers. At 1280x1024, on Crysis Warhead I can run DX10, All very high settings except shaders (high). 0x AA. Average around 50-55. If I set everything to high, I can add 2x AA. Average 40-45.
My rig:
Q9550 @ 3.5
9800GX2
4gb DDR3

If you're having issues with the game or low FPS, I think something is wrong.

 

[L1qu1d]

When i had the GX2 I ran warhead around 30-40 fps, with random dips to 20 (especially at the beginning when you see the smoking city). 2 x's AA wouldn't hit it too hard, I lost about 3 fps, but 4 x's AA hit it to avg 40s.

Q9450 @ 3.6

BFG 9800 GX2

8 gig OCZ Reaper ram. using 177.84 or something like that. The new beta drivers didn't do anything to the GX2 itself they were meant for Far Cry 2. Quad sli performed much worse, with dips in low 15s even, I dunno what was wrong with the GX2 when quad was enabled.

This was all @ 1280x1024. Now I'm played the game with 1 280 GTX and I avg out around 50 fps Very high 1280x1024, ofc dipping to mid 30s at the beginning, must be the smoke from the tress or something.

 

[rangers712000]

Hey man.

Do you have the 9800 gx2 from EVGA? Why not just do the Step Up instead of selling and losing a lot of money? That is what I'm doing with my evga 9800 gx2, I'm just gonna step up to one of the gtx 200 cards.