Metro 2033 PhysX for 5970

[Kkkk1]

Hi everyone,
Sorry if this a dumb question but I run an XFX 5970 Black Edition and when setting up the options for game Options there is an option for enabling PhysX. Now correct me if i'm wrong but is this only an option for NVIDIA cards?
I used to run a GTX295 until it died and now have the 5970, but have not noticed any difference with either card other than the 5970 runs it even better.

Please enlighten me.

 

[unknown_13]

Yes, PhysX is only for Nvidia cards. (it's not Nvidia's tech, they bought Ageia)

 

[jerreece]

Using actual "PhysX" is an nVidia deal. Some games have their own "physics" capabilities, but this is usually offloaded to the CPU.

 

[Kkkk1]

Thanks for the replies.
I just thought that if PhysX was an only NVIDIA option why is was not greyed out under an ATi card? If it's CPU dependant I thought you would see a performance issue. But no.

 

[unknown_13]

Thanks for the replies.
I just thought that if PhysX was an only NVIDIA option why is was not greyed out under an ATi card? If it's CPU dependant I thought you would see a performance issue. But no.

It's all 'bout business. Nvidia bought Ageia and they got access to their entire PhysX tech. and then integrated it's capabilities into their cards (starting with the 8 series).

ATi (AMD) has Havok, but it hasn't yet incorporated it's capabilities into their cards.

 

[Kkkk1]

It's all 'bout business. Nvidia bought Ageia and they got access to their entire PhysX tech. and then integrated it's capabilities into their cards (starting with the 8 series).

ATi (AMD) has Havok, but it hasn't yet incorporated it's capabilities into their cards.

thanks for the response but it still doens't explain why I get no performance degregration using an ATi card. Are we saying that PhysX is not really worth it in games? Since I have had both ATi and NVIDIA cards at the high end of the market and not noticed a difference with the ATi card other than I get better frames (cos it's more powerful than GTX295) is PhysX really worth it in games?

Or am I missing the point?

Ta.

 

[Mousemonkey]

It's all 'bout business. Nvidia bought Ageia and they got access to their entire PhysX tech. and then integrated it's capabilities into their cards (starting with the 8 series).

ATi (AMD) has Havok, but it hasn't yet incorporated it's capabilities into their cards.

That'll be because Havok belongs to MS (IIRC) and is run on the CPU not the GPU.

 

[unknown_13]

That'll be because Havok belongs to MS (IIRC) and is run on the CPU not the GPU.

Oh yeah well my post 'bout ATi's Physics was based on some rumors.

 

[unknown_13]

thanks for the response but it still doens't explain why I get no performance degregration using an ATi card. Are we saying that PhysX is not really worth it in games? Since I have had both ATi and NVIDIA cards at the high end of the market and not noticed a difference with the ATi card other than I get better frames (cos it's more powerful than GTX295) is PhysX really worth it in games?

Or am I missing the point?

Ta.

Well i think that PhysX will be a lot more important in future than now. (let's say sometime in 2013-2014)

 

[Mousemonkey]

Oh yeah well my post 'bout ATi's Physics was based on some rumors.

The rumours of ATi's physics solution have been circulating for years now (since 2005/6) but they have yet to produce anything that end users can actually use.

 

[wolfram23]

Hey just an FYI,
First, the amount of games that support PhysX GPU acceleration is pretty small - something like 12 or 13 games maybe as many as 15. Mafia 2 is the most recent.
Second, some of these games allow you to "enable" PhysX regardless of GPU brand. In the case of Metro 2033, enabling it does jack squat. On other games, enabling will load all the PhysX stuff onto the CPU. The problem is that PhysX is made to run a LOT of small "threads" so it's optimized for parallel computing (GPU), and since CPUs have only maybe 4 cores, even tho they're really really fast cores they just can't parallel compute to the same degree so there's a massive holdup causing framerates to plummet.
Third, if you feel like you want PhysX, you can buy a cheap GT 240 or similar card (8600GT or newer) and run the GenL patch (V1.04ff is the latest, works with new NV and PhysX drivers). This is a "hack" that modifies the drivers, but it allows PhysX to run when ATI/AMD card are present. That's what I'm using (2x 5850s with GT 240 for PhysX)

 

[notty22]

thanks for the response but it still doens't explain why I get no performance degregration using an ATi card. Are we saying that PhysX is not really worth it in games? Since I have had both ATi and NVIDIA cards at the high end of the market and not noticed a difference with the ATi card other than I get better frames (cos it's more powerful than GTX295) is PhysX really worth it in games?

Or am I missing the point?

Ta.

Every game implements physX differently. You have one of the fastest combinations gpu/cpu there is. Your current gaming settings are probably giving xx amount of fps and asking the cpu to do some extra work is not effecting anything.
A game like Mafia II would definitely behave differently. I don't think anyone without nvidia cards can maintain 40fps with the physX high setting and the cpu doing that work.

 

[17seconds]

I'm not sure, but I believe the game detects your video card, and if it's ATI it won't run the PhysX instructions, even if you enable it. That would explain why you don't see any performance degradation with PhysX enabled on an ATI card.

 

[notty22]

I'm not sure, but I believe the game detects your video card, and if it's ATI it won't run the PhysX instructions, even if you enable it. That would explain why you don't see any performance degradation with PhysX enabled on an ATI card.

That might be possible to, the video that shows the difference physX on / off appears to add a good amount of 'stuff'. If the fellow with the 5970 was to put settings on medium , low AA, so as to get the game to give over 60fps, then just click physX with those same settings to see what the hit is. Might help prove this.
Lower resolution/settings to get a very high fps then add only physX, that should bring it right down , if it really is implementing.