Havok announces physics engine for GPUs

[cleeve]

As predicted.

Aegia's PhysX card could be in trouble before it's even released, if it has to compete against cheap, plentiful Radeons & Geforces out of the gate:

<A HREF="http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multimedia/display/20051028224421.html" target="_new">http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multimedia/display/20051028224421.html</A>

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<b>Geforce <font color=red>6800 Ultra</b></font color=red>
<b>AthlonXP <font color=red>~3300+</b></font color=red> <i>(Barton 2500+ o/c 412 FSB @ 2266 Mhz)</i>
<b>3dMark05: <font color=red>5,275</b>

 

[Rugger]

Very interesting read! I wonder what the time delay will be between hardware and software support? Will this be a case where early SM3.0/physics processng is supported, but not executable on todays GPUs because of lack of power?

*Steam rising*
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~~~~~
BUNNY STEW FOR DINNER!!

 

[cleeve]

Well, since it's a free performance boost, and since even todays SM 3.0 cards are vastly more efficient at FP calculations than today's CPU's are - and CPUs are currently making the physics calculations - I'd say any use at all would be a decent increase.

People might end up buying SLI and Xfire boards not to dual-link their graphics cards, but to dedicate one for graphics and one for physics...

________________
<b>Geforce <font color=red>6800 Ultra</b></font color=red>
<b>AthlonXP <font color=red>~3300+</b></font color=red> <i>(Barton 2500+ o/c 412 FSB @ 2266 Mhz)</i>
<b>3dMark05: <font color=red>5,275</b>

 

[Rugger]

I obviously need to do some more reading on this subject. Isn't this a separate card? How is it a free performance boost?

*Steam rising*
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|<font color=red>(")_(")</font color=red>|
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BUNNY STEW FOR DINNER!!

 

[cleeve]

Well, the performance boost might be free in some situations, as you have to have a videocard anyway.

True, it may require a dedicated card, but it also may not - in which case your GPU (which you own anyway) would handle both graphics as well as some physics calculations.

But the details remain to be seen.

________________
<b>Geforce <font color=red>6800 Ultra</b></font color=red>
<b>AthlonXP <font color=red>~3300+</b></font color=red> <i>(Barton 2500+ o/c 412 FSB @ 2266 Mhz)</i>
<b>3dMark05: <font color=red>5,275</b>

 

[Rugger]

So it can be integrated into video cards as an additional chip?

*Steam rising*
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|<font color=red>(")_(")</font color=red>|
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BUNNY STEW FOR DINNER!!

 

[cleeve]

Nonono...

The graphics chip *ITSELF* can be used to calculate physics!

i.e. a currently selling Radeon X1800 or Geforce 7800!

________________
<b>Geforce <font color=red>6800 Ultra</b></font color=red>
<b>AthlonXP <font color=red>~3300+</b></font color=red> <i>(Barton 2500+ o/c 412 FSB @ 2266 Mhz)</i>
<b>3dMark05: <font color=red>5,275</b>

 

[addiarmadar]

That a bit of kick a$$ there. Good thing I got my 7800gtx ;-)

If such does roll out, employees of AGEIA would need to polish their resumes.

Either way, Id prefer it to so software than adding another piece of hardware in my rig.

<i><font color=red>Only an overclocker can make a computer into a convectional oven.</i></font color=red>

 

[Rugger]

Basically, it's a software engine that does enhanced physics processing on the GPU instead of the CPU.

I did some more reading to alleviate my ignorance. Here's a <A HREF="http://www.gamespot.com/news/6136639.html" target="_new">Q&A</A> for anyone that wants some more details on Havok FX.

*Steam rising*
|<font color=red>(\__/)</font color=red>|
|<font color=red>(='.'=)</font color=red>|
|<font color=red>(")_(")</font color=red>|
~~~~~
BUNNY STEW FOR DINNER!!