Test Setup
by
Tino Kreiss
| Single Nvidia and ATI Graphics Cards | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Dual Core 3.2 GHz |
| FSB | 200 MHz |
| Motherboard | Intel D975XBX |
| Chipset | Intel 975 BX, driver 7.2.2.1006 |
| Memory | 2x OCZ 512 MB, DDR2, PC2 8000 Platinum Edition 5-5-5-15, Dual Channel |
| Hard Drive | Hitachi
2 x 120 GB SATA (8 MB) |
| DVD | Gigabyte GO-D1600C |
| LAN | Intel Pro/1000 |
| Audio | Sigmatel |
| Power Supply | Silverstone SST-ST56ZF 560 W |
| Nvidia SLI Graphics Cards | |
| CPU | Intel Dual Core 3.2 GHz |
| FSB | 200 MHz |
| Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-8N-SLI Royal |
| Chipset | nForce4 Intel SLI, driver nForce4 Intel 7.15 SLI |
| Memory | 2x DDR2, Kingston KVR667D2N5K2/1G, Dual Channel |
| LAN | Marvell |
| Audio | Realtek |
| AGP Graphics Cards | |
| CPU | Intel 3.06 GHz |
| FSB | 133 MHz |
| Motherboard | Asus P4P800 Deluxe |
| Chipset | i865, driver 7.2.2.1006 |
| Memory | 2 x 512 MB, DDR 266 MHz, Dual Channel |
| Audio | Creative SB Live |
| Driver & Configuration | |
| Graphics Drivers | ATI Catalyst 6.3, X1800 GTO Gecube-driver 8.223
Nvidia 81.98, AGP 7800 GS EVGA-driver 81.98 |
| Operating System | Windows XP Pro SP1a |
| DirectX | Version 9.0c |
| Test Matrix | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | Benchmark | Anti Aliasing (AA) | Anisotropic Filtering (AF) | Possible Problems and Settings | Nvidia SLI Settings |
| Age of Empires 3 (v1.04) | Fraps 60 sec / custom-recorded THG game, Max Details/Quality | Set through application, Low and High | Set through driver | AA rendered incorrectly when set through driver; AF not available in the game. Shader settings: Pixel Shader 2.0 = High, Pixel Shader 3.0 = Very High (speed not directly comparable) | Single GPU Rendering |
| Black & White 2 (v1.1) | Fraps 60 sec / Intro Island Flyby, Max Details/Quality | Set through application, Low and High | Set through driver | AA rendered incorrectly if set through driver; AF not available in the game | Multi GPU Rendering |
| Call of Duty 2 (v1.01 Intel) | Custom THG-Timedemo, Max Details/Quality | Set through driver | Set through driver | AF not available in the game | Activate multi-GPU rendering and SLI optimizations in the game |
| F.E.A.R. (v1.02) | F.E.A.R. Benchmark, Max Details/Quality | Set through driver; deactivate soft shadows in combination with AA | Set through driver | Soft shadows render incorrectly with AA, higher fps for AA without soft shadows | Multi GPU Rendering |
| Quake 4 (v1.04) | Custom THG-Timedemo, Ultra Quality | Set through driver | Set through driver, AF set to zero through Quake 4 with command: image_anisotropy 0 | AF not available in the game menu | Multi GPU rendering |
| Serious Sam 2 (v2.066a) | Timedemo Shield Generator28, Max Details/Quality/32-Bit | Set through application, set AA to none on Nvidia cards with HDR-R | Set through driver | HDR-R + AA not possible on Nvidia cards, only AF is calculated; ATI's Pixel Shader 2.0 cards don't support HDR rendering | Single GPU rendering |
| 3DMark06 (v1.0.2) | Default Benchmark | Set through application | Set through application | HDR-R + AA not possible on Nvidia cards, only AF is calculated | Multi GPU-Rendering |
Related Stories :
- ATI Graphics Card Buyer's Guide 2006, Part II
- ATI Graphics Buyer's Guide Spring 2006, Part 1
- Buyers Guide, Part III: All Graphics Cards!
- THG Graphics Card Buyer's Guide
- ATI Buyer's Guide, Part III: All Graphics Cards!
- Holiday Buyer's Guide 2006, Part 7: More Mobile Stuff
- Holiday Buyer's Guide 2006, Part 6: Gifts For Geeks and Gamers
- Holiday Buyer's Guide 2006, Part 5: The Mobile Stuff
- Holiday Buyer's Guide 2006, Part 4: Gifts for Non-Geeks
- Holiday Buyer's Guide 2006, Part 3: Components & Peripherals
