The Dual Graphics Platform Battle, Part 1

Features
By published

Test Setup

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System Hardware
Socket 939 ProcessorAMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ (Italy 90 nm, 2.4 GHz, 2 x 1 MB L2 Cache)
Platform IAsus A8N32-SLI (Socket 939), Rev. 1.01NVIDIA nForce 4 X16, BIOS 0502
Platform IIAsus A8R-MVP (Socket 939), Rev. 1.02GATI Radeon Xpress 200 Crossfire Edition, BIOS 0201
RAMCorsair CM72SD512RLP-32002x 512 MB DDR400 (200 MHz, CL2-2-2-5, 1T)
Hard Drive IWestern Digital WD740 Raptor74 GB, 10,000 RPM, 8 MB Cache, SATA150
Hard Drive IIWestern Digital WD3200JD320 GB, 7,200 RPM, 8 MB Cache, SATA150
NetworkingBroadcom BCM5751 PCI-Express GbE controller
Graphics CardExtreme N7800GT/2DHTV (PCI Express)GeForce 7800GT (400 MHz), 256 MB GDDR3 (500 MHz)
Power SupplyEnermax EG565P-VE, ATX 2.01, 535 W
System Software & Drivers
OSWindows XP Professional 5.10.2600, Service Pack 2
DirectX Version9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Platform DriversATI Catalyst 5.1
Graphics DriverATI Catalyst 5.11
Platform DriversNVIDIA nForce4 6.82 X16
Graphics DriverNVIDIA ForceWare 81.85
Platform DrivesHyperion Pro 5.04

Benchmarks And Settings

Since the whole ATI vs. NVIDIA topic can be somewhat touchy, we decided to cross-benchmark both platforms with graphics cards from ATI and NVIDIA. The goal was to verify whether any of the companies implanted acceleration for its own graphics technology - or pitfalls for the competition. We used the ATI Radeon X850 XL and NVIDIA’s GeForce 7800GTX.

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Benchmarks and Settings
OpenGL
Doom IIIVersion : 1.0.12621280x1024, 32 bitVideo Quality = High Qualitydemo1Graphics detail = High Quality
WolfensteinEnemy TerritoryVersion : 2.56 (Patch V 1.02)1280x1024, 32 bittimedemo 1 / demo demo4Geometric detail = highTexture detail = high
DirectX 8
Unreal Tournament 2004Version : 32041280x1024, 32 bit, Audio = offTHG8-assault-single
DirectX 9
FarCryVersion 1.1 Build 12561280x1024 - 32 bitquality options = High
3DMark 2005Version 1.01024x768, 32 bitGraphics and CPU Default Benchmark
Video
Pinnacle Studio 9 PlusVersion : 9.4.3From : 352x288 MPEG-2 41 MBto : 720x576 MPEG-2 95 MBEncoding and Transition Rendering to MPEG-2/DVDno Audio
Auto Gordian KnotDivX 6XviD 1.0.3Version : 2.16Audio = AC3 6chCustom size = 100 MBResolution settings = Fixed widthCodec = XviD and DivX 5Audio = CBR MP3, 192 kbps182 MB VOB MPEG2-source
Windows Media EncoderVersion : 9.00.00.2980720x480 DV to WMV320x240 (29.97 fps)282 kbps streaming
Audio
Lame MP3Version 3.97.1 Multi-threaded AlphaWave 17:14 minutes (182 MB) to mp332 - 320 kbitsVBR = level 3
libvorbis OGGVersion : 1.0.1WAV 17:14 minutes (182 MB) to oggquality = 5
Applications
WinRARVersion 3.51283 MB, 246 FilesCompression = BestDictionary = 4096 kB
3DS Max 7Characters "Dragon_Charater_rig"1600x1200Rendering Single
Cinema 4DVersion R9Lanz.c4d800x600
CinebenchVersion 2003Rendering
Lightwave 3DVersion 8.2Variatons.lws
POV-RayVersion 3.7Skyvase.pov4800x3600
Synthetic
PCMark 2005 ProVersion : 1.1.0System, CPU and Memory Tests
SiSoftware Sandra ProVersion 2005, SR2CPU Test I = CPU Arithmetic BenchmarkCPU Test II = Multimedia BenchmarkMemory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark