Benchmark Results: Race Driver GRID
Race Driver: GRID
In order to benchmark Race Driver: GRID, we use FRAPS to run a 45 second lap at the Detroit “Sports Car Circuit,” one of the more demanding tracks in the game. We also utilize the most demanding cockpit view and start/remain in the back of the pack, which should provide close to a worst-case scenario for performance. If you find this view difficult (or just enjoy looking at the shiny cars while you drive), you can typically gain performance by utilizing the swingman view.
Also note that some hardware configurations may suffer larger frame rate hits during night racing, resulting in somewhat lower performance than seen here. I happen to be a big fan of racing games and probably a little pickier than most people in terms of frame rates. Any time the performance drops below 40 FPS, it can be felt in this game. So, personally, I like to remain above 40 FPS. But your reaction time probably won't suffer unless frame rates drop to near 30 FPS, so we’ll settle for an average target of 40 FPS.
The upward slope and tight spacing at each step up in CPU progression signifies the processor limitation at these settings, and is a clear indication that GRID benefits from a quad-core CPU. The cheapest GPU/CPU combination does hit our target, although even the Radeon HD 4850 is held back when paired with less than a Phenom II X4 955 BE. The GeForce GTX 295 starts off behind, just as in Part 1. But it's held back from the 97 FPS it achieved with Intel's Core i7-920 by all of these AMD-based CPUs.
We see a similar picture at 1680x1050, with all 24 combinations reaching the target line. ATI's Radeon HD 4850 is starting to be taxed, and no longer delivers a significant boost when stepping up to a more expensive processor.
The GeForce GTX 260 balances well with Phenom II X3 720 BE, but the cheapest platform again still delivers an acceptable level of performance. The other four graphics cards are all held back from their full potential with anything shy of the three tested quad-core processors.
The GeForce GTX 260 and Radeon HD 4850 both fall below the green line at 2560x1600, leaving Phenom II X2 550 BE/Radeon HD 4890 as the cheapest solution in Part 2 to reach our target. The Radeon HD 4890 and GeForce GTX 285 balance out well with the dual-core Phenom II, while it takes the quad-core processor to keep up with the dual-GPU cards. The GeForce GTX 295/Phenom II X4 955 BE put up some impressive numbers, even slightly surpassing those generated in Part 1 on the LGA 1366-based Core i7 platform.
