Level Analysis: mp_airstrip
This is our default benchmark here at AnandTech. We've been using this demo to benchmark with FarCry ever since we first included it in our benchmark suite.
ATI mp_airstrip screenshot.
Click to enlarge.
NV SM2.0 mp_airstrip screenshot.
Click to enlarge.
NV SM3.0 mp_airstrip screenshot.
Click to enlarge.
Image quality is not an issue here as the NVIDIA and ATI screen shots show.
With no AA or AF enabled, the SM3.0 path offers a small performance boost that nudges the GeForce 6800 Ultra Extreme up over the X800 XT in performance. The improvement in our default benchmark is negligible, and (except for the 6800 UE) statistically insignificant. Also, the 6800 shows a very small drop in performance here.
Turning on AA and AF gives a little extra help to seeing a performance improvement with the SM3.0 path, but this still isn't anything to brag about. With AA/AF and SM3.0 the only card that slips in position is the X800 Pro (which is really too close a race to call anyway).
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DerekWilson - Friday, July 2, 2004 - link
Thanks Pete, we'll be setting AA and AF in the benchmark batch file from now on ... We've updated the site to reflect the fact that the first run of numbers had NV 4xAA set in the control panel (which means it was off in the game).We appologize for the problem, and these new numbers show an acurate picture of the NV vs. ATI playing field.
Again, we are very sorry for the mistake.
Bonesdad - Friday, July 2, 2004 - link
Wait till you see the numbers for NV's 6800 Ultra Extreme with Cheese!!!Pete - Friday, July 2, 2004 - link
Derek, was AA on for the nV cards? Apparently nV's latest drivers change behavior once again, to require AA to be set in-game, rather than via CP (which does nothing).Perhaps you could avoid this mess of ever-changing AA settings by using AA+AF for comparison screens? It'd also have the added benefit of showing the games in a more positive light. :)
joeyd - Friday, July 2, 2004 - link
gordon151 - Friday, July 2, 2004 - link
pio!pio! x-bit labs tested the difference between performance with the 1.2 and 1.1 patch on the NV3x (5900 Ultra) and well it wasn't pretty. NV3x actually saw a rather big performance drop using the new patch. I dunno if nVidia is gonna do anything about this since they seem to be turning a blind eye to the NV3x line with respect to future optimizations.DerekWilson - Friday, July 2, 2004 - link
trilinear optimizations are onanisotripic filtering optimizations are off
AA has less noticable benefit as resolution increases, but nearly vertical and nearly horizontal lines are still obvious in games with high contrast scenes.
kmmatney - Friday, July 2, 2004 - link
Do you really need AA on when running at 1600 x 1200, as in these these benchmarks? Just wondering if its much of a benefit at this high of a resolution. I never go past 1024 x 768, so I wouldn't know.pio!pio! - Friday, July 2, 2004 - link
So how about just the performance jump from FarCry 1.1 to 1.2 w/o using these high end shaders? (Ie for the previous generation Geforce 5900 crowd and lower)AnnoyedGrunt - Friday, July 2, 2004 - link
Does that mean trilinear optimizations on, or trilinear filtering on?Thanks,
D'oh!
DerekWilson - Friday, July 2, 2004 - link
we used driver default:trilinear on
anisotropic off