ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 and NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5650: Taking on DX9
by Andrew Ku on September 14, 2003 11:04 PM EST- Posted in
- Laptops
AquaMark 3
From the developers of Massive, we have AquaMark 3 to show and tell. This is another highly anticipated DX9 benchmark title that is based on the krass-engine, which was used in their previous AquaNox titles.For the purpose of our review, we turned the highest settings on (including 4xAA and 8xAF) and ran the resolution at 1280x1024 throughout. There are nine different chapters to AquaMark 3, which test everything from the particle system (particle upon particle texture build) to the terrain system (aquatic plants and the like as you pass over the bottom of the ocean floor). According to the faq, "AquaMark 3 approximately generates 30% of it's screen pixels (without overdraw) through ps2.0." The detail is quite impressive and can be visually seen in the bubbles of the water that are shown, as well as the light reflectivity in the bubbles of water. However, the detail is still shy of what we saw in Half-Life 2. There are explosions related to tanks and underwater craft firing projectiles, and the explosions are smoother than what we have seen many in DX8 titles. Time permitting later, we will explain this in more detail, so stayed tuned.
The scores that we achieved in AquaMark 3 are similarly reminiscent of our scores in Half-Life 2 but without such large margins. In AquaMark 3, the GeForce FX Go5650 achieves sub 10 fps scores in all but one of the scenarios. Meanwhile, the Mobility Radeon 9600 on the average is situated in the mid teens. Minimally, though, the Mobility Radeon 9600 shows its clear lead over the GeForce FX Go5650 with a 58% lead. At its best, the Mobility Radeon 9600 doubles the margin between its counterpart, and this just reinforces the GeForce FX Go5650’s trouble in true DX9 benchmarks.
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Anonymous User - Monday, September 15, 2003 - link
#34 you clearly have no idea how reviews work. AnandTech isn't going to use BETA (I repeat, BETA) drivers for a review like this, or any review for that matter unless the review specifically concentrates on the drivers themselves. In addition, the laptops tested and any laptop you can find right now is shipping with 44 or 45 series NVIDIA drivers.Besides, the BETA 50 series of drivers already look suspicious with slightly lower IQ and the absence of fog present in HL2. What other little IQ degradation are in these drivers is anyone's guess.
Point is, AnandTech did exactly what they should of done, not use the 50 series drivers until they're ready to go, or WHQL'ed in other words.
By the way, get a clue NVIDIOT.
Anonymous User - Monday, September 15, 2003 - link
#34 - You, sir, are a moron. Yeah, download the Det50 drivers and see what happens when nVidia converts all DX9 calls to DX8. Why not just set the game to DX8 yourself and save all the smoke and mirrors? Go ahead and pay $500 for a DX8 graphics card if you're that stupid.Anonymous User - Monday, September 15, 2003 - link
#27 Probavly you just can´t get reasonable frame rates on DX9 environments. They both look amazing in DX 8 games but can´t handle high quality DX 9. That´s why 25 is upset with the lack of focus of the reviewer. Wait the next train, because there is no first seat class in this wagon.Anonymous User - Monday, September 15, 2003 - link
Why can't you answer the question people have asked? Did you use the Det 50 driver? The answer is NO. Say it NO! You used NVIDIA 44.82. Your results are invalid. Are you guys biased or what? Is ATYT paying you off as well. Download 51.75 and run the test. Then tell us what you see. What a bunch of CRAP.Anonymous User - Monday, September 15, 2003 - link
#26 - if nVidia reduces video quality, they have to be penalized for that. You have to level the IQ playing field before you can compare frame rates. Nvidia lost, give it a rest.Anonymous User - Monday, September 15, 2003 - link
and a Voodoo PC M460 M10, a Targa M10 (in Germany), a Gericomm M10 (Germany), an Acetbis Peacock M10 (Germany), and ATI told me that there will be 5 more in North America by the end of October.Anonymous User - Monday, September 15, 2003 - link
M10 won all the tests, and full DX9 (24-bit, according to Microsoft). What more DX9 do you want? Do you work at nVidia or something?Anonymous User - Monday, September 15, 2003 - link
Sxotty - you're such an immature little bonehead. Are you saying that Nvidia should have won this review? ATI is crushing nVidia at 24-bit, even when nVidia is running in 12/16. And do you really believe the BS spin coming from nVidia that turning off the fog was 'a bug'?Anonymous User - Monday, September 15, 2003 - link
Actually, the reviewer used nVidia's latest shipping mobile drivers -- and if you go any NV31M notebook manufacturer's site, you'll see that the ones he uses are in fact the ones posted.Anonymous User - Monday, September 15, 2003 - link
There is an 9600 PRO laptop available - it's the Sager NP5680. My father is buying one today. Here's the link: http://www.powernotebooks.com/products.php3?displa...