Quad-core CPUs and Graphics performance

[Cooper]

Cache diference does not result in 20+% difference mate

[brandinb]

Not forgetting things are we, cache difference perhaps ?

Also If nvidia really does perform better with quads , why didnt review add an AMD system or two?
Dubious review esp after the hyped 180. seris from Nvidia.

Let me get this straight.

Your saying that nvidia drivers are better optomize for cache then??

[KoHaN69]

Cache diference does not result in 20+% difference mate

tell that to allendale

[BababooeyHTJ]

Wow! Now AMD just needs to work on driver stability.

[Glow9]

I haven't played around with ATI since I got this 8800GTS but do you really have to download specific drivers for certain games?

[ColonelCain]

I haven't played around with ATI since I got this 8800GTS but do you really have to download specific drivers for certain games?

Not in that sense.

Though, they have been pushing out "Beta hotfixes" for newer games in-between their monthly driver cycle.

This news is kinda bittersweet. AMD hasn't been looking towards the future, while nvidia has. However, if this is true, then there could be some significant performance increases.

[Glow9]

Not in that sense.

Though, they have been pushing out "Beta hotfixes" for newer games in-between their monthly driver cycle.

This news is kinda bittersweet. AMD hasn't been looking towards the future, while nvidia has. However, if this is true, then there could be some significant performance increases.

Okay so just so I get this. Say driver 9.02 came out Jan 1, Game: Shoot a Fanboy came on Jan 15th. So since ATI doesn't have this game in it's 9.02 they will release a hotfix.
But! say you didn't download the 9.02 driver but download drivers 9.03 that come out say Feb 1st, then buy Shoot a Fanboy after Feb 1st you wont need the hotfix. That hotfix will be included in the new 9.02 driver correct?

[Morais]

that would be a nice game to play
Yep, the hotfix is added to the next catalyst version.

[Gener_AL (UK)]

lets not overlook the differences between the proccessors
thats all i was suggesting.

[Gener_AL (UK)]

Let me get this straight.

Your saying that nvidia drivers are better optomize for cache then??

No.

May i point you here to read a little more http://www.nordichardware.com/Review...&skrivelse=514

[ColonelCain]

Okay so just so I get this. Say driver 9.02 came out Jan 1, Game: Shoot a Fanboy came on Jan 15th. So since ATI doesn't have this game in it's 9.02 they will release a hotfix.
But! say you didn't download the 9.02 driver but download drivers 9.03 that come out say Feb 1st, then buy Shoot a Fanboy after Feb 1st you wont need the hotfix. That hotfix will be included in the new 9.02 driver correct?

Yep, pretty much.

Though, the problem with ATI's driver release schedule is that it incures some MAJOR shortfalls.
Namely the small amount of improvement, since by releasing it monthly, there is little time to actually try to work out issues, beef up performance.
Secondly, the issue that they often break fixes applied a few months prior.

Anyhow, back on topic :
@Gener_AL (UK), this wouldn't be a very sound stratagy, as then each time a new uarch became king, they would need to dig deep into the driver to change it to perform well on the new uarch.
ATI/nvidia are much better off trying to keep cache and specific uarch out of the equation.

[Gener_AL (UK)]

@Gener_AL (UK), this wouldn't be a very sound stratagy, as then each time a new uarch became king, they would need to dig deep into the driver to change it to perform well on the new uarch.
ATI/nvidia are much better off trying to keep cache and specific uarch out of the equation.

Thats not what i was saying
All i was merely pointing out that the dual has 1/2 the cache of the quad.
the link i posted above points out a 20% increase.

[T_Flight]

I haven't played around with ATI since I got this 8800GTS but do you really have to download specific drivers for certain games?

OK, before I post this I want to say that this has nothing to do with either nVidia or ATI except that they both use drivers.

Yes and No is the answer. I have found that certain drivers tend to perform better with certain games, and they don't always get better with later releases....sometimes they get worse. That goes for both ATI and nVidia. I don't know whether it's the fixes, or just the driver code is more efficient for certain titles. This is even more glaring with flight simulators. Flight simulators tend to be very finicky about things like that.

I have used ATI and nVidia both through the years, and tend to keep multiple drivers on storage for drivers switches when I change titles. I like to get max performance. It doesn't take that long and for PC stuff I do alot of setup before flying/gaming anyway. I tend to shut down all background stuff, clean up the HDD, bump up the Video clocks, and basically just put the machine into a "gaming mode" where it's setup to game.

I have not found one driver yet that will do it all.

[Glow9]

Yep, pretty much.

Though, the problem with ATI's driver release schedule is that it incures some MAJOR shortfalls.
Namely the small amount of improvement, since by releasing it monthly, there is little time to actually try to work out issues, beef up performance.
Secondly, the issue that they often break fixes applied a few months prior.

Why is this? With bragging right with the fastest card on the planet ect ect wouldn't performance sort of be a priority?

[ColonelCain]

Why is this? With bragging right with the fastest card on the planet ect ect wouldn't performance sort of be a priority?

I'm pretty sure that ATI does this for WHQL cert. purposes.

Yeah, you would think that performance would be a top priority. That, and overall compatibility.

IMO, ATI really needs to change up their release schedule. WHQL certification really isn't worth the sacrifices made on a montly release schedule.

[Cooper]

what's wrong with monthly updates ?

[ColonelCain]

what's wrong with monthly updates ?

There isn't enough time to make substantial positive progress in improving the driver.

EDIT:
This basically sums up my stance on monthly releases: http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3463&p=6

[fragmasterMax]

I know this is a bit off topic, but what this so called review completely neglects to mention or pay attention to is minimum frames per second.
With aa, and everything maxed on crysis with a 9800gx2 on an e7300 at 4ghz, my min fps was hitting 4-5.
With a q9450 my min fps didnt dip below 20 fps, and this was an apples to apples test.

[askimo]

What I'm dying to see is a benchmark that compares the overclocked E8500 vs the Q9650. I bet you the 8500 easily wins due to the speed difference.

[Glow9]

What I'm dying to see is a benchmark that compares the overclocked E8500 vs the Q9650. I bet you the 8500 easily wins due to the speed difference.

too bad they didnt just opt to do true quads for 775 then I bet the Q9650 would do some damage

[T_Flight]

I know this is a bit off topic, but what this so called review completely neglects to mention or pay attention to is minimum frames per second.
With aa, and everything maxed on crysis with a 9800gx2 on an e7300 at 4ghz, my min fps was hitting 4-5.
With a q9450 my min fps didnt dip below 20 fps, and this was an apples to apples test.

Whoa! 4-5 slideshow FPS. I bet that was fun. heh

20, now that's getting better definitely.

What did they average? Do you remember?

[Cooper]

There isn't enough time to make substantial positive progress in improving the driver.

EDIT:
This basically sums up my stance on monthly releases: http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3463&p=6

Although I agree that one month may not be enough to make proper driver for brand new title, but what AMD lacks in this department is co-operation with game vendors so by the time the title is release AMD would already have proper driver for it. TWIMTBP really payes off...

[Sr7]

Although I agree that one month may not be enough to make proper driver for brand new title, but what AMD lacks in this department is co-operation with game vendors so by the time the title is release AMD would already have proper driver for it. TWIMTBP really payes off...

To over-simplify by stating this as purely a factor of a TWIMTBP co-marketing deal is not accurate.

Lots of people at NVIDIA work hard to help developers out via technical and driver support, even if their title is not TWIMTBP. It's also a matter of staffing for this task..

There's no reason AMD couldn't/doesn't do the same (in fact they do, they just don't do it to nearly the same scale).

[Marios]

Who cares about 10-20% gain from quads at just 800X600? LOL

[GAR]

As of late, nvidia has been beating ati in all areas, if 8.12 does not provide better performance and improve im going to sell of my 4870x2 and get the 55nm gtx 280 SLI