MultiGPU Update: Two-GPU Options in Depth
by Derek Wilson on February 23, 2009 7:30 AM EST- Posted in
- GPUs
Race Driver GRID Analysis
This game can really hammer graphics memory at high resolution, but in general performance is very good with GRID across the board. This is a short FRAPS test on a straight section of track at the beginning of a race from the back of the pack.
1680x1050 1920x1200 2560x1600
All cards are playable below 2560x1600 with ultra quality settings in GRID. Moving up in resolution really benefits from more than 512MB of RAM, especially with multiGPU options. 9800 GTX+ SLI, the 9800 GX2, 4870 512MB CrossFire and 4850 CrossFire really tank in performance with the two ATI solutions even providing a negative "improvement." We'd love to see ATI and NVIDIA detect negative performance impact from multiGPU systems and automatically revert to a single GPU, but it's clear from today's tests that neither NVIDIA nor ATI have anything like that going on.
At 2560x1600, any single GPU except for the 9800 GTX+ can handle 2560x1600. We strongly recommend cards with more than 512MB of memory for running at this resolution though, as navigating the menu suffers quite dramatically inspite of playable performance on the track.
1680x1050 1920x1200 2560x1600
We see really good performance scaling in this game, especially from NVIDIA hardware. From 77% to 100% scaling at 1680x1050 and mid to high 80% scaling for 1920x1200 is very imprssive. The best AMD can muster under 2560x1600 is 69% scaling with the 4850. Of course, AMD single GPU options do provide higher performance than their competition from NVIDIA, but the scaling advantage does help the case for SLI here. Looking at 2560x1600, the two 512MB CrossFire options tank completely and 4870 1GB scaling increases to over 73%. SLI still looks better here with 82% to 90% scaling on GT200 based parts. The 9800 GTX+ still scales, but it's low memory and already low single card performance at 2560x1600 make it not a viable solution.
1680x1050 1920x1200 2560x1600
All this translates to our value data as well. Single GPU AMD solutions live up near the top of the chart at all resolutions, while SLI doesn't drop off in value as much as CrossFire (though CrossFire, because of the higher baseline performance and lower cost, tends to accumulate more value than SLI). The 9800 GTX+, because of it's low cost and high scaling, is the exception posting good value numbers for NVIDIA until we hit 2560x1600 (at which point it drops way off).
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MamiyaOtaru - Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - link
So we have to be perfect in every way to point out errors? NBA players shouldn't listen to their coaches because their coaches can't play as well as they do? Game reviewers shouldn't trash a game because they couldn't make a better one?ggathagan - Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - link
When it comes to grammatical errors as insignificant as the ones pointed out, yes.If you're going to be that critical, then you best check your own grammar.
cptnjarhead - Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - link
Grammar shmammar, you guys need to move out of your mom’s basement and get laid. :)bigboxes - Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - link
+1stym - Monday, February 23, 2009 - link
I am curious to see how a pair of radeon 4830 would perform in this lineup. A single one is quite weak at those resolutions, but I am willing to bet a pair of those would hold its own against a single GTX280.Oh, and it would be much cheaper, too ($180 including the bridge).
Could you possibly include that setup next?
DerekWilson - Monday, February 23, 2009 - link
You are right that a single 4830 won't be enough perform on par with these guys ... but I don't think two of them would really be worth it against the GTX 280 except maybe at lower resolutions. The 1GB 4830 will run you at least $145, so you're looking at $290 for two of them and the 4850 X2 2GB is the same price. The 512MB 4830 will be limited by memory usage at higher resolutions just like the 4850 512MB.We might look at the 4830 in CrossFire internally and see if it warrants an update, but so far it isn't in the roadmap for the rest of the series.
stym - Monday, February 23, 2009 - link
I was thinking 512MB 4830s, which are in the $90~$110 price range. That price range is the only reason I mention them, because it puts the price tag of a pair of those in the exact same range as a Radeon 4830 512MB or even a GTX260.You said that a 4850 1GB doesn't make sense, and that's even more obvious for a 4830.
pmonti80 - Monday, February 23, 2009 - link
I find too that this would be an interesting match at the $200+ pricetag.wilkinb - Monday, February 23, 2009 - link
why not just drop AoC, it was bad when it came out, has always had issues and odd results and no one i know played for more then 2 months...If you want to have a mmo, why not use one that people play? and maybe even more mature in development...
I know you will say it adds value, but you dont know its it bad code or showing a different view.
ajoyner - Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - link
Most of the issues with the game are gone. There are currently no other MMO's out there that have the graphics or combat system to tax a gpu like this game. Your comment on testing a game that people play is very subjective. There are many MMO's out there that I would not touch....WOW, cough, cough.....but that doesn't mean other people don't enjoy them. I think having this game as one that is regularly benchmarked adds a great deal of value to the article.