The following benchmark tools and utilities were used, and patched to their most current versions:

- 3DMark06 Advanced Edition v1.1.0

- ATITool 0.26

- EVEREST Ultimate Edition 2006 v3.50.858 Beta

- FRAPS v2.8.2 Build 6486

- RivaTuner 2.0

The following games were used, and patched to their most current versions:

- Call of Duty 2 v1.2

- F.E.A.R. v1.08

- Need for Speed Carbon v1.3

- Prey v1.2

- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion v1.1.511

NVIDIA’s latest WHQL drivers for GeForce 8800-series cards—ForceWare 97.92, were used. All tests were conducted at a resolution of 1920x1200 (vsync off) unless otherwise specified.

For testing 4x Transparency Multisampling Antialiasing (TR MSAA) and 4x Transparency Supersampling Antialiasing (TR SSAA), the game’s antialiasing and anisotropic filtering settings were turned off, while any visual effects that would place additional stress on the video card were turned up as high as they could go. Under the NVIDIA control panel, the settings were left at their defaults settings except as noted:

Anisotropic filtering: 16x

Antialiasing – Mode: Override any application setting

Antialiasing – Setting: 4x

Antialiasing – Transparency: Multisampling or Supersampling

For testing Coverage Sampling Antialiasing (CSAA), antialiasing in the game’s settings were enabled—which is mandatory for CSAA to work. Anisotropic filtering was turned off within the game. Visual effects that would place additional stress on the video card were turned up as high as they could go. In the NVIDIA control panel, the settings were left at their defaults except as noted:

Anisotropic filtering: 16x

Antialiasing – Mode: Enhance the application setting

Antialiasing – Setting: 8x, 16x and 16xQ

Antialiasing – Transparency: Multisampling

Unless otherwise indicated, FRAPS was used to record the minimum, maximum and average frame rates while performing a manual run-through of a game’s level.

Call of Duty 2

Call of Duty 2 is the sequel to the award-winning WWII shooter where the player fights alongside squad mates during major Allied offensives against the Germans. The game uses a highly modified version of the Quake III engine with high-resolution textures and advanced environmental effects (snow, rain, smoke, etc.). In spite of the engine’s age, the game can be surprisingly taxing on a video card with all the eye-candy maxed out. When you think about it, it’s amazing when a game that’s now two years old has native widescreen support, when most “blockbuster” titles today don’t even have it. I did a manual run-through with FRAPS of the first mission in the game—a training mission at the start of the Russian campaign that turns into the real thing during a surprise advance by the enemy.

NVIDIA’s Coverage Sample Anti Aliasing isn’t just marketing hype. Look at the relatively small hit on frame rates when going from 4x TR MSAA to 16x CSAA. I double and triple checked the settings and went through the level with FRAPS at least three times to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. Even with the old Quake III engine, at 16x CSAA, the game looked great—especially particle effects like snow, smoke and dust, and the weathered, war-weary faces of the soldiers. Call of Duty 2 was the second most playable game of the group at 16xQ CSAA.

I did experience some chugging during firefights with a lot of soldiers on the field at this setting; and the game didn’t look that much better than it did at the lower antialiasing settings. So would say that 4x TR MSAA is a good choice if you’re more concerned about frame rates—particularly if you’re playing online. If visual quality is more important, you’ll be surprised at how playable Call of Duty 2 is at 16x CSAA.

F.E.A.R.

In F.E.A.R. you are part of an elite, strike force trained to deal with paranormal threats to national security. When a rogue telepathic military officer unleashes an army of cloned super soldiers, you are sent in to neutralize him. F.E.A.R. has advanced enemy AI that responds intelligently to your every move—and enough Hollywood-style visual effects to bog down the most powerful systems and video cards.

Installing the Version 1.08 patch finally enables native wide-screen resolutions in the game without having to having to tweak .INI files. Ironically, enabling wide-screen resolutions in F.E.A.R. with the v1.08 patch brings up a warning that the game is not “optimized” for wide-screen resolutions. We’ll see if that presents a problem for the EVGA e-GeForce 8800 GTX. For this test, I’m using F.E.A.R.’s built-in Performance Test.

1920x1200 Hi-Res Screenshots

Click to enlarge

All I can say is, if F.E.A.R. v1.08 hasn’t been optimized for wide-screen resolutions, the e-GeForce 8800 GTX certainly didn’t get the memo about it! Would you believe I also had soft shadows—which have previously been a major source of grief in terms of performance and stability for the game—enabled on all the tests—and they actually looked good? The e-GeForce 8800 GTX took the visuals of the dark, suspenseful atmosphere to new heights—at a resolution and levels of antialiasing and detail that a pair of 7900 GTX cards in SLI couldn’t match. However, the performance hit at 16xQ CSAA is way too steep for the game to be playable.