Introduction

Since the 3D-Grafikkarten-Markt is a tough competition between ATi and NVIDIA, it is no longer done with the development of the graphics card as well as the unique programming of the driver. Now the manufacturer over a longer period on a regular basis of new driver for a graphics chip must develop and maintain. It is sometimes even necessary to match a driver for a single game for the game at best, a little faster, but sometimes also only run.

In addition, the drivers for new GPUs must be adapted as their architecture often differs from its predecessors and so special optimizations are inevitable. This is true for the Radeon HD 4800 series from ATi, whose GPU although not complete, but still significantly different from the RV670. Because the future products of the Radeon manufacturers are based on same or a trimmed-down chip, have we decided to do this, go with a Radeon HD 4870 regularly some speed tests through to leave and to verify whether there have been changes.

The latest driver from the ATi House is the catalyst 8.11. In the test with the part of the catalyst 8.10. is also

Because we have reorganised our graphics card test system currently, we had to all benchmarks renew, so as a candidate for comparison only the catalyst 8.10 is used. More detailed information about older drivers can be found in the earlier tests. The test course is currently still in the building, which is why there is the appropriate screenshots for each benchmark. We ask this to apologize.

ATi catalyst 8.11

Somewhat surprisingly ATi has submitted the catalyst 8.11 download on 12 November, this time apparently coming with some major modifications therefore. The driver dated on 28 October and has since spent some days for a WHQL testing at Microsoft. The software supports all video cards from the Radeon 9500, and can address also the Radeon-HD-4000 series. The recently presented Radeon HD 4830 does not mistakenly.

The catalyst 8.11, bearing the exact description of the version of 8.552-081028a, reveals some not yet presented products like the predecessor. So the driver include a Radeon HD 4230 provides, Radeon HD 4250, Radeon HD 4570, ATI Radeon HD 4730, as well as a Radeon HD 4750 in Vista. Whether these graphics cards actually will see the light of day (and in particular the retail trade), is however uncertain. In the meantime, we assume that this option be used only in some OEM computers.

ATi allows with the catalyst 8.11 now determine whether the CrossFire X mode in use is when multiple GPUs. So you can show the CrossFire X logo on request in a Direct3D or OpenGL application, if it is enabled. Until now you could verify only at the speed that CrossFire works. In addition, works HydraVision now also on Windows XP and is no longer limited to Windows Vista. By HydraVision, it can more effectively distribute multiple applications on one or more monitors.

In addition, ATi talks about performance improvements in the catalyst 8.11. So, far cry 2 on a single GPU to the catalyst 8.10 between three and ten percent should run faster, while the performance in CrossFire mode by eight to 14 percent will increase. This information applies to all Radeon-HD-3000- and Radeon HD 4000 cards. Also runs now stalker clear sky with a single GPU by six percent to 18 percent faster, with two processing cores are even 10 to 30 percent. This also applies to the Radeon HD 3000-as well as the Radeon HD 4000 series.

As usual, you can download the driver on the computer base.

Test system

Test system:

• Processor
  • Intel Core 2 extreme QX9770 (overclocked by multiplier to 4 GHz, quad-core)
• CPU cooler
  • Noctua NH-U12P
• Motherboard
  • ASUS rampage extreme (Intel X 48, BIOS version: 0501)
• Memory
  • 2 x 1024 MB G.skill DDR3-1600 (7-7-7-18)
  • 2 x 1024 MB Patriot DDR3-1600 (7-7-7-18)
• Graphics cards
  • ATi Radeon HD 4870 (750 / 1,800), 512 MB
• Power supply
  • M850 Coolermaster real power Pro modular (850 Watts)
• Peripherals
  • Toshiba SD-H802A HD-DVD drive
  • Pioneer BDC-202BK SATA Blu-ray drive
  • Samsung SpinPoint F1 SATA2 HDD with 750 GB, and 32 MB cache
• Housing
  • Coolermaster of stacker 832
• Driver versions
  • ATi catalyst 8.10
  • ATi catalyst 8.11
• Software
  • Microsoft Windows Vista x 64 SP1
  • Microsoft DirectX 9.0 c
  • Microsoft Direct3D 10

Benchmarks

The following benchmarks were used during our test:

• Synthetic benchmarks:
  • 3DMark Vantage 1.0
• Game benchmarks:
  • Assassin’s creed, full version, version 1.2
  • Bioshock, full version, version 1.1
  • Call of duty 4, full version, version 1.7
  • Call of Juarez, full version, version 1.1.0.0
  • Clive Barker’s Jericho, demo
  • Crysis warhead, full version, version 1.0
  • Far cry 2, full version, version 1.0
  • Lost planet colonies, full version, version 1.0
  • Race driver grid, full version, version 1.2
  • Rainbow Six Vegas, full version, version 1.06
  • Stalker clear sky, full version, version 1.5.05
  • World in conflict, full version, patch 1009

After careful consideration and multiple analysis of even recorded game sequences, we have come to the conclusion that the quality of texture filtering on current ATi-and NVIDIA graphics cards in the standard setting (with slight advantages for GeForce products) are comparable. At NVIDIA, we change any settings and we leave in the ATi driver the a.i.-function on “Standard”.

Driver settings: ATi video cards (RV770)

• Catalyst a.i.: Standard
• Mipmap detail level: high quality
• Wait for vertical refresh: always off
• AA mode: 1xAA, 4xAA
• Adaptive anti-aliasing: off

Synthetic benchmarks

3DMark Vantage

After the long-serving 3DMark06 has some years on the knob and affects not only the graphic now somewhat dusty, but in addition, the CPU limit for fast graphics cards is becoming more and more apparent, it was high time for a successor. Accordingly the Finnish manufacturer Futuremark has brought the 3DMark Vantage on the market after a long wait, who is from the outset been programmed for the Direct3D 10 API. Graphically, the two game tests accordingly much for the eye, and in particular the second test can set highlights offer. FP16 HDR, depth of field, Parallax Occlusion Mapping, a physical simulation on the GPU, various Shadereffekten, and much more, 3DMark Vantage easily brings the 3D hardware to the performance limit. We test the program (if the video cards allow it) in the performance, high and extreme preset. There are more details about this program in our detailed article.

Direct3D 9 benchmarks

Call of duty 4

The latest addition from the famous “call of duty” series is not for the first time in the second world war, but some decades later in the future. But this does not detract, on the contrary the fun even. The atmosphere is in call of duty 4 so realistic that you can dive without problems in the world. But not only playful white the first-person shooter to please, also technical in contrast to the (PC) ancestors made call of duty 2 front – and that one large step, although you used still same graphics engine. Visually call of duty 4 However, is on a completely different level: send shader and an intelligent use of Parallax mapping cover up the partly somewhat weak textures. Already call of duty 2 could score points in the show with a unique display of smoke; the successor is in this regard to the second part of the series in nothing and comes along with a smoke show to impress the white. On Direct3D 10 support you but do without: call of duty 4 is still solely on the predecessor of Direct3D 9.

Clive Barker’s Jericho

Playful or technically remarkable games usually quickly got the attention of the press and are most eagerly expected by players. This was different curiously at “Clive Barker’ Jericho ‘, whose demo more or less out of nothing has surfaced. Playful, the full version is indeed still prove must, whether Jericho in the long term can convince, technically the demo makes it clear but one: the graphics engine is on the amount of time and need to hide before any other competitors. Not just the technology itself can say the artistic design with high-quality textures, various shader, also the Grafikcontent itself as well as particle effects and FP16 high dynamic-range rendering points, is evidence of originality.

Race driver grid

Fortunately, every now and then, although usually action games set the most value to a good technique, there are some exceptions. One of them is the racing game, race driver grid, which can convince not only by the actual gameplay, but also by the graphic quality. Race driver grid comes with a great foresight, mostly good textures, some send light effects, a good representation of particles and therefore a slightly exaggerated blur effect. Better routes and duels were probably never contested until now on the PC. The Direct3D 9 interface is used as an API. Also, the manufacturer has well optimized the game runs well even on slow computers and yet still acceptable looks. We test the game with a 60-second long scene, we adjust each time exactly. You can find more details of the test method in our match report to race driver grid.

Rainbow Six Vegas

The “Rainbow Six” series contains already many titles and is one of the largest series of PC games in the world. The latest creation the simple name “Vegas” and clarified already, where the special forces at this time is in use. That the city of Las Vegas can be counted to the Andalusí cities at all, only few doubt. The graphics engine from Vegas, is accordingly colorful, but also very detailed, the at the same time not any, but is well known: the Unreal engine 3, which since the end of the year 2007 in “Unreal Tournament 3″ is used. Although the version in Vegas nachhinkt which in UT3 a lot, so the graphics know to convince. Shows very many details that you could discover so far in any game; detailed animations round off the result. However, the Unreal engine 3 has one big disadvantage: Sun comes “Deferred Shading” (the Unreal engine 3 in itself is not a pure Deffered renderer, only the shadow part has a special algorithm) used, that with a brisk shadow and lighting offers some advantages, but in the Direct3D 9 API anti-aliasing avoided. Only with Direct3D 10, deferred shading and anti-aliasing is possible. Current NVIDIA drivers allow to enable anti-aliasing in the game due to a “driver hacks”.

Direct3D 10 benchmarks

Assassin’s creed

What happens if a console title is successful? We ported it course for the PC! And this is UbiSoft with Assassin’s creed also undoubtedly one succeeded, since it not only in a pure 1-1-implementation calmly, but also some more content added. But what is it about in Assassin’s creed at all? To play the assassin Altair, which in addition to its actual main job gladly with horses rides, umschubst passers-by, performs spectacular battles and is especially happy to dizzying heights, so on all roofs of various cities, hovering. And what do I need to do this? A powerful graphics engine, which also has Assassin’s creed. A highlight is the character animations that are properly implemented. In addition, there are still chic textures, beautiful light and shadow games, a well highlighted foresight and still so much more, the Assassin’s creed makes a feast for the eyes. UbiSoft has can not resist it, incorporate a Direct3D 10 renderer for the PC version. This is to increase performance when compared to the Direct3D 9 version of the same quality and also improve the quality of the graphics a bit. This falls to especially in the shadows that look quite “verfranzt” in the Direct3D 9 graphics.

Bioshock

“Bioshock”, more or less the unofficial successor of “System Shock 2″, had it when truly not easy. The expectations were so high that it seemed almost impossible to meet them all. In advance, you spoke them as “best game of all time”. Bioshock has been published by now – whether it is actually the best game of all time, one can discuss it probably still forever. One is however unique: technically, Bioshock is ahead not only very well forward, but probably currently all other titles. Reason for this is that Unreal engine 3, the developers have modified to adapt them to the own needs. The result is a Direct3D 10 renderer that can score with hitherto unprecedented water effects. So the water interacts physically correctly with the player, if it is running, for example, through a flooded room. Bioshock offers many more optical delicacies: send particle effects, spectacular fire representation, realistic shadows, beautiful surface, physics interactions with the opponents as well as the environment and much more make Bioshock graphic a tidbit. So far no anti-aliasing works with the Direct3D 10 API, as was mentioned before several times. Current NVIDIA drivers let in the game due to a “driver hacks”, yet enable anti-aliasing in the D3D 10 mode.

Call of Juarez

Even if the first-person shooter “Call of Juarez” without John Wayne has to make do, the programme is one of the few Western games that could draw great attention no doubt. A well told story, two interesting characters who could not be more different, many pistol duels and a graphic that needs not to hide from the entire competition. We test the game in the current version, which comes along with Direct3D 10 support. The vegetation is dense by 30 percent, there are 30 percent more particle effects, a sight increased by 25 percent, higher resolution textures, higher resolution Shadowmaps, relief mapping is used, and much more. As you already noticed, has continued the request to the graphics card a good deal, and that, although the game from the ground up actually made for the older Direct3D 9 interface has been. Nevertheless, the game still having an issue to fight has: how parts of vegetation are represented incorrectly, which is located at the Alpha-to-coverage process according to Techland. As the test sequence, we use the updated full version and an own saved game.

Crysis warhead

After the first-person shooter Crysis has now a year on the hump, is nevertheless still the best aussehendste game, the Frankfurt-based developer Crytek sending an addon in the dealer shelves now and Crysis warhead, that the graphic quality is even a little further upwards. So the texture looks slightly better, as well the explosions. Especially in the representation of the faces they have been given that much trouble, which look more realistic than ever in an other PC game previously now by more wrinkles, skin pigments and various other bits and pieces. The Direct3D 10 support is remained in Crysis warhead, the remaining technology as well. Primarily, it was trimmed in the addon on a better performance. We test the game with a 60-second long scene, we adjust each time exactly. You can find more details of the test method in our match report to Crysis warhead.

Far cry 2

Even though the well-known predecessor far cry from the German company Crytek (now Crysis and Crysis warhead) has been developed, as has UbiSoft brand far cry not dropped, but developed a second part, even if it no longer has in common much with the original game. Remained the same, if not quite on, is a very good technique, but Africa in fresh look appear so high level. To do this, UbiSoft with Dunia has designed a completely new engine, which is on the current state of the art. Dunia is even a Direct3D 10.1-renderer, which uses some features on GPUs of lower technical stand to the Direct3D 10 API switches, but there then (at least on GeForce cards), to present still normal MS-anti-aliasing. We use the built-in benchmark tool of far cry 2 and test the game with the small flyby sequence.

Lost planet colonies

The action game “Lost Planet Colonies” is available in two versions: A Direct3D 9 and a Direct3D 10 version; The latter has succeeded in our course. The game can shine technically not only by the D3D 10 extension and thus 4 including new geometry shader using the shader model, away from the API white lost planet colonies to please. With soft shadows (they are linked in lost planet though to the D3D10 version, this shadow variant has however nothing to do with Direct3D 10), detailed FP16-high-dynamic-range-rendering, textures, lot more technically advanced is particle effects and still much a real feast for the eyes. Lost to makes planet colonies while still a lot of fun, you could call almost incidental. The demo version of the game conveniently offers a built-in benchmarking sequence that shows a camera fly from the perspective of the player through two different levels. We use the second sequence for this test, which is GPU limited.

Stalker clear sky

And again it goes in the radioactively area around the nuclear reactor in Chernobyl. But this time you can go something provided hunting mutants, since the development of the game has been delayed not by years. The addon to stalker hears the name stalker clear sky, whose engineering is been improved further and thus the game next to Crysis is considered visually most beautiful despite the still pretty predecessor. The engine now supports the Direct3D 10 API and also comes along with various improved effects. The sunsets and sunrises were probably never previously so beautiful view on a screen. The entire lighting makes a big step forward, as well as the representation of the shadow. Also, you can use now normal multi-sampling-anti-aliasing of the Direct3D 10 support, which was previously not possible due to the “deferred shading” algorithm. We test the game with a 60-second long scene, we adjust each time exactly. You can find more details of the test method in our match report to stalker clear sky.

World in conflict

Meanwhile strategy while significantly better looks than some years ago – really succeed it wants the programs but rarely, the graphical Premier class, which is occupied mostly by first person shooters advance. The developers of world in conflict seems not to have served this and developed a graphics engine that needs to hide itself from any other game. World in Conflicht support the Direct3D 10 API and has no difficulty to apply anti-aliasing on the new platform. Chic shader adorn the game (for example, beams of light through the clouds, which illuminate the surroundings including so throws the Sun), as well as detailed textures and a realistic representation of the shadow. The animations of the characters are well managed, what be in combination with a cinematic cut cinematic atmosphere in the cutscenes. As the test sequence, we use not the built-in benchmark function, because they sometimes little predictable behaves. Instead, we use the cinematic intro for the third mission of the first campaign.

Performance rating

Now finally we come to the performance rating. This is to be facilitated it, to get together all results at a glance. As the synthetic benchmark in the test course (i.e. The 3DMark Vantage) have no game engine and thus reflects no realistic statement about the speed in 3D-Titeln, we have taken out this application from the rating.

Conclusion

With the catalyst 8.9 of the RV770 GPU performance had done in September for the first time really is. Some games have responded very positively to the driver and provided a respectable Editor. The catalyst 8.10 was a pure bug-fix driver, while the catalyst 8.11 is a mixture of both. For example, 4870 with the new driver has been on a Radeon HD a lot.

Sometimes troubleshooting and speed run also against each other: Sun seems in far cry 2 has a lot of speed to have brought a graphic bug has been fixed now (in the old driver some stones on the ground were shown semi-transparent). The strong loss of catalyst 8.11 of 27 percent compared to the faulty catalyst 8.10 is different not to explain. But nevertheless, it creates the driver without anti-aliasing on average to be minimally slower than the catalyst 8.10. For Assassin’s creed has made a good step forward.

When anti-aliasing is enabled, the new driver on average is even one percent faster – and this in spite of the difficulties in far cry 2. assassin’s creed and Crysis warhead make a step forward and help in the overall rating. Therefore, we recommend to install the catalyst 8.11. Apart from the increased performance as well as some new (small) features various bug fixes are and linked to the driver. Also and especially in far cry 2.