NVIDIA GeForce2 Ultra (version anglaise, page 3)

NVIDIA GeForce2 Ultra

IV. The tests

The mere variable data of these tests is the CPU frequency which alter from 550Mhz to 825Mhz (just as 733Mhz ).
The results are "worrisome" since, we have a strong CPU's dependency with the Direct3D but in OpenGL, the results are "normalize" by the GeForce2 Ultra's T&L.

With 3DMark2000 version 1.1 :

• 16bits, texture format 16bits, Z-buffer 16bits, Frame buffer triple and D3D hardware T&L and D3D SSE T&L
• 32bits, texture format 32bits, Z-buffer 24bits, Frame buffer triple and D3D hardware T&L and D3D SSE T&L

With Quake3 version 1.11 :

• 32bits, color depth 32bits, lighting lightmap, texture detail High Quality, quality 32bits trilinear
• 32bits, color depth 32bits, lighting lightmap, texture detail Maximum, quality 32bits trilinear

With a "strong" CPU (825Mhz)

I used as usual Quake3 and 3DMark2000. Here are the PC's characteristics :

• Pentium3-550E@825 bus at 150Mhz, memory at 150Mhz
• ABIT VT6X4
• 128Mo SDRAM PC133 Cas3
• AGP 2X (pilote VIA 4in1 4.25a)
• Windows 98SE French
• Detonator3 (6.18)
• SoundBlaster PCI64

With a medium "higher" CPU (733Mhz)

Here are the PC's characteristics :

• Pentium3-550E@733 bus at 133Mhz, memory at 133Mhz
• ABIT VT6X4
• 128Mo SDRAM PC133 Cas3
• AGP 2X (pilote VIA 4in1 4.25a)
• Windows 98SE French
• Detonator3 (6.18)
• SoundBlaster PCI64

With a medium "inferior" CPU (550Mhz)

Here are the PC's characteristics :

• Pentium3-550E@550 bus at 100Mhz, memory at 100Mhz
• ABIT VT6X4
• 128Mo SDRAM PC133 Cas3
• AGP 2X (pilote VIA 4in1 4.25a)
• Windows 98SE French
• Detonator3 (6.18)
• SoundBlaster PCI64

Comments about the performances

It's breathtaking. Of course, the means here let to portend all that, but we can finally play at Quake3 Arena in 1600x1200x32, same with a medium CPU like a Pentium3-550Mhz ! We can say thank to T&L and to the 64Mo of memory DDR cadence to 460Mhz.
Because for the Direct3D, the final result is more mitigated. It is certainly the single card which arrive to confront in high resolutions at a CPU also strong (overclocked certainly), the bandwidth don't restrict the potential in T&L as well as the T&L software with SSE's acceleration (multimedia's instructions of Pentium3 and Celeron2). This interpret in the games per notable fluidity, with Unreal Tournament as well as with Need For Speed 5.
Now, we discern clearly that this card accommodate itself of a feeble CPU except to play in high resolutions with the actuals games, but for the 1600x1200x32, it is necessary to have at least a 700Mhz. Instead, as soon as the games with T&L will go out in store, this card (like its littles sisters) could serve of upgrade for the "littles" configurations.

Pages d'origine archivées : /nvidia/articles/geforce2ultra-3_ang.shtm (2001)