Minimum Card For Dedicated Physx Perfection

Overslop · 13 Oct 2009 at 01:04

Which is the crappiest one which will run Physx flawlessly.

AMG · 13 Oct 2009 at 01:08

9600GSO?

or GT, heard those are the cheapest way to have physX also quite effective

or maybe a second hand 8800

Overslop · 13 Oct 2009 at 16:06

Thanks for the response but I'm looking for a definitive answer.

reflux · 13 Oct 2009 at 16:07

9600GT. But it's not worth it for one game IMO.

ViRuS2k · 13 Oct 2009 at 16:09

Havent seen anything slow down the 8800GTS in the games i have tested so far arkham and mirrors edge.

you can get them very cheap aswell, £35-40.

Overslop · 13 Oct 2009 at 16:13

reflux said:
9600GT. But it's not worth it for one game IMO.

I want to play Mirror's Edge and Batman: Dark Asylum, so that's two already.

I'm sure nVidia will push it onto more top games as well.

So anyways, thanks for that - 9600GT it is then, if I can get one dirt cheap.

sckam · 13 Oct 2009 at 16:17

Are you planning on using the card with your 8800GT?

reflux · 13 Oct 2009 at 16:25

Overslop said:
I want to play Mirror's Edge and Batman: Dark Asylum, so that's two already.

I'm sure nVidia will push it onto more top games as well.

So anyways, thanks for that - 9600GT it is then, if I can get one dirt cheap.

Yes, but Arkham Asylum is the only game that shows a tangible benefit from having a dedicated card. And even that's tenuous. By all means, buy a card for PhysX if you want, but I can't really recommend it.

Any reasonably decent DX10 card should do - 9600GT, 8800GT, 8800GTS etc.

Overslop · 13 Oct 2009 at 16:47

sckam said:
Are you planning on using the card with your 8800GT?

Nope, I was thinking of getting 5850 Crossfire when the prices comes down and have custom coolers.

I would have used my 8800GT, but I want to stick that in my new HTPC build.

If I can get a 9600GT for peanuts, that would be great.

Overslop · 13 Oct 2009 at 16:47

reflux said:
Yes, but Arkham Asylum is the only game that shows a tangible benefit from having a dedicated card. And even that's tenuous. By all means, buy a card for PhysX if you want, but I can't really recommend it.

Any reasonably decent DX10 card should do - 9600GT, 8800GT, 8800GTS etc.

This would be with an ATi setup though.

radar19 · 13 Oct 2009 at 18:29

I'm trying to find an article where they tested a bunch of cards with physx. I cant for the life of me think what the site is called though.

Rroff · 13 Oct 2009 at 18:44

9600GT does well for now as the physx processing doesn't require too many SPs so the high shader clock on the 9600 pumps through the work load very quickly.

That will change if/when more complex physics effects are used that can benefit from more pipelines better than the faster processing on less pipelines if that makes sense.

chaparral · 13 Oct 2009 at 18:49

There a full List of nvidia cards that support physX here http://www.nvidia.co.uk/object/physx_gpus_uk.html

Plus there in order of speed for each Series

HeX · 13 Oct 2009 at 18:49

8600GT/9500GT is the lowest card you will want that gives a measurable decent boost in games that use PhysX.

9600GT/9600GSO is the absolute maximum you would need for a dedicated card, past that you gain no extra benefit.

paradigm · 13 Oct 2009 at 19:09

How would my 8600GTS do? Or should I rephrase that as, is it worth getting anything faster?

MeatLoaf · 13 Oct 2009 at 19:12

paradigm said:
How would my 8600GTS do? Or should I rephrase that as, is it worth getting anything faster?

I found that an 8600GTS slowed things down if anything in the UT physx levels. Then i changed to an 8800GTS 640 and it was great.

drunkenmaster · 13 Oct 2009 at 22:28

I really wouldn't bother getting a card now, Nvidia have a clear intention of not allowing Physx on a ATi system, theres a hack now, but with every new game they can force a new version of Ageia to be needed, and a new gfx driver to support it and a new game to smeg around with all to reblock it. Whatever hack thats there now, will most likely not work in the future if Nvidia set their minds too it.

If you're sticking with Nvidia, by all means do so, but I wouldn't get a new card hoping Nvidia don't make the "hack" to make it work with ATi cards useless in future drivers/ageia drivers/games.

Overslop · 13 Oct 2009 at 22:50

drunkenmaster said:
I really wouldn't bother getting a card now, Nvidia have a clear intention of not allowing Physx on a ATi system, theres a hack now, but with every new game they can force a new version of Ageia to be needed, and a new gfx driver to support it and a new game to smeg around with all to reblock it. Whatever hack thats there now, will most likely not work in the future if Nvidia set their minds too it.

If you're sticking with Nvidia, by all means do so, but I wouldn't get a new card hoping Nvidia don't make the "hack" to make it work with ATi cards useless in future drivers/ageia drivers/games.

Even if I had to sell it on eventually, I shouldn't lose more than about a tenner overall. Worth it if I get a good few games out of it IMO.

fornowagain · 13 Oct 2009 at 22:55

I'll get a 9600GT green version only 59W and no pci-e connectors. Pretty obvious what they'll do, but when/if they stop the hack permanently I'll move it on to the HTPC.