Anandtech: Benchmarked – Civilization: Beyond Earth

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Laptop has an i7 4700 and tbh I see no difference between that and my Desktop 4770k. Actually laptop is 1080p desktop 1440p if that makes any odds.

I just never imagined Civ would be a benchmark game, Just seems a bit silly to me...

That laptop Core i7 is still pretty powerful though,as a Core i7 4700MQ can Turbo upto 3.4GHZ if not all threads are enabled.

CPU overhead testing at computerbase, comparing AMD mantle, AMD DX11 and NV DX11 across multiple CPUs:

http://cdn.overclock.net/8/84/849fd5cd_CPUoverhead.PNG

Look at how much faster NV DX11 is compared to AMD DX11 when you pair it with something like an FX CPU.

Mantle is faster though with an FX CPU and look at the later results from PCPER and the like it wouldn't surprise me minimums are better,as are frametimes with the slower CPUs too.

OTH,still a good show from Nvidia on slower CPUs.

 

[andybird123]

So, looking at the 2560 graph... Directx nvidia spends most of its time under 16.6ms (over 60fps) with some time spent over, the mantle one most of its time over 20ms plus some lumpiness in the same area... With vsync on you would get more stuttering with the mantle graph, and that is what the reviewer prefers?

Do people even know what a frametime is?

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Now that we have decided to continue to depend on our capture performance above all else, whenever possible, let's dive into the results. Starting at 2560x1440 with the single card configurations, you can see that both the AMD Radeon R9 290X with the Mantle API and the GeForce GTX 980 result in very similar playing experiences including frame rate and smoothness of that frame rate. The R9 290X has an edge of 73 FPS vs 71 FPS on average when using Mantle but with DirectX 11 the R9 290X falls well back into the low 60s. Even better for AMD, the Mantle version has a noticeably higher minimum frame rate.

Also,the R9 290X is having a 12FPS advantage in minimums on top of this. Considering the GTX980 is generally faster as a card,Mantle is having a big effect here.

At 3840x2160, the results are similar but compress a bit. If we look at only the DX11 results, the GTX 980 has a small lead over the R9 290X in average frame rate (40 vs 38 FPS) but that section of issue, 18s - 38s, shows a wider margin in favor of NVIDIA's card than the other portions of the game. The Mantle version running on the R9 290X is actually the performance leader overall with a higher average frame rate and equal smoothness / minimum frame rates.

Again a slower card and older card is doing this.

I think PCPER probably knows enough about how to read FCAT results - they helped develop it after all. However,I suppose the results need to be burnt with fire OFC.

 

[KillBoY_UK]

A 290X 8GB card is actually the fastest solution for this game at 4K and maximum details, which means x8 AA.

A Card that you AMD chose not to bring to the to the market in meaningfully way. Sapphire did build a few but you told them to stop after all which ofc you can can't buy anymore. So not really fair to bring up that card even if what you say is true.

 

[LambChop]

Also,the R9 290X is having a 12FPS advantage in minimums on top of this. Considering the GTX980 is generally faster as a card,Mantle is having a big effect here.



Again a slower card and older card is doing this.

I think PCPER probably knows enough about how to read FCAT results - they helped develop it after all. However,I suppose the results need to be burnt with fire OFC.

I hope to god Nvidia doesnt bring out something that will optimize only their cards, **** would hit the fan wouldnt it.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I hope to god Nvidia doesnt bring out something that will optimize only their cards, **** would hit the fan wouldnt it.

I wouldn't care that much as I have a Nvidia card!

Functions in NVAPI improved Nvidia cards performance to such an extent,they had a lead for yonks in BF3 over AMD.

As long as they play nicely with each other which is what I am more concerned about though.

A Card that you AMD chose not to bring to the to the market in meaningfully way. Sapphire did build a few but you told them to stop after all which ofc you can can't buy anymore. So not really fair to bring up that card even if what you say is true.

Gibbo found some recently although at £390 they are bloody expensive. Not sure it is really worth it TBH.

 

[LtMatt]

A Card that you AMD chose not to bring to the to the market in meaningfully way. Sapphire did build a few but you told them to stop after all which ofc you can can't buy anymore. So not really fair to bring up that card even if what you say is true.

You'll be delighted to know KillBoY that many 290X 8GB cards are on route to OcuK. It's clearly the most powerful 4K gaming solution available and will be for some time yet.

 

[andybird123]

Yeah, but you can see with the nvidia graph that the "minimum" is due to a single blip around 6-7seconds in, where as the mantle graph is consistently worse running around 16-20ms through the big main middle portion of the test

I cant conceive that someone would honestly prefer to remove a single or occaisional blip in preference of a consistently more stuttery experience (if running vsync with a 60hz monitor as most people do)... You would actually need freesync/gsync to make a frametime of around 20ms look smooth

For most people, they couldnt care less if a frametime varied from 5-15ms, as long as it stays under 16.6
And if you have a high refresh monitor then you arent going to be running 8x AA anyway as it clearly affects frametimes on both vendors

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Actually look at the 2560X1440 results more closely:

http://www.pcper.com/files/review/2014-10-23/be-25.png

The graphs are superimposed on each other,and the red AMD DX11 spikes are obscuring the higher spikes for the NV DX11 implementation.

The Mantle graph is shifted to the right but the spikes are generally lower than either DX11 ones before 15 seconds.

But as the reviewer said the experience was decent for both.

 

[KillBoY_UK]

You'll be delighted to know KillBoY that many 290X 8GB cards are on route to OcuK. It's clearly the most powerful 4K gaming solution available and will be for some time yet.

That is good news eps on the price but its still quite a limited option. No one bar Sapphire make such a card and will these finally get a world wide release and not be limited to a single UK store ?

 

[triss]

You'll be delighted to know KillBoY that many 290X 8GB cards are on route to OcuK. It's clearly the most powerful 4K gaming solution available and will be for some time yet.

While this is great news, Isnt it down to OCuk ordering them specially and not AMD making them as such?

 

[almighty15]

Lmao this thread..... 1440p with DSR at 2x and IQ and frame rates are amazing... who needs MSAA...

 

[tommybhoy]

its still quite a limited option. No one bar Sapphire make such a card and will these finally get a world wide release and not be limited to a single UK store ?

Isnt it down to OCuk ordering them specially and not AMD making them as such?

Only Sapphire have ever made an 8GB card!

Other partners will no doubt follow suite

Gibbo isn't Sapphire's exclusive buyer btw, but he's obviously the only Product Purchaser on the planet that's identified 8Gb gpu's profit.

It's up to his competitors to wake up, all we need to concern ourselves with is-they are available for purchase.

 

[Gregster]

*snip*
I've explained that on page two, and again later in the thread. Only so many times you can say it.

Just FYI and you already know this but as an AMD Rep, you are not allowed to get into slating nVidia. You should know better.

As for the explanation, I asked why EQAA was better than MSAA you got all humpty and didn't explain anything, I did my own searching and Silent_Scone gave me something to read. Great way for a Rep to talk to people who have genuine questions on AMD tech.

EQAA is better image quality than MSAA, it’s not possible for it to be worse.

Just to clear up something i said from earlier, which I've now corrected. EQAA is actually available on DirectX and Mantle for Radeon. EQAA offers superior image quality by applying anti-aliasing to areas of the scene that might have been missed by MSAA’s coverage testing.

Where does that explain why EQAA does a better job than MSAA? Maybe next time someone has a genuine question, you would do well to respond politely.

As you can see, I have given a reason why EQAA is better than MSAA here. People can read what is what there without getting their head bitten off.

 

[Final8y]

Just FYI and you already know this but as an AMD Rep, you are not allowed to get into slating nVidia. You should know better.

He didn't.

 

[tommybhoy]

+1,

Matt hasn't hated on anything Nvidia.

The hate towards matt however is deplorable, trolling on reps shouldn't be tolerated imo.

 

[andybird123]

Actually look at the 2560X1440 results more closely:

http://www.pcper.com/files/review/2014-10-23/be-25.png

The graphs are superimposed on each other,and the red AMD DX11 spikes are obscuring the higher spikes for the NV DX11 implementation.

The Mantle graph is shifted to the right but the spikes are generally lower than either DX11 ones before 15 seconds.

Yes, the spikes are bigger, but occaisional
At best you could say the mantle one is no worse overall, but for me persoanlly I could probably live with an occaisional spike, but a consistent 16-20ms stutter with vsync would not be preferable to me

 

[SiDeards73]

+1,

Matt hasn't hated on anything Nvidia.

The hate towards matt however is deplorable, trolling on reps shouldn't be tolerated imo.

Pointless arguing with the Nvidia fans here because its like trying to iceskate uphill.

Its a shame 99% of discussion threads in this forum just end up a shambles of pot shots and one ups from certain vocal members of the forums who wont let the truth get in the way of a good flaming.

I wonder how many people have come here to look for advice and have been put off by the bickering between the usual trolls?

Sad really

 

[MOOGLEYS]

So anyone else finding the siege worms annoying or am I the only one playing the game rather than worrying about a GPU war.......

 

[Gregster]

He didn't.

So anyone else finding the siege worms annoying or am I the only one playing the game rather than worrying about a GPU war.......

I think you are the only one playing. I did ask if it was worth buying (and getting a telling off from the wife) but nobody replied Or replied with an answer)