Thursday, August 28th 2008
Radeon and GeForce Share Work, PhysX Applications Win
The functionality of CUDA and its implementation of GPU-accelerated PhysX processing has benefited many a GeForce user. Users of ATI accelerators lacking this incentive either use Ageia PhysX card or avoid it altogether. It has been verified by Hardspell that in an environment where Radeon accelerator(s) do graphics processing, a GeForce accelerator can be used standalone to process PhysX. Hardspell used a Radeon HD 3850 along with a GeForce 9600 GT on the same system with the display connected to the Radeon, though no form of multi-GPU graphics connection existed, the GeForce card partnered the Radeon well in processing physics, while the Radeon did graphics. Results of the oZone 3D FluidMark, a benchmark that includes routines to evaluate the machine's capability in processing physics, showed a greater than 350% increase in scores, showing that the GeForce accelerator is doing its job.
This was further proved with game testing of Unreal Tournament III. Provided are screen-shots from the game along with those of the FluidMark windows. The first window shows a score of 759 o3marks, while the second window in which GeForce processed PhysX, the score jumped to 2909 o3marks.
Source:
Hardspell
144 Comments on Radeon and GeForce Share Work, PhysX Applications Win
I own two quad core systems, and my FPS went from 15-20 in UT3 with physx, to over 70 with the video cards assisting. CPU's have nothing in terms of power, compared to video cards.
It will be interesting to see how the other cards do with the bench, I am just about to take over the bench's thread so am looking forward to updating your scores!
Physx is just an API. If you don't have Physx hardware, it just runs on software (ie CPU). If you have hardware (Physx card or Geforce), it will use it.
The only thing that some developers have done is create a couple of special levels with higher level of physics and locked it so only people with Physx hardware can play it. That doesn't mean it can't run in software mode, it would just be to slow. Most aren't even locked actually.
Except of Cellfactor, i don't know any other game that really requires Physx hardware.
(You can even hack Cellfactor to run without hardware!)
That is what leads me to believe that there are really only 2 work arounds for nVidia at this point.
1.) Develope a driver for their graphics cards, that isn't a graphics driver. So the card appears to the OS as just a PhysX card and not a Graphics Adapter.
2.) Get PhsyX working on ATi hardware, so that people running all ATi setups can use PhysX.
Let the frankensteining begin ; P
Why doesn't techpowerup do this test and confirm it?
The only problems are getting both drivers to work at the same time.
What to do?
Well either way I think techpowerup should try and write a more detailed report, I'm sure they can lay their hands on a radeon and nvidia card for a moment.