FarCry Patch v1.2 - SM 3.0 Performance on the GeForce 6 Series

 

The FarCry v1.2 patch should include four new demos that can be used for benchmarking and, as NVIDIA happily pointed out, clearly show the performance gains associated with using Shader Model 3.0.  Although we didn't see any major differences in image quality, using SM3.0 with FarCry means NVIDIA's GeForce 6 series of cards can run some shaders in fewer passes, versus cards like the X800 Pro that comply with Shader Model 2.0.

FarCry Performance - Regulator Map: SM 2.0 vs. SM 3.0
NVIDIA Improves Even Further

The 12-Pipe GeForce 6800 and 16-Pipe GeForce 6800 GT both gained a few frames per second by enabling the Shader Model 3.0 code path, but the differences weren't dramatic in this map.  The SM 3.0 path cannot be enabled with the Radeon X800 Pro, so there will be only one set of numbers for the Radeon from this point forward.


Marco Chiappetta

Marco Chiappetta

Marco's interest in computing and technology dates all the way back to his early childhood. Even before being exposed to the Commodore P.E.T. and later the Commodore 64 in the early ‘80s, he was interested in electricity and electronics, and he still has the modded AFX cars and shop-worn soldering irons to prove it. Once he got his hands on his own Commodore 64, however, computing became Marco's passion. Throughout his academic and professional lives, Marco has worked with virtually every major platform from the TRS-80 and Amiga, to today's high end, multi-core servers. Over the years, he has worked in many fields related to technology and computing, including system design, assembly and sales, professional quality assurance testing, and technical writing. In addition to being the Managing Editor here at HotHardware for close to 15 years, Marco is also a freelance writer whose work has been published in a number of PC and technology related print publications and he is a regular fixture on HotHardware’s own Two and a Half Geeks webcast. - Contact: marco(at)hothardware(dot)com

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