Guru3D: PhysX by NVIDIA - A review of what's to come next week ...

Hilbert Hagedoorn

I noticed the massive amount of response on the leaked PhysX driver.

PhysX by NVIDIA
Next Tuesday NVIDIA will introduce a new set of GeForce drivers, PhysX driver and a PhysX pack. All GeForce series 8 and newer cards will get full PhysX support with a little help of the guys from Ageia and NVIDIA's CUDA team. We take a peek at what is released next week, what can you expect, what combo's are possible and obviously our opinion on the entire PhysX experience.

Find the article right here ...
http://www.guru3d.com/article/physx-by-nvidia-review/

redrumy3 · 08-07-2008, 10:27 | posts: 265 | Location: New York Woot! | User is Offline

nice so new drivers and physx drivers...awesome

Barton C++ · 08-07-2008, 11:02 | posts: 363 | User is Offline

great, got a couple of physx questions already!

* for starters, physx with single G92 card reduces fps to 66% ? (run UT3)

* SLI'd G92 cards with physx, same fps as with single card w/o physx (the 2nd takes physx part alone) - this seems like a waste for SLI GTX 280 buyers

* Saving up old cards for physx makes the most sense

edit /// soz, should have read the article first..but hey, here is the thread for questions anyhow

(spotted the single/sli/multi gpu with physx explanation)

archie123 · 08-07-2008, 11:06 | posts: 1,737 | Location: uk | User is Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barton C++

great, got a couple of physx questions already!

* Saving up old cards for physx makes the most sense

It does , thus making SLI in physX games not an option.

Better off with the pci Ageia card then..............

Anarion · 08-07-2008, 11:07 | posts: 4,215 | Location: Helsinki, Finland | User is Offline

Thanks a lot! Really great stuff!

Barton C++ · 08-07-2008, 11:17 | posts: 363 | User is Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by archie123

It does , thus making SLI in physX games not an option.

Better off with the pci Ageia card then..............

yes, why buy twice the cost nvidia SLI mobo than Intel PCI-e x1 ?, and use expensive nvidia gfx card for physx...better off with old PCI original card (here come the crossfired bananas

)

Cybermancer · 08-07-2008, 11:20 | posts: 12,530 | Location: Cyberspace | User is Offline

Is it going to be possible to run two cards in SLI and then use a third one for PhysX?

Anarion · 08-07-2008, 11:24 | posts: 4,215 | Location: Helsinki, Finland | User is Offline

It's just sad that ATI/AMD does not support CUDA. It looks like I will get 9800 GTX+ or GTX 260 since this stuff looks so promising. (Even though Crossfire 4850 is really tempting).

FuriousAngel · 08-07-2008, 11:24 | posts: 140 | Location: Spain | User is Offline

Did you do a check on older computers/CPUs for that matter? I've got an So939 x2 4200+ running at 2,5Ghz with an 9800GTX, and I get between only 5-20fps in those UT3 PhysX levels (at 1280x960). So I assume it's not only a matter of GFX card but also CPU. Or not?

domen · 08-07-2008, 11:29 | posts: 216 | Location: Slovenia | User is Offline

Ah damn. This makes me wanna get GTX280 instead of 4870X2. Or could i truly use 88GTX in 4x PCI-e slot + 4870X2 in 16x? Decisions, decisions and this makes it even harder.

Thing looks awesome, but it's a pity that there aren't many games that support it. Similar thing is with tessellation on ATi GPU's. So many great new technologies and none are truly used.

puffpirat · 08-07-2008, 11:33 | posts: 7 | User is Offline

Hello!

Just like Cybermancer said... Is it possible to SLI two cards and take a third for physx? That wasn´t mentioned in the (p)review...

And why didn´t you try UT3? I mean sure you don´t like it but hey...you complained about not having a new game to check performance and then skip UT3?

Come on...borrow it from a friend or I don´t know... don´t want to sound rude

Joshua · *Last edited by Joshua; 08-07-2008 at 11:59.*

So I noticed this:

Quote:

"Warmonger

Included in the PhysX pack that NVIDIA will release is the full game, Warmonger. "

Dude, am I getting a free game? lol

Edit. Okay, so read down a few lines and yes. . . I'm getting a free game. wOOt! Free games FTW!

Hey, another question. For those with ATI cards, what if they purchased an 8series or later Nvidia card. Could they run physx on the Nvidia card, while the ATI card does the rendering? Just a thought.

Cybermancer · 08-07-2008, 11:41 | posts: 12,530 | Location: Cyberspace | User is Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshua

So I noticed this:

Dude, am I getting a free game? lol

Edit. Okay, so read down a few lines and yes. . . I'm getting a free game. wOOt! Free games FTW!

You can already download for free here:
http://www.warmongergame.com/downloads.php

Egregious · 08-07-2008, 11:42 | posts: 8 | Location: WY, USA | User is Offline

Maybe this isn't the place to say this....but I'm not impressed with the physics at all.

I guess being able to see the wind blowing and being able to see debris fly without actually FEELING it just makes it seem out of place and over-done.

Maybe I'm just missing something though.

scatman839 · 08-07-2008, 11:56 | posts: 5,004 | Location: Dundee, Scotland | User is Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshua

Dude, am I getting a free game? lol

Edit. Okay, so read down a few lines and yes. . . I'm getting a free game. wOOt! Free games FTW!

It's an incredibly tiny demo, and the actual gameplay is rather horrible.

Straykatt · *Last edited by Straykatt; 08-07-2008 at 12:00.*

I think physics are great! This will only improve gamming. Who doesn't want more on the screen anyways..

What's the story when hooking up say a 9600gt to handle the physics? Does it need to be connected to the monitor to? I'm using a lcd tv for my monitor thats connectecd to my 8800gtx through a hdmi cable. Now if I installed the 9600gt as well, would I have to get a new cable to connect them both?

twobombs

Nice article, missed the 9600vsAgeia PhysX shootout, things to look at :
- Performance per watt regarding 9600vsAgeia card
- SLI for graphics & Ageia card vs. PPU&GPU SLI shootout

Remember: this card is still for sale at major retail channels in both PCI & PCIe.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814143055 ( BFG PCI )
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121246 ( Asus PCIe )

Kinda missed opportunity ? Or NDA p1mp ? The CPU comparison however was amazing

Hilbert Hagedoorn · 08-07-2008, 12:16 | posts: 11,706 | Location: Guru3D Trenches | User is Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by twobombs

Nice article, missed the 9600vsAgeia PhysX shootout, things to look at :
- Performance per watt regarding 9600vsAgeia card
- SLI for graphics & Ageia card vs. PPU&GPU SLI shootout

No mate.

These cards are EOL, won't be sold much longer nobody buys them and this is why they are still available (look at the BFG offering, it's already EOL), + they are more expensive than a GeForce 9600 GT. Fact is that a 9600GT has much more horsepower and stamina than one Ageia card.

Please, forget about the Ageia cards. In the end support for them will be killed off as well.

Hilbert Hagedoorn · 08-07-2008, 12:17 | posts: 11,706 | Location: Guru3D Trenches | User is Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by Straykatt

I think physics are great! This will only improve gamming. Who doesn't want more on the screen anyways..

What's the story when hooking up say a 9600gt to handle the physics? Does it need to be connected to the monitor to? I'm using a lcd tv for my monitor thats connectecd to my 8800gtx through a hdmi cable. Now if I installed the 9600gt as well, would I have to get a new cable to connect them both?

At this time yes, you'd need a second cable connected. NVIDIA however is trying to get that fixed and more user-friendly.

Hilbert Hagedoorn · 08-07-2008, 12:18 | posts: 11,706 | Location: Guru3D Trenches | User is Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by puffpirat

Hello!

Just like Cybermancer said... Is it possible to SLI two cards and take a third for physx? That wasn´t mentioned in the (p)review...

And why didn´t you try UT3? I mean sure you don´t like it but hey...you complained about not having a new game to check performance and then skip UT3?

Come on...borrow it from a friend or I don´t know... don´t want to sound rude

I'm checking in on that with NVIDIA. Will hopefully have an answer by tomorrow.

UT3 wasn't used, because I never purchased the game.

Hey Mario® · 08-07-2008, 12:21 | posts: 72 | User is Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hilbert Hagedoorn

... and you are not bound to an nForce platform since you are not running SLI mode.

So I can keep my crossfire mobo, my 8800 GT, and get a 4870 X2 and use the GT as a PPU and the X2 as a GPU?

ajua · 08-07-2008, 12:26 | posts: 187 | Location: Mexico | User is Offline

UT3 information would be nice. Will wait until more stuff comes out.
Meanwhile, i can't wait for the new driver and physix releases.

domen · *Last edited by domen; 08-07-2008 at 12:45.*

If i were to use 4870X2 as my primary card in 16x PCI-E 1.1 slot and my old 8800 GTX as physics accelerator in my 4x PCI-E slot, would it work? Also would 4x PCI-E slot bottleneck 88GTX as physics accelerator?

EDIT: I see that Mario already asked this question so i apologize.

Ace_ · 08-07-2008, 12:28 | posts: 3 | Location: Canada | User is Offline

Great article. I'll have to send this to all my friends who keep asking me what the heck PhysX is, since I can never describe it well. It was also great to see that you can use older CUDA capable cards for a PPU. Great move on nVidia's part.

Sieras · 08-07-2008, 12:48 | posts: 3,760 | Location: Lithuania, Kaunas | User is Offline

Great article, really looking forward to try out the PhysX Pack.. mainly because of the Nurien and the fluid demo. It would be great if we could choose what to d/l when the pack will be released IMO as I already have Warmonger and UT3 PhysX levels and plus I don't have GRAW2 so I obviously have no need for that patch either.