X-bit labs

NVIDIA Quadro FX 3000 in 3ds max 5

Category: Video

by Vladimir Viskov

[ 08/12/2003 | 03:50 AM ]

Today we would like to offer you a really interesting test: the new rumored NVIDIA QuadroFX 3000 based on the latest NV35 chip in one of the most widely spread professional applications - 3ds max 5. I don't think I need to tell you more: just go and see it now!

Table of contents:

• Testbed and Methods
  
• Performance
  
• Benchmark 1
  
• Benchmark 2
  
• Benchmark 3
  
• Benchmark 4
  
• Benchmark 5
  
• Benchmark 6
  
• Benchmark 7
  
• Benchmark 8
  
• Benchmark 9
  
• Benchmark 10
  
• Benchmark 11
  
• Benchmark 12
  
• Benchmark 13
  
• Conclusion
  

July 22, 2003, NVIDIA announced its new “professional” graphics card – Quadro FX 3000 based on the GeForce FX 5900 Ultra GPU. There was the usual blowing-out of cheeks and words like “uncompromising”, “universal for pro applications” and even “unique” (although this same product costing thousand dollars differs from its game mate in the drivers only).

We are most interested in two things, though: speed and quality. The image quality depends on the drivers and they haven’t changed since Quadro FX 2000. You can view the screenshots here. This review is dedicated to speed characteristics of the new card. The comparative background is formed by Quadro FX 2000 (based on GeForce 5800 Ultra), FireGL X1 (based on RADEON 9700 PRO) and a GeForce FX 5900 Ultra based gaming card (to show how greatly optimized drivers may affect the performance of a GPU).

Testbed and Methods

Testbed configuration:

• Pentium 4 3.06GHz CPU;
• ASUS P4PE mainboard;
• 1GB DDR SDRAM, CL2;
• Graphics cards: NVIDIA Quadro FX 3000 and 2000, ATI FireGL X1 and NVIDIA GeForce FX 5900 Ultra;
• 30GB Barracuda ATA V HDD.

Software:

• Windows XP SP1;
• 3ds max 5 (OpenGL rendering), 1280x1024, 32bit;
• Texture size (if not specified): 512x512 background, 256x256 material;
• Drivers for NVIDIA cards: Detonator 44.03 (V-Sync off) + Maxtreme 4.00.29
• Drivers for FireGL X1: version 1021.