X-bit labs

Counter Strike: Source: Performance Preview

Category: Video

by Anton Shilov , Yaroslav Lyssenko, Alexey Stepin

[ 08/20/2004 | 11:50 AM ]

Valve Software has just released its demo of Counter Strike: Source along with Half-Life 2 stress test for gamers around the globe to evaluate their six years work on the new incarnations of the world’s most-popular game titles. Specially for gamers and hardware enthusiasts we decided to compare different graphics cards in a yet another "judgment test".
UPDATE: X-bit labs have added performance scores of mainstream graphics cards along with more thorough image quality comparison.

Table of contents:

• Introduction
  
• The Steam: iTunes for Games
  
• Counter Strike: Source – Current State of the Game
  
• Image Quality Comparison
  
• 1280x1024, Anisotropic Filtering 16x
  
• 1280x1024, Anisotropic Filtering 16x, Full-Scene Antialiasing 4x
  
• Testbed and Methods
  
• Performance
  
• Half-Life 2/Counter Strike: Source Hardware Stress Test, Pure Mode
  
• Half-Life 2/Counter Strike: Source Hardware Stress Test, Eye-Candy Mode
  
• Counter Strike: Source, Demo 1, Pure Mode
  
• Counter Strike: Source, Demo 1, Eye-Candy Mode
  
• Counter Strike: Source, Demo 2, Pure Mode
  
• Counter Strike: Source, Demo 2, Eye-Candy Mode
  
• Conclusion
  

UPDATE: X-bit labs have added performance scores of mainstream graphics cards, such as GeForce FX 5900-series, 5700-series, 5600-series, RADEON 9800-series, 9600-series and 9500-series, along with more thorough image quality comparison that now includes FSAA. Also added more comments into the benchmark and conclusion sections.

Introduction

While the masses enjoy massacre delivered by games like Unreal Tournament and Doom, there are quite a few gamers who are fond of more realistic games that reflect real-world situations, or, if fans of Counter Strike prefer, operations.

Valve Software, a well-known developer of games, has just released its latest iteration of the world’s most popular game – Counter Strike. The Counter Strike: Source not only continues traditions of the original Counter Strike, but improves the gameplay with new features like the Half-Life 2 graphics and physics engine. While the original engine of Half-Life delivers excellent realism for games like Counter Strike, the time goes on and gamers require something more advanced. Well, the Half-Life 2 and Counter Strike: Source tiles are nearly here to deliver it.

Initially available for selected Cyber Cafes, the Counter Strike: Source along with the Half-Life 2 stress test are now obtainable for those who have purchased certain Powered by ATI graphics cards containing a special coupon. In order to present the best possible gaming experience for our readers, we decided to write an article covering the majority of things they are going to run into when using the new game and include some performance numbers for your reference.