X-bit labs

The Fastest Graphics Cards of 2003 (page 39)

Category: Video

by Alexey Stepin

[ 12/10/2003 | 10:57 PM ]

3D Performance: Real-Time Strategies

This category of games was initially supposed to include two contemporary popular real-time strategic games – Command & Conquer Generals: Zero Hour and Homeworld 2. The former is a continuation to the world’s famous C&C series, however this time the developers focus on the multi-player game version. Homeworld 2 is remarkable for the fact that the action takes place not on the planet but in the open space. Both games are very beautiful and load the contemporary graphics accelerators quite tangibly. Unfortunately, Homeworld 2 behaved inadequately throughout the entire test session when we used the latest driver versions that is why we had to give it up this time.

Command & Conquer Generals: Zero Hour

To make this game provide correct performance value we had to dig into its settings a little bit. We disabled the fps limitations because otherwise this value would never exceed 30.

As you see, the actual performance difference between various graphics accelerators tested can be observed only in 1280x1024 and up. Moreover, you can clearly notice one tendency: all graphics cards with 256bit memory bus show almost identical results and the same is true for the cards with 128bit memory bus. The winner here appeared RADEON 9800 XT, however, GeForce FX 5950 Ultra also proved to be pretty successful. In the mainstream segment we can state the parity between RADEON 9600 XT/9500 PRO and GeForce FX 5700 Ultra.