Just completed all 9700Pro benchmarks for my VE review
- Thread starter Reverend
- Start date
Unfortunately, my "best" won't be apparent in this review. I will try to change the way VE "wants things done" wrt future reviews. If there's no compromise, I'd have to do something about it (which is to say either a review the way I want it at VE or no review by me at VE).Mariner said:Oh well, just do your best Reverend. How does the old saying go?
"You can't fit a pint into a half-pint pot"
Just try not to leave anything too interesting out...
Bicus Dickus,
Right on! That's exactly the way I'd want to see a review done! =)
Although I would add maybe two or three CPUs (fastest available, medium speed, "legacy" -- some people upgrade GPU before CPU) into the mix at some point -- not necessarily throughout the review -- and at some point compare the IQ on two or three different CRT monitors, or at least one very high quality (Iiyama, Eizo, Sony etc.) big tube -- just subjective opinions would do fine and dandy here -- and not only 3D IQ but also 2D IQ (basic windoze: graphics, video, and text). But that's just me... Maybe the 'Net isn't big enough yet to spawn a hardware site that does that -- or maybe it's so big that I haven't found it yet. ;-) Anyway, down here I'm not very impressed with the reviews yet. Not to say Rev won't do an excellent one even in his lately limited scope.
Right on! That's exactly the way I'd want to see a review done! =)
Although I would add maybe two or three CPUs (fastest available, medium speed, "legacy" -- some people upgrade GPU before CPU) into the mix at some point -- not necessarily throughout the review -- and at some point compare the IQ on two or three different CRT monitors, or at least one very high quality (Iiyama, Eizo, Sony etc.) big tube -- just subjective opinions would do fine and dandy here -- and not only 3D IQ but also 2D IQ (basic windoze: graphics, video, and text). But that's just me... Maybe the 'Net isn't big enough yet to spawn a hardware site that does that -- or maybe it's so big that I haven't found it yet. ;-) Anyway, down here I'm not very impressed with the reviews yet. Not to say Rev won't do an excellent one even in his lately limited scope.
RM. Andersson
Newcomer
I think that one problem with hardware sites and reviews is that they all use the same games for benchmarks.
This means that a company can optimize the drivers and perhaps also the hardware to run games they know will be used in benchmarks for high framerate and make sure there are no serious issues/problems with them.
I agree that test intended to determine picture quality is a very good idea.
But what I would like to see are benchmarks and compatibility tests with old and new games that are very uncommon.
Some customers might have games that only 0.1% of the gamers play. If there are problems with a game like that it will probably never get fixed.
When I buy a new gfx-card I want there to be a good chanse that all my games will run both fast and with few problems.
If only the most popular games and games used in benchmarks by most sites run fast then it´s not a very good gfx-card IMO.
Regards!
This means that a company can optimize the drivers and perhaps also the hardware to run games they know will be used in benchmarks for high framerate and make sure there are no serious issues/problems with them.
I agree that test intended to determine picture quality is a very good idea.
But what I would like to see are benchmarks and compatibility tests with old and new games that are very uncommon.
Some customers might have games that only 0.1% of the gamers play. If there are problems with a game like that it will probably never get fixed.
When I buy a new gfx-card I want there to be a good chanse that all my games will run both fast and with few problems.
If only the most popular games and games used in benchmarks by most sites run fast then it´s not a very good gfx-card IMO.
Regards!
RM. Andersson said:
chicken & egg - the games with reliable built in benchmarks or the reliable tech benchmarks are what get used. Uncommon games arent used as they dont have built in reliable benchmarks.
FRAPS is getting more reliable/easier to use and I know John Reynolds will use it in his 9700 review here on alternative games as a guide to performance.
RM. Andersson
Newcomer
Performance is important but compatibility is also important.
I guess it would be possible to just install and run a game to see if it´s working without any problems.
Problems could be that game menus are distorted and you cant read them.
It could be that some textures in the game have issues and are black.
In a few cases the game might crash to desktop or lock the computer.
Things like that happen when new hardware is released. There is a bigger risk if it´s a uncommon game that the gfx-card company probably never tested.
And in that case it might never get fixed because the company will probably not release a driver fix for a game that 0.01% of it´s customers play.
What´s important is also if you can expect most games to work 100% right out of the box when they are released.
Or if you often must wait for a new driver if you want the game to work perfectly.
For most customers that only want to play games compatibility is much more important than if card A is 10% faster than card B.
Regards!
I guess it would be possible to just install and run a game to see if it´s working without any problems.
Problems could be that game menus are distorted and you cant read them.
It could be that some textures in the game have issues and are black.
In a few cases the game might crash to desktop or lock the computer.
Things like that happen when new hardware is released. There is a bigger risk if it´s a uncommon game that the gfx-card company probably never tested.
And in that case it might never get fixed because the company will probably not release a driver fix for a game that 0.01% of it´s customers play.
What´s important is also if you can expect most games to work 100% right out of the box when they are released.
Or if you often must wait for a new driver if you want the game to work perfectly.
For most customers that only want to play games compatibility is much more important than if card A is 10% faster than card B.
Regards!