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AMD 12.11 "Never Settle" Driver Performance

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
Staff member
Joined
Feb 26, 2007
Messages
12,840
Location
Montreal
The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim (DX9)

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim (DX9)


Being one of the most popular and best looking RPG games released in the last few years, Skyrim needed to be included in our reviews, regardless of the fact that it uses an older DX9 rendering engine. For our test sequence we used a typical runthrough interspersed with some combat. A modded .ini file along with the official high resolution texture pack was used in order to ensure image quality was up to expectations.

1920 x 1200

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12-11-DRIVERS-70.jpg


2560 x 1600

12-11-DRIVERS-71.jpg


12-11-DRIVERS-72.jpg
 

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
Staff member
Joined
Feb 26, 2007
Messages
12,840
Location
Montreal
Wargame: European Escalation (DX11)

Wargame: European Escalation (DX11)


[/I]This may not be the most popular game on the market but through its DX11 rendering path it can display some amazing visuals. For our benchmark we used a combination of wide angle zooming, close quarters combat and camera pans in order to simulate as many in-game scenarios as possible.[/I]


1920 x 1200

12-11-DRIVERS-75.jpg


12-11-DRIVERS-76.jpg


2560 x 1600

12-11-DRIVERS-77.jpg


12-11-DRIVERS-78.jpg
 

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
Staff member
Joined
Feb 26, 2007
Messages
12,840
Location
Montreal
Taking Image Quality to the Next Level

Taking Image Quality to the Next Level


In this section we take a number of games we have tested previously in this review and bring things to the next level by pushing the in-game settings to the highest possible level. All other methodologies remain the same.


Batman: Arkham City

12-11-DRIVERS-36.jpg


Crysis 2

12-11-DRIVERS-45.jpg


Dirt 3

12-11-DRIVERS-57.jpg


Metro 2033

12-11-DRIVERS-61.jpg
 

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
Staff member
Joined
Feb 26, 2007
Messages
12,840
Location
Montreal
Taking Image Quality to the Next Level (pg.2)

Taking Image Quality to the Next Level (pg.2)


In this section we take a number of games we have tested previously in this review and bring things to the next level by pushing the in-game settings to the highest possible level. All other methodologies remain the same.

Shogun 2: Total War

12-11-DRIVERS-67.jpg


The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim

12-11-DRIVERS-73.jpg


Wargame: European Escalation

12-11-DRIVERS-79.jpg


The Witcher 2

12-11-DRIVERS-85.jpg
 

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
Staff member
Joined
Feb 26, 2007
Messages
12,840
Location
Montreal
Surround / Eyefinity Multi Monitor Performance

Surround / Eyefinity Multi Monitor Performance


Both NVIDIA and AMD now have single GPU multi monitor output options for some truly immersive gaming. However, spanning a game across three or more monitors demands a serious amount of resources which makes this a perfect test for ultra high-end solutions.

While all solutions have the ability to implement bezel correction, we leave this feature disabled in order to ensure compatibility. The benchmarks run remain the same as in normal testing scenarios.



Batman: Arkham City

12-11-DRIVERS-37.jpg


Battlefield 3

12-11-DRIVERS-42.jpg


Crysis 2

12-11-DRIVERS-46.jpg


Dirt 3

12-11-DRIVERS-58.jpg
 

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
Staff member
Joined
Feb 26, 2007
Messages
12,840
Location
Montreal
Surround / Eyefinity Multi Monitor Performance (pg.2)

Surround / Eyefinity Multi Monitor Performance (pg.2)


Both NVIDIA and AMD now have single GPU multi monitor output options for some truly immersive gaming. However, spanning a game across three or more monitors demands a serious amount of resources which makes this a perfect test for ultra high-end solutions.

While all solutions have the ability to implement bezel correction, we leave this feature disabled in order to ensure compatibility. The benchmarks run remain the same as in normal testing scenarios.



Metro 2033

12-11-DRIVERS-62.jpg


Shogun 2: Total War

12-11-DRIVERS-68.jpg


The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim

12-11-DRIVERS-74.jpg


Wargame: European Escalation

12-11-DRIVERS-80.jpg
 

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
Staff member
Joined
Feb 26, 2007
Messages
12,840
Location
Montreal
Conclusion

Conclusion


As you read this conclusion, be certain there’s someone at NVIDIA’s headquarters pressing a red panic button. Where AMD was once trailing, they are now leading in several performance disciplines and are doing so with lower prices as well. This situation isn’t only due a driver team's ability to increase the HD 7000-series’ overall performance. NVIDIA’s suddenly unenviable position largely stems from a combination of AMD’s earlier price cuts, the newly realized framerate increases and a very aggressive promotion bundle that can include over $100 of free games. For anyone that hasn’t taken the plunge into this generation of graphics cards, AMD’s offerings are once again extremely enticing.

12-11-DRIVERS-86.jpg

The 12.11 drivers represent a new beginning for the HD 7970 GHz Edition and while we haven’t tested the rest of AMD’s lineup, we’re sure the situation above will repeat itself throughout their product stack. This is not a selective performance bump in a few AMD-friendly titles either. Rather, the 12.11s offer an across-the-board performance increase that pushes the HD 7970 GHz Edition right past the GTX 680. From a price / performance standpoint, there are actually very few reasons to recommend the GTX 680 at this point and at higher detail settings there’s just no competition. Compare this to when the GHz Edition was first released and you will see a constant stream of driver performance improvements from AMD, which bodes well for the future too. We’ve also been told that some of the DX9 improvements you’ve seen should be carried over into previous architectures supported under the 12.11 umbrella.

We reviewers are usually chart mongers but let’s look beyond the traditional graphs and talk about real-life experiences. In most cases, the benefits from these new drivers won’t be noticeable, regardless of how the improvements look on paper. But don’t let this fact cheapen what’s been done here; any performance increase is praiseworthy, especially when it doesn’t come at the expense of image quality. Plus, there are some games like Battlefield 3 and Wargame where merely installing the 12.11 drivers makes a world of difference.

These drivers and the inclusion of multiple free games with their graphics cards may be a game changer for AMD but it isn’t quite time for NVIDIA to start circling the wagons. However, they now have an uphill battle against less expensive products we all thought were beaten clean months ago. To head AMD off before the lucrative Christmas shopping season, the 600-series needs price drops and a continuation of the Borderlands 2 and Assassin's Creed bundles to remain competitive. And don’t think for a moment that NVIDIA’s driver team is sitting idle, especially now.

The 12.11 “Never Settle” drivers prove that either AMD is pouring some serious money into driver development or someone on their dev team had a “eureka!” moment. We have a feeling it was a combination of these two but the end result is the same: AMD is back in the driver’s seat. Unfortunately, drivers can’t placate the HD 7970 GHz Edition’s ravenous craving for power, nor can it quiet down the reference heatsink’s banshee-like screaming. Luckily most gamers don’t give a damn about power consumption and the large selection of custom cooled versions will surely placate any concerns about noise.

Pushing the GCN architecture’s performance up a few notches is bound to be a popular move but it is also representative of an important underlying philosophy: AMD will continue to support their products through robust driver optimizations and their Gaming Evolved program. And that’s a commitment everyone should be happy about.
 
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