Lies! Lies! Lies! Geforce2 MX is no better than a 32meg TNT2!!! - Please read...

[[)REA[)]

I just installed a Geforce2 MX to replace my 32 meg TNT2. And guess what? After various in game tests I can see little to no increace in frame rates.
I have tested it with Project IGI and Colin McRae rally 2 so far.
I stared off playing with resolution and detail settings that were just high enough to start making frame rates a little crapy with the TNT2. Then I wipped off my PC's case, put the Geforce2 MX in, installed the latest Detonator drivers and started up the games with the same settings. The Geforce MX performed the same as the TNT2. The frame rates did appear to be any better. I thought they would be at least as smooth as the TNT2 was with the detail etc set a little lower. In fact they seemed slightly worse with the Geforce MX in CMR 2. The only real benifit from this card is that Windows 'draws' faster - but thats not why I brought it!

So I ask you, whats going on here? Have we been conned? Is it worth the £100 to get a hardly noticable increase in performance? Or am I doing somthing wrong?

I will try some bench marking software, but such test results are surely irrelevent if you can 'see' the difference right?

Please, can anyone shed some light the situation? or its back to the shop for me.

PS - The rest of my system is as follows...

PIII 450
128 meg RAM
20 gig HD
Win 98


[Edited by [)REA[) on 31-12-2000 at 06:43 PM]

[Molloy]

Processor bottleneck I believe.

[[)REA[)]

But surly it should make some difference? is there anything I can do?

[-[Raven]-]

Its quite possible, because as they theorey goes, your system is as fast as the slowest part in it.

Something to do? Get a faster processor? :)

[Faking]

Bad choice of games to compare on. Project IGI is certainly CPU bound and doesn't utilise T&L so all you should see is a fill rate advantage over your TNT2 ie you should be able to run at the same speed at a higher resolution than before. CM2 is also quite CPU intensive and hence you'll also see little difference.

If you try a game that doesn't tax your CPU so heavily, like Quake 3 or Half-life you should see a big improvement.

['[BH]'HuNtA']

also hl is cpu intensive :)

[Denny.Lau]

or giants :)

[-Snakebite-]

Yeah, pants CPU :)

Geforce MX is a very nice card for the cash...

[fragmaster_sexay]

Are you re-formatting each time you install the card?? It helps trust me.

then do what most people do when they get a card, Leave their old card in and get 3dmark 2000 from http://www.madonion.com then run it and record the 3d marks it gives your TNT2. Then install Quake 3, then run the timedemo with demo 1 3 times average it then record that number.

Then re-format your HDD install your card, install windows then do exactly the same benchmarks that I stated above. If they are VERY similar then your CPU is bottlenecking as Molloy stated. If thats the situation then its a new CPu to improve the situation.

[Elmo]

Gah i know how u feel m8. Got mine today EXACTLY the same specs as you (apart from i'm on win2k), and Direct 3D just allows me to run in a higher res, but with not what I REALLY like low res and high fps...

On a plus note, OpenGL is lots smoother now (60 fps in TFC capped (800 x 600) and about 60 fps in Q3 (as well 800 x 600). So thats an improvement. All I can work out from this is that a) on TFC its an old game so my processor can handle the T&L in software and on Q3 the T&L is really working well.

I played the Project IGI demo, and it was no better than my old TNT2 32 meg (:D I really DO have the same system), but I could run in 800 x 600 playably (29 - 30 fps by eye). I really want to get a solid 30 - 40 on this type of game because my accuracy goes completely off the wall below that :(....

Looks like a Duron and new mobo for me.... Wish I could spend my nice shiny new gameplay.com vouchers for running the league on buying the parts.... :cry:

[SteveP]

Whenever anyone asks me about a Geforce MX, i always say they are better off going for a Geforce 256 DDR, as in most cases they are generally better and of simular price.

The reason why can be found if you study through this review of the Hercules MX card

http://www.sharkyextreme.com/hardware/reviews/video/herculese_3d_prophet_2_mx/