AA+AF quality of the R9700, is it really worth it ?

Aug 15, 2002
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I am running a P41.8@2.4 with a GF4Ti4200. I am playing a lot of 3D games like Mafia, Morrowind, WC3 etc. I am using an Eizo L565 TFT (very nice) and therefore I like playing at 1280*1024*32, because the picture is extremely crisp and clear. The Ti4200 has no problem running this resolution with all of the current games, but enabling AA+AF is a huge hit to performance. Ok, I can enable 2*AA and 2*AF in Mafia and most of the game is still running smooth, but as you all know, more than that is not possible with Nvidia at a resolution of 1280*1024.

The question is, will I get a significant improvement in 3D-quality running these games with 4 or 6 * AA and 8 or 16* AF ? Is it a big difference, worth spending another 400Euro on a R9700 ?

Thanks for your feedback
Speedy
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
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Ya, it will look better, but whether it's worth it or not is your decision to make. IMO.
 
Aug 15, 2002
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sure it is my decision. Problem is, I know, that it is better (that is what they say in the reviews) but I have not idea how much better it is. Is it a quantum leap concerning quality ? I mean it is nice, that the Radeon9700 runs 4/8 AA/AF at twice the speed of a Ti4600, but is the quality improvement so significant, that I will never again want to play without it ? I´d like to here the opinion of some R9700 users, before spending the money for it.

Thanks for you post
Cheers
Speedy
 

Mavrick007

Diamond Member
Dec 19, 2001
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If you have a GF4 right now, then I wouldn't get the Radeon 9700 at least for a few months. It would be alot more than it's worth. I don't think you will go, "wow, this makes the game so much better". It is nice, but would I pay that much right now? At higher resolutions the 9700 runs with less of a hit to performance than the GF4 but it's also alot of money when it will surely drop quite a bit by Xmas. It's a nice card, it is alot faster, but if your games look and run fine now, maybe a bit slower, but not unplayable, then I wouldn't upgrade just for the sake of having the fastest available when your card is current generation.
 

kylebisme

Diamond Member
Mar 25, 2000
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well i say you should turn up the aa and af all the way on your gefroce, ingore the fact that its a slideshow and pay attention to the immage quality. then imagine how it would be if the aa, color vibance, and immage clarity looked slightly beter and it all ran smooth. also consider that you can also crank it up to 6xaa and 16xaf for even more imporment in immage quality in those games wich you have headroom. if all that seems like its worth 400euro to you, get the card. :)
 
Aug 15, 2002
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@Snowman

Good idea, will do that test. Should have had that idea myself btw...stupid...:)

@Mavrick007

You are probably right. And I am probably driven by that disease they call "hardware enthusiasm". I will do what Snowman suggested, take 3 cold showers, sleep over it again and save the money. Anyway I will let you know about my decision guys.

Thanks for your input.

Cheers
Speedy
 

DukeChestnut

Senior member
Mar 11, 2002
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I just got it... from essentialcomputers $345

OMG! this card rox! i just upgraded from a xtasy gf4ti-4600 and there was one game that i wanted to compare the two.

Ghost Recon
- on the gf4 ... 1600x1200 = ever so slight chug, forget about turning on any shadows = big time chug
- on the 9700... 1600x1200 = smooth as silk, all shadows turned full setting = still smooth

- image quality seemed better on the 9700. the gf4 IQ seemed ... harsh... compared to the 9700


* only problem * Damn games like Army Operations have that NVIDIA splash screen... the nerve...
 
Aug 15, 2002
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Hm,

did the test with Morrowind. Increased AA from 2* to 4S* and AF from 2* to 8*. Framerate hit outdoor was roughly 50% indoor not more than 20-30%. Another proof that Morrowind is a CPU limited. Anyway, the imagequality increased for sure, but hm, I am not that impressed. Will do some more tests with other games tomorrow.

Keep on posting you opinons.

Cu later
Speedy
 
Aug 15, 2002
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Also ran the maximum AA and AF settings on WC3 (and compared it to 2AA and 2AF). It is a bit nicer, but nothing I would pay 400Euro for. Hm, is the 4/16 setting on the Radeon further improving the IQ ?

Good night
Speedy