Graphical issues with HD5850?

[marsbound2024]

Alright so I am sure there are other threads here regarding this issue but I wanted to share my story. I just purchased a Visiontek HD5850 from Dell (got it for $279.99 muhaha) to go in my XPS 8000 machine. I upgraded the standard 350W Dell PSU to a 600W PSU. Thus my specs are:

Specs:
Core i7 860 @ 2.8GHz (no overclock)
4GB DDR3 RAM
640GB primary HDD
500GB secondary HDD
Creative X-Fi
Visiontek 1GB HD5850
Windows 7 Home Premium x64
DirectX 11

Former video card was the nVidia GT220 1GB card.

I updated my Catalyst drivers to 10.3 from the 10.1 that was included on the CD. However, I noticed no change. However, I only noticed this screen tearing issue with the Crysis demo I downloaded. I haven't purchased the full game yet. Usually the screen tearing issue is only in cutscenes (like the Crytek intro, the nanosuit intro and the cargo plane intro cutscene). There is also considerable texture flickering or missing textures altogether (like the pickup trucks have wheels but are missing most of the body).

I can't recall if the GT220 had the same issues because the game didn't run very well on it. Now games such as Left for Dead 2 and Red Alert 3 just look wonderful and I've never had any graphical issues. I haven't tested many other games yet.

Is this something that is just related to the Crysis demo or my video card? From what I've read, many people are complaining about the HD5800 Series flicker issues, but many also say their problems were resolved with the newest Catalyst drivers.

Things I've already tried:
-Forcing VSync on
-Forcing VSync off
-Adjusting VSync to be determined by application
-Enabling OpenGL Triple Buffering via CCC
-Enabling Overdrive (idle speeds are 157Mhz/300Mhz; load is like 725Mhz/1100Mhz)
-Deleted old nVidia drivers and software
-Changing Catalyst A.I. to Advanced and Standard
-Restoring factory defaults
-Changing monitor refresh rate to 59Hz from 60Hz, then back to 60Hz

Something that appeared to work:
-Take Crysis demo out of fullscreen and I don't recall seeing anymore tearing issues. Maybe it's because it is not fullscreen and I can't notice, or maybe it's because it simply isn't there any longer.

Also another thing: when Windows 7 gets to the login screen and asks for password, I type it in and then hit enter to start. It appears that the transition from the login screen to windows fades a bit sluggishly and isn't as smooth of a transition as I remember with the GT220.

Ideas for Solutions?
-Should I return the card?
-Wait for drivers?
-Switch to nVidia or keep ATI?

I am currently at work so I can't include any more information, but I'm going to try to get some screenshots or photos if nothing else and post to share. Maybe I'll take a video and post it on YouTube so you guys can see what I am talking about.

- marsbound2024

 

[GodisanAtheist]

First things first: Did you Uninstall your old Nvidia drivers and use driver cleaner to completely uninstal any remaining Nvidia driver files on your system?

 

[marsbound2024]

Actually I didn't even uninstall the nVidia drivers until AFTER I installed the ATI stuff. This was probably a bad mistake. But no, I didn't use Driver Cleaner. Maybe I should use Driver Cleaner to remove both nVidia and ATI drivers then start over with a fresh installation of the complete Catalyst 10.3 Suite?

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Not a bad idea:

Uninstall ATI's Drivers -> Restart into Safe Mode (Spam F8 before windows loads, select safe mode) -> Run driver cleaner, ask it to remove all remaining ATI & NV drivers -> Restart into normal windows -> Install 10.3's

 

[marsbound2024]

Alright so I tried that and no luck. Still get the slow transition into Windows and still get Vsync issues in the Crysis Pre-Release Demo. Again, not sure if that is just a Crysis thing, but I do know that slow transition when logging in to Windows is not related to Crysis. I've attached a video that should show at least some of the Crysis related issues. This is on my Samsung SyncMaster PX2370 (23" LED @ 1920x1080, 60Hz). You'll have to watch closely, sorry about the quality as I took this using my Droid phone.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

The video seemed fine. Yeah there was a little tearing on the really fast scenes but nothing that could really be considered problematic (probably has more to do with the speed the video is recorded than anything else). Some pictures regarding the in-game issues would probably be a lot more helpful.

I don't know what to say about the windows start-up issue, does it just seem like its sluggish thanks to heavy HDD activity or is it smooth and continuous just slower?

 

[marsbound2024]

Well on my previous video card (the GT220) there was a perfect transition. Also I noticed a perfect transition (like instantenous) when I had no video drivers installed at all for that brief time. The "sluggishness" is minor, but noticeable. I'm not going to worry about it too much honestly. I'm just surprised there is any at all when there wasn't with the GT220. I wonder if this has to do with the stupid power-saving idle feature that sets speeds to 157/300?

And the interesting thing about Crysis is I notice NO tearing issues when at 1920x1080 WINDOWED mode (means there is the bar at the top) or other resolutions WINDOWED mode, but as soon as I go full screen, BAM, there it is. Also, this only happens in cutscenes. I don't recall it happening in game at all. I really need a wider selection of games to test.

Oh and by the way, I am using the demo because I never wanted to buy Crysis if I couldn't experience it. This was the point of using it. I think I'll buy it anyway and maybe see if the game actually fixes it. I noticed that the game apparently has an in-game vsync option.

 

[marsbound2024]

I wanted to bring up something else--sorry to revive what is somewhat of an older thread--I installed Sims 3 and it works beautifully. No tearing issues at all that I've noticed (can't tell if one of the intro cutscenes has it for a brief moment, but that doesn't bother me if so). But, I do have one problem. It seems that sometimes when I wake up my computer and then launch Sims 3, the audio gets really full of static and popping and my computer seems to be a bit more sluggish. I can quit the game but I still notice some sluggish response from the mouse more or less. The solution is to restart the computer. I wonder where this issue is coming from? Hard drive? OS? Game? Video card? Sound card? I am at a loss on this one. A tad frustrating.