SLI Physics

[morgash]

ok im sure someone has posted about this before but, i was reading recently about Nvidia;s answer to the PhysX card and was wondering if this was a full scale assualt on the physics market or if Nvidia was just putting this out as perhaps a cheaper option with not as many features. from the press release it looks as though this has MAJOR effects on physics performance (more renderable interaction, fog swirling, so on) just like the PhysX card. Press release is HERE, and a review is HERE. Lemme know whatcha think

Morgash

 

[Acanthus]

the question is, why would you get $1000 worth of graphics cards to do the same thing a $500 graphics card and a $250 PPU can do?

 

[Ika]

Agree with Acanthus. Though, nvidia's answer is conceivably viable if the consumer has a crappy CPU and has budget SLI.

 

[the Chase]

In the pc Perspective article they say that the Havoc FX API isn't finalized yet. I'm not sure if that relates the same timeline wise as a DX standard or if they can add physics coding after a game is almost complete. If its like a DX standard, any games that use the Havoc FX method of physics may be 2-3 years off.

 

[Cheesetogo]

Originally posted by: Acanthus
the question is, why would you get $1000 worth of graphics cards to do the same thing a $500 graphics card and a $250 PPU can do?

A 500 dollar graphics card and a 250 dollar PPU may not necessarily perform the same.

 

[Cheesetogo]

double post

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: Cheesetogo

Originally posted by: Acanthus
the question is, why would you get $1000 worth of graphics cards to do the same thing a $500 graphics card and a $250 PPU can do?

A 500 dollar graphics card and a 250 dollar PPU may not necessarily perform the same.

I agree with your statement, until both companies show their hands we wont know for sure.

One thing is for sure, if they are using graphics cards to calculate physics, there will be a large performance hit for doing so, as you are dedicating resources that are normally used for rendering the scene to other things.

SLI with a performance hit for physics might run better than no physics at all, but ill wager than a dedicated PPU designed for the task will be better.