Stress Test GeForce 5900 Ultra DX8.1 vs 9.0

[A|2SENIC]

I've seen that many people are complaining about the FX Series being put at default 8.1. So I did some tests to find out myself whether it would be a big blow to my FPS or not.

My Specs:
Microsoft WIndows XP
Pentium 4 CPU 3.21 GHz
2.00 GB of RAM
nVIDIA GeForce FX 5900 Ultra (256 mb)

Settings:
Resolution: 1024 by 768
Model Detail: High
Texture Detail: High
Water Detail: Reflect All
Shadow Detail: High
Anisotropic Filtering: 8x
Antialiasing: 6x
V-Sync: On

Now here are the stress test results for DX 8.1 and 9.0

DX8.1:
53.78
54.37
55.16
54.26

DX9.0:
53.95
54.29
53.87
53.49

As you can see there is hardly any difference, but I feel like i'm not doing something right or missing something so don't flame me if I did. Feel free to ask any questions.

 

[Global_Inferno]

One of the major review site (cant remember which) did some ver similar tests, and found that even in DX9 mode the FX series were still only running DX8.1

 

[A|2SENIC]

So would I have to go into the config file or something to do that?

 

[Iced_Eagle]

I think it's just a bug with the game that it only allows those cards strictly DX8.1 no matter what you do.

Wait for patch I say.

 

[A|2SENIC]

Doh! #@*%$

 

[Jack_Karverboy]

lol!
AMD 2500+ 1.83 Ghz
512 MB RAM
5900 128 MB

Settings
All high, no AA Bilinear filtering

average 73 FPS! :naughty:

 

[iamidiot]

how do u set it for dx8 or dx9? is there a console command?

 

[A|2SENIC]

mat_dxlevel 90 and mat_dxlevel 81

 

[aFireInside0016]

once you set it like that in the console, will it auto load dx9 every time? or do i gotta type it in every time? thanx!

 

[Anthraxxx]

Didn't Valve make a DX 8.1/9 hybrid just for nVidia cards due to their poor performance with the Source engine on the 5000 series of GeForce FX's? Could this possibly be the reason why ppl with anything less than a 6800 nVidia card are experiencing a downgrade in Direct X versions?

 

[A|2SENIC]

I'm not entirely sure on the hybrid thing, atleast I don't remember hearing anything about that. and a fireinside0016 you don't have to type in that command in every time for it to stay as DX9.0