NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4600 Preview
By: Mike Chambers - February 6, 2002
DirectX 8 Performance - Max Payne Demo
DirectX 8 performance and image quality testing was limited to Max Payne, Nascar Racing 2002, and 3DMark 2001. Performance in Max Payne was measured using FRAPS which has recently been updated to log average, minimum, and maximum frame rates. As with my recent Prolink GeForce3 Ti 200 review, results are based on actual game play. High quality settings with trilinear filtering were enabled along with sound.
4XS Antialiasing
Quality Setting
Resolution
GeForce4 Ti 4600
GeForce3 Ti 500
Percent Change
Trilinear Filtering
1024x768 4XS AA
Avg: 52 Min: 35 Max: 91
N/A
1280x1024 2X AA
Avg: 70 Min: 31 Max: 147
Avg: 35 Min: 26 Max: 64
+ 100%
1600x1200
Avg: 71 Min: 39 Max: 147
Avg: 50 Min: 34 Max: 121
+ 42%
1920x1440
Avg: 53 Min: 33 Max: 73
Avg: 33 Min: 23 Max: 61
+ 61%
With the GeForce4 Ti 4600, antialiasing can be enabled at very high resolutions (such as 1280x1024).
DirectX 8 Performance - Nascar Racing 2002 Demo
The image quality in flight and race sims can be greatly improved through the use of antialiasing. Even high levels of antialiasing, such as 4X, can be enabled since frame rates for these types of games should ideally be 30 frames per second or greater.
Clicking on any of the following screenshots from the Nascar Racing 2002 demo will bring up a page that allows image quality comparisons. In this case no antialiasing, 4X antialiasing, and 4XS antialising can be compared. The difference between no antialiasing and both 4X antialiasing modes is relatively easy to spot. But the differences between 4X and 4XS antialiasing are harder to find, but they do exist.
Cockpit View
4XS does wonders even when compared against 4X antialiasing. It comes extremely close to providing a straight edge at the top of the windshield.
Chase View
Although not as dramatic a change as the cockpit view, you'll still find subtle differences with 4XS over 4X antialiasing in the chase view. Take note of the area to the left of the track as it's considerable cleaner looking - even the path across the grass is free from jagged edges.
While the games built-in frame rate counter was hidden from view in the above images, the following frame rates were recorded on the GeForce4 Ti 4600 at a resolution of 1024x768 in 32-bit color using quality settings.
