![[H]ardOCP](/images/blank.gif){kind=small}
- Date:
- Tuesday , January 16, 2007
- Author:
- Mark Warner
- Editor:
- Brent Justice
- Google +1
Gigabyte GeForce 7950 GT
Does Gigabyte's GeForce 7950 GT equipped GV-NX795T512H-RH 512 MB have the right stuff to deliver the deadly blow to ATI's RADEON X1900 XT 256 MB powerhouse? Will the extra 256MB of memory help?
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
(DirectX 9)
Oblivion is the next Elder Scrolls game and the unconnected sequel to Morrowind. It uses the multi-platform Gamebryo game engine. Oblivion features DirectX 9 shaders and Havok physics. The engine supports lush vegetation, soft shadows, and high dynamic range lighting (HDR). Oblivion also features SpeedTree for rendering trees.
For testing, we have chosen to do a manual run-through riding horseback from outside the Imperial City to Chorrol to Bruma. This run-through allows us to push the hardware as much as the game can. While this is an outdoor run-through, we do make sure to test indoor situations in our gameplay analysis as well. We have found that turning on the torch indoors with HDR lighting takes a big hit on performance in some situations. We make sure to test this scenario, and the posted configuration screenshots reflect the results of testing both indoor and outdoor scenarios.
In Oblivion, the Gigabyte GeForce 7950 GT was able to run at 1280x1024 with high (but not maximum) fade settings, and with HDR enabled. It was not able to maintain sufficiently playable framerates with grass enabled at any setting, so we had to disable grass. The ATI RADEON X1900 XT, on the other hand, was able to have grass enabled, albeit at a modest setting, and use maximum draw distances for trees, actors, items, and objects. Both video cards were able to use high water detail, water ripples, and water and window reflections, as well as tree canopy shadows. Canopy shadows add a tremendous amount of immersion and realism to the forested areas of Cyrodill, so we were glad to see them usable on both of these video cards.
Overall, the performance and image quality nod goes to the ATI RADEON X1900 XT for Oblivion, thanks to ATI's proprietary HQ AF, as well as the usable grass setting and higher fade options and shadow settings.
Image Quality
The screenshot above shows the difference that the low grass setting makes. It's not huge, but it is certainly noticeable. Some people may prefer grass to be disabled, rather than to have a short visibility range. Gamers that go that route will enjoy much higher framerates with the grass disabled, as grass represents one of the biggest performance hits in Oblivion