3D Image Quality

3D Image qualityOnce we started testing the GeForce FX I took good note of the fact that that the new Detonator drivers that had been optimized for at least 3D Mark 03 might have a performance increase due to lowering 3D Scene image quality. I recall to have read this in an earlier review from another site. A good example would be that in previous drivers of the Radeon at the Performance AF setting (Bilinear AF) would be better than GFFX Balanced AF setting. Although questionable and perhaps even likely I was unable to proof that. Take a look for yourself.

To be able to do the benchmarks objectively image quality needs to be the same as it's competitor Radeon 9700 Pro. To see if the image quality is/was the same as Radeon 9700 Pro we started comparing them by making a few screenshots, zoom in and simply see if there was noticeable loss if image quality on either one of the graphics cards. Both Detonator driver 42.68 and Catalyst 3.1 drivers from ATI seem to produce about the same quality to the naked eye. To demonstrate this to you I suggest you start looking and comparing the enlarged images below.

You tell me .. which one is the GeForce FX 5800 Ultra you think ? I'll tell you in a little while. The images above have no AF enabled, all settings are at default on both graphics cards. Now let's crank up 8x Anisotropic filtering and 4x Anti Aliasing on both cards and do the same thing again with Unreal 2003.

Take a look at the image above. this will be the reference image on which we zoom in. Take a good look at that grid in the back, that's where we will be focussing on.

Now, again compare the two images ... there is a little bit color difference, likely due to gamma settings. However 3D Scene quality wise both cards are very close to each other. Have you made up your mind yet ? What do you think is GeForce FX and what is the Radeon 9700 Pro ?

Exactly in this order .. every first image is the GeForce FX and every second image a Radeon 9700 Pro.