Friday, May 28th 2010

NVIDIA Removes Restriction on ATI GPUs with NVIDIA GPUs Processing PhysX

NVIDIA has reportedly removed the driver-level code which restricts users from having an NVIDIA GeForce GPU process PhysX with an ATI Radeon GPU in the lead, processing graphics. Version 257.15 Beta of the GeForce drivers brought about this change. Possible commercial interests may have played NVIDIA's previous decision to prevent the use of GeForce GPUs to process PhysX with ATI Radeon GPUs, where users could buy an inexpensive GeForce GPU to go with a high-end DirectX 11 compliant Radeon GPU, thereby reducing NVIDIA's margins, though officially NVIDIA maintained that the restriction was in place to ensure Quality Assurance. The present move also seems to have commercial interests in mind, as NVIDIA could clear inventories of GeForce GPUs at least to users of ATI Radeon GPUs. NVIDIA replenished its high-end offering recently with the DirectX 11 compliant GeForce 400 series GPUs.

Update (28/05): A fresh report by Anandtech says that the ability to use GeForce for PhysX in systems with graphics led by Radeon GPUs with the 257.15 beta driver is just a bug and not a feature. It means that this ability is one-off for this particular version of the driver, and future drivers may not feature it.
Source: NGOHQ.com
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276 Comments on NVIDIA Removes Restriction on ATI GPUs with NVIDIA GPUs Processing PhysX

#76
DaedalusHelios
newtekie1A 9600GT with 64 shaders was more than enough to handle Batman: AA at high PhysX.

And the shellshocker would work perfectly, as it is the shader power that matters, the memory bus is relatively unimportant for PhysX performance, which is why cards like the GT240/GT220 make great PhysX cards.
Define "enough". It is a subjective statement.

If what you mean by enough is it will not limit framerate when paired with a 5870 then no. I have seen people benchmark Batman: AA and they have reported that the 8800gt 512mb vanilla had less frames operating as dedicated physX than when using 8800gts 512mb and even moreso than a GTX 260 when being used with a 5870. That means frames are limited by the card when running at max resolutions and settings. Now with lesser systems it may not be the case though. I am assuming highend since this is a gaming forum and I didn't explain it fully. ;)
Posted on Reply
#77
cdawall
where the hell are my stars
Only shitty part is my ch3 doesn't have room with 2 4850x2's installed the x1 slots are covered by the coolers would be ok if I went all water tho....hmmm tec cooled water sounds fun.
Posted on Reply
#79
DaedalusHelios
ShRoOmAlIsTiCmy 240 will be monday, ill do a bench with my 5850 and gtx260 in batman first then do another with the 5850 and the 240. Just to see how big of a difference there is in physx.
Please do. I haven't seen results with a 5850 yet and the only thing I have is 5870s on the ATi side. So no way for me to test that personally. :toast:
Posted on Reply
#80
MilkyWay
Buying a GTX260 for physx is a waste since i have a GTX 260 as my main card, the price of a GTX 260 is just not worth those few extra effects on those very few games. I also dont see a lot of developers supporting it in the future.

I cant believe you need a powerful card to run physx, not powerful maybe mid range these days but those cards arnt cheapo its definitely not worth it at all. Sure you can choose to do that if you like but it doesn't mean its value for money.
Posted on Reply
#81
OnBoard
Really hope it's just not a simple "we forgot to block ATI cards in the Beta" seeing people buying GeForce cards :) If the coming WHQLs also allow this, then it should be good.

Never got why not allow as it means more sales that wouldn't have happened.
Posted on Reply
#82
ShRoOmAlIsTiC
MilkyWayBuying a GTX260 for physx is a waste since i have a GTX 260 as my main card, the price of a GTX 260 is just not worth those few extra effects on those very few games. I also dont see a lot of developers supporting it in the future.

I cant believe you need a powerful card to run physx, not powerful maybe mid range these days but those cards arnt cheapo its definitely not worth it at all. Sure you can choose to do that if you like but it doesn't mean its value for money.
I got mine in a trade and kept it for physx. Not a good idea to buy a card that expensive for a physx card unless you can find one used on the forums for 100 bucks or so seeing thats how much some of the 240's and the 9800 gt's gofor.
Posted on Reply
#84
EastCoasthandle
DaedalusHeliosThey won't because the cat is now out of the bag. Lets not let pessimism and paranoia infect the thread. We have no reason to think they would be ok with commiting reputation suicide by revoking it. It would mess up marketing campaigns and things that are similar in the retail segment. The only "what if" is will they enable its acceleration on ATi GPUs. It would work as well and there is no denying that, but it could still work.
Oh they will, they will. This is Nv we are talking about here. ;)
Yes, this is a bug in the latest build of PhysX that was packaged with the driver. We'll be fixing this issue ASAP - the WHQL driver launching in early June won't have this issue. -NVIDIA
Posted on Reply
#85
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
DaedalusHeliosDefine "enough". It is a subjective statement.

If what you mean by enough is it will not limit framerate when paired with a 5870 then no. I have seen people benchmark Batman: AA and they have reported that the 8800gt 512mb vanilla had less frames operating as dedicated physX than when using 8800gts 512mb and even moreso than a GTX 260 when being used with a 5870. That means frames are limited by the card when running at max resolutions and settings. Now with lesser systems it may not be the case though. I am assuming highend since this is a gaming forum and I didn't explain it fully. ;)
I haven't tested with a HD5800 card, but with the HD4890, there was no difference in performance between the 9600GT, my GTX260, and my GTX285 doing PhysX. However, the HD4890 might have been holding back the performance.

I don't have a HD5850, but I do have an GTX470, I'll test the 9600GT vs. GTX285 to see if there is a difference in performance between thet two this weekend.
EastCoasthandleOh they will, they will. This is Nv we are talking about here. ;)
Damn, that really sucks.
Posted on Reply
#86
erocker
*
I'm currently running two 5850's with a GT 240 for PhysX just fine. Going to pick up Batman tonight. :) What tests do you guys need done?
Posted on Reply
#87
poldo
sorry guys, false alarm.

www.anandtech.com/show/3744/nvidia-forceware-257-heterogeneous-gpu-physx-its-a-bug-not-a-feature
Yes, this is a bug in the latest build of PhysX that was packaged with the driver. We'll be fixing this issue ASAP - the WHQL driver launching in early June won't have this issue. -NVIDIA
quoted from Anandtech:
NVIDIA tells us that they will also be "fixing" the 257.15 beta driver on their site, so new downloads of that driver will have the restriction in place.
Posted on Reply
#89
Unregistered
I really hope this pisses off those f**king annoying ATI purists.

You all know who you are. :)
Posted on Edit | Reply
#90
DannibusX
$immond$I really hope this pisses off those f**king annoying ATI purists.

You all know who you are. :)
Huh? :wtf:
Posted on Reply
#91
EastCoasthandle
$immond$I really hope this pisses off those f**king annoying ATI purists.

You all know who you are. :)
I'm not sure what you mean. They still get an updated driver to use for mods.
Posted on Reply
#92
erocker
*
Disregard their comment. It's been dealt with.
Posted on Reply
#94
christian27
I knew it was too good coming from Nvidia
Posted on Reply
#95
slyfox2151
its a bug not a feature, good bye physx with ATI again. that was short lived
Posted on Reply
#96
Loosenut
slyfox2151its a bug not a feature, good bye physx with ATI again. that was short lived
"bug" They made it sound like a disease. :shadedshu :nutkick:

I'm sure someone has a copy somewhere if I ever want to try it.
Posted on Reply
#98
Unregistered
EastCoasthandleOh they will, they will. This is Nv we are talking about here. ;)
wow, what a dic* move nvdia.

and ppl who consider buying nv card for phisyx would be pissed right now.

EDIT : and btw btanur should update the news
Posted on Edit | Reply
#99
crow1001
Ah well no big loss, in fact no loss at all. :laugh:
Posted on Reply
#100
poldo
wahdangunEDIT : and btw btanur should update the news
the guy's fast, its already updated. i would've preferred it this way: "Nvidia, trolling with removing restriction..."
Posted on Reply
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