Benchmark Results: Grand Theft Auto 4
We’ve fielded a lot of feedback email asking for Grand Theft Auto 4 results. The game often proves to be fairly processor-dependent, but performance generally only ranges between 40 and 60 frames per second.
At 1680x1050, we can see that this one prefers Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 285—especially on the Core 2 Quad platform, where ATI falls behind. The Core i5/Corei7s and AMD’s Phenom II X4 deliver similar performance otherwise. SLI is the only multi-card technology that exhibits a gain of any sort; CrossFire actually hurts performance.
Swap over to a single Radeon HD 4870 X2 and the three Nehalem-based CPUs take a lead, even over the Phenom II.
When you up the resolution, a single Radeon HD 4870 X2 delivers even results across our five test beds. Again, CrossFire does nothing positive for performance. A single GeForce GTX 285, on the other hand, does gain a fair bit of performance from a second card. With just one installed, you really won’t be able to tell the difference between Core i7, Core i5, or Phenom II, though.
Interesting..whilst the Phenom II is a refined core rather than a new design, it still seems able to hold it's weight. It's also apparent that even the fastest Core i5's and i7's are getting some great results not from nVidia cards, but from AMD/ATI.
^ Source: single-card configurations, i.e. what most people can afford.
"Running at 1680x1050 represents a solid baseline for mainstream gamers, while 2560x1600 serves as today’s Holy Grail."
With so many people attaching their PCs to 1080p TVs why do we consistenly see a lack of 1920x1080 resolution results? Besides, many people still use top quality 17" & 19" monitors with 1280x1024 resolutions.
@up:
At 1280x1024 you sure as hell don't need Tri SLI 285 or CrossfireX 4870x2. In fact single 4850 will do.
This makes me rethink my whole i5/i7 upgrade at the first of the year.
I'm guessing my Q6600 @3.6 is alittle faster then the Q9550 used in the tests.
Maybe a i5 and 2x4770 GPU might do some good at a very low price?
the Q9550 was only clocked @ 2.83GHz, they should atleast used the Q9650 or OC the Q9550 to 3.4GHz like the PII 965
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@kasperg
then why not clock the i7 920 to 4GHz and all of the others accordingly?