DOOM 3 Performance
DOOM 3 is a game that needs no introduction, and continues in a long line of id Software Quake and DOOM first-person shooters. This latest installment is one serious 3D game test, including some of the highest-end graphics yet seen on the PC. It is also a different type of game benchmark, especially compared to Quake 3, and it has an almost total reliance on the 3D video card for high-end framerate results. This limits its use in certain system or CPU testing, but makes DOOM 3 a killer 3D video card benchmark.
In terms of video card performance, DOOM 3 is a very demanding benchmark, and as Half-Life 2 is to ATI, so too is DOOM 3 to the NVIDIA cards. This is quite obvious from the provided benchmark chart, which shows the ASUS EAX1950PRO 256MB well behind the performance of the GeForce 7900 GS. Then again, the ASUS card is nicely ahead of both the Radeon X1800 XL and GeForce 7600 GT, so it has definitely not fallen back in the mainstream pack.
DOOM 3 AA and AF Performance
Strangely, once the 4X AA and 8X AF settings are brought into play, the ASUS EAX1950PRO 256MB actually improves its relative position. The ASUS graphics card still doesn't outperform the GeForce 7900 GS, but this time, it's just a hair slower and quite close to the GeForce 7900 GT as well.
Quake 4 Performance
Quake 4 is the latest in 3D first-person shooters from id Software and Raven, and while the actual storyline is pretty standard fare and the game itself is based on the DOOM 3 engine, the graphics are exceptional and it is an improvement over previous games. The lighting and shadow effects are excellent, and the overall level design and architecture are a real treat. The overall load on the graphics card can be extreme, which is both a blessing and a curse, depending on the actual hardware you are testing. For this review, we've updated to the latest patch, and used the default id netdemo for testing.
Quake 4 benchmarking doesn't get the ASUS EAX1950PRO 256MB off on the right foot, as 1280x1024 testing has it just behind the GeForce 7600 GT. This is quickly alleviated once we hit 1600x1200, but as usual, the ATI cards have some trouble with the Quake 4 benchmark.
Quake 4 AA and AF Performance
The ASUS EAX1950PRO 256MB does a bit better with the 4X AA and 8X AF detail settings enabled, and now leaves the mainstream Radeon X1800 XL and GeForce 7600 GT in the relative dust, while still not being able to reach the GeForce 7900 GS.
