CPU scaling in games with dual and quad core processors

Guru3D takes 10 modern dual & quad core processors and then fires off a dozen of games at them in combo with a high-end graphics card. Then they observe the raw differences in performance with the more modern games. They show & scale 8 AMD & Intel Quad-core processors and 2 dual-core processors in gaming resolutions from 1024x760 up-to 2560x1600.

Processors used in this article:

• AMD Athlon X2 4850E
• AMD Phenom X3 8750
• AMD Phenom X4 9450
• AMD Phenom X4 9850
• Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
• Intel Core 2 Duo X6800 Extreme
• Intel Core 2 Quad Q6850
• Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
• Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450
• Intel Core 2 Quad QX9770

The idea behind the article is to show you which processors offer the most bang for buck, and the ones who offer the best performance. You want to find out the core truth here ? Definitely check out this article then.

Article URL:
http://www.guru3d.com/article/cpu-scaling-in-games-with-quad-core-processors/

Point of View GeForce 9600 GSO 384 MB review

NVIDIA replaced the GeForce 8800 GS with the GeForce 9600 GSO. The 9600 GSO is still based on the same G92 core with 96 stream processors that the 8800 GS has, but NVIDIA gave card makers a bit more freedom in their designs in terms of own PCB design to and determine their own clocks.

This 'old' card will still have 384 MB of GDDR3 memory over a weird 192-bit memory interface. Cards like these will sell for less than 99 Euro, and considering the performance you get returned for that, you'll love it. Guru3D peeks at Point of View's offering.

Click here to read the review

QJ.net heard that Fallout 3 will have 500 different endings. The Fallout 3 developers say the ending will be a dynamic cutscene based on specific desicions you make in the game. Good luck to completists out there who'll want to watch each one.

Here are the rest of the info for Fallout 3 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC) as revealed on Game Informer:

Some info about Fallout 3:

• They'll handle the ending as a dynamic cutscene that changes depending on specific decisions you make. Right now there are over 500 variations of the cutscene.
• You can talk to Dogmeat although he only barks and wags his tail. But they say you always tell if he agrees or disagrees with you.
• There are no guilds like in Oblivion. You just go around doing different quests for various groups.
• The world is entirely open from the start although certain areas can be difficult at the start.
• There will be licensed music from the 40's and 50's. Songs and artists include Ink Spots"I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire", Bob Crosby's "Way Back Home", and Roy Brown's "Butcher Pete".
• There are no vehicles.
• The game has gotten bigger since the initial announcement. They've had to remove some features but they say they weren't anything they'd officially announced. 

Agreed, I already had a soft spot for MTROns Solid State Disk products, yet they are upping it yet another notch by releasing the Pro 7500 series of SSDs, which they say are the fastest around. That's really only half-true -- while the 120MB/s write speed is definitely the fastest we've seen, the 130MB/s read speed is the same those Greenhouse's DH-SSDGD drives we just saw a couple days ago. Still, that's mighty fast -- too bad these are probably going to be priced into the stratosphere like Mtron's other SSDs.

The SSDs in the line are available in 32GB to 128GB capacities and are available in both 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch sizes. Mtron says the drives are aimed at industrial use and will be available in June. Mtron says that the fast SSDs also need 60% less power than a conventional HDD. There is no word on pricing for the line at this time.

As you guys know AMD is working hard on their ATI Radeon HD 4800 series cards will see a segmented launch over the late spring and summer. The products will see a number of significant improvements to the company's feature set. Besides expanding the amount of pixel and geometry effects each card can handle at once, the update is now said to build AMD's GPGPU physics processing into mainstream cards, letting supporting games and professional apps offload some of their work to the video card when not in use.

All cards will also have an improved video decoder that reduces the overhead on the main processor for High-Def video playback, as well as the ability to route 7.1-channel sound from the system through versions of the Radeons with HDMI output.

ATI is expected to replace much of its video card lineup and will start with the Radeon HD 4850 somewhere in June, a mid-range card that primarily represents a clock speed boost over the 3850; the board is cool enough to only need the space of a single slot for a fan. Most cards will reportedly be priced between $189 and $219 with 512MB of memory, though AMD is believed to be developing a less expensive 256MB version for large-scale computer builders.

Two more cards will appear in July that tackle the enthusiast and very high-end gamer audiences, according to the purportedly leaked details. The 4870 is touted as being twice as fast as the existing 3870 X2 despite having just one video processor to the older card's two; this is due in part to much better memory bandwidth than even faster NVIDIA cards. It would sell for between $249 and $279 in a 512MB version and will be accompanied by the 4870 X2, which doubles the number of processors and the theoretical performance to match. Pricing for this card hasn't been slipped by the alleged sources behind the launch information.

The releases are believed to help AMD regain its edge in video performance but seems to arive after the launch of the GeForce 9900, which will hold ground as NVIDIA's new single-chip flagship chipset.

Samsung has developed the world’s first “Blue Phase” LCD panel – which will offer more natural moving images with an unprecedented image-driving speed of 240 Hertz. Overdrive circuits are currently applied to each LCD panel to improve the video image quality in premium LCD TVs, which are driven at 120Hz. The Blue Phase mode features a superior response rate, allowing images to be reproduced at 240Hz or higher without the need for any overdrive circuit. The term “Blue Phase” was coined when the technology’s developers observed bluish hues while watching their new liquid crystal mode in operation. Developed with an extremely cost-efficient design, Samsung’s Blue Phase mode does not require liquid crystal alignment layers, unlike today’s most widely used LCD modes such as Twisted Nematic, In-Plane Switching or Vertical Alignment. 

Samsung’s development of the technology provides a tremendous opportunity to move image quality of LCD screens much closer to that of a real moving image. Samsung expects to begin mass producing its Blue Phase LCD in 2011. The LCD panels will be mainly used in TVs that require high-speed video reproduction. Samsung is planning to unveil a 15” model of its Blue Phase LCD panel at the SID (Society for Information Display) 2008 international Symposium.

A lot of rumors have been floating on the web for a while now regarding NVIDIA's upcoming GT200 based graphics card(s). Apparently this new card series is close to being released as info and pictures have begun to surface. Among them the cooler design and conceptual art of the PCB.

PC Online claims to have obtained pictures of a cooling device that according to them belongs to the next generation graphics card from NVIDIA. At first glimpse the cooling unit looks very close to the one used on GeForce 8800 GTS, 512MB.

Specification wise it is rumored that the GT200 aka GeForce 9800 GTX has no less than 240 shader processors, 32 raster units, 1 GB of GDDR3, and surprisingly a 512-bit memory interface. This totals up to a completely new architecture for sure.

Thermal design of the cooler also points towards a 240-watt graphics card. This new graphics cards silicon has a rumored 1.5 billion transistors, though earlier reports suggested 1 billion. Anyway here are some pictures we gathered from several sources on the web ...

To be continued soon.

With advanced thermal and optical technologies, AUO has successfully developed ultra-slim 42” TFT-LCDs with LED technology to meet the TV market trends. This new LED TV technology with less than 10mm module thickness also reduces the weight significantly – by 44% comparing to conventional models, reaching a high brightness at 450 nits with excellent luminance and uniformity performance. In addition, highly efficient white LEDs further reduce power consumption and simplify the driving circuit.

AUO ultra slim 42" LCD TV with a new technology of “High Dynamic Contrast” improves the contrast ratio above 200,000:1 by adopting 16x8 LED blocks for local dimming function. AUO’s 42” slim LCD panels provide end users more flexibility for applications, can utilize either wall mounts or individual stands, and can bring viewers enhanced stylish enjoyment and power-saving benefits in their LCD displays.

User Marduk in our forums spotted this one, pretty hilarious to be honest. A 13-year-old boy from Texas who stole his father's credit card and hired two prostitutes has been convicted of fraud.

Newark teenager Ralph Hardy confessed to ordering an extra credit card from his dad's existing credit card company and taking his pals on a US$30,000 spending spree, which culminated in them playing "Halo" on an Xbox with the hookers in a Texas motel. The $1000-a-night prostitutes were released without charge but Ralph was given a three year community order upon his conviction on May 9, money.co.uk reported.
The prostitutes told police they grew suspicious when the kids said they'd rather play Xbox than play with them.

Authorities were alerted to the motel by a delivery clerk who, after delivering supplies of Dr Pepper, Oreos and Fritos, was asked by the kids where they could hire some escorts. They young lotharios explained they'd just won big at a "World of Warcraft" tournament and wanted to relax.

The delivery clerk called the police who arrived to find $3,000 in cash, electronic gadgets, an Xbox console and games, plus the two prostitutes. Ralph reportedly told the oficers his dad wouldn't mind, because he'd turned 13 the previous week and he'd forgot to get him a present.

Ralph and Co. told the working girls they were people of restricted growth working with a traveling circus. They added that State law did not allow discrimination against the disabled so they had no right to refuse them.

Explaining why he ordered two escorts, Ralph said he thought it was the done thing when you win a "World of Warcraft" contest.

The prostitutes ended up playing "Halo" with the kids instead of having sex with them.

The new entity, to be called JVC Kenwood Holdings, will aim to quadruple operating profit in three years, the two companies said in a statement. The joint holding company will be created Oct. 1.

The move is the latest stage of a long-running combination plan that underscores the pressure for consolidation as competition intensifies among Japan's crowded field of small to mid-size consumer device makers.

An onslaught of South Korean and Chinese rivals have driven prices lower, and the high investment costs for digital appliances have squeezed profits, JVC and Kenwood said.

Victor, best known for its JVC brand of home electronics goods, and Kenwood, famous for its car audio systems, set share swap terms for the deal to which they agreed in principle last summer.

Under terms of the deal, Victor holders will have the right to two shares in the new holding structure for each Victor share owned, while Kenwood investors will qualify for one share in the new company for each Kenwood share owned.

Ubisoft has released a new Far Cry 2 trailer, showcasing this first person shooter sequel in the works at Ubisoft's Montreal studio. Developed for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, Far Cry 2 is scheduled to ship this Fall. Here are the new scenes from Far Cry 2:

All these DIY notebooks come from OCZ standard with a 15.4" WXGA display, NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT 512MB GPU, Intel PM965 northbridge/ICH8M southbridge, SATA support for HDDs or SSDs, 8x dual-layer DVD burner, four USB 2.0 ports, ExpressCard 34/54 slot, and a fingerprint reader. Optional components will include Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, a TV tuner, and a Intel 4965AGN 802.11a/g/n wireless adapter.

OCZ's DIY gaming notebook is no lightweight, however, and weighs in at hefty 7 pounds with a 9-cell battery pack. External dimensions for the machine ring in at 14.25" x 11.25" x 1.5".

"For years consumers have wanted to build their own mobile computing platforms, but the product offerings and market simply did not serve them as they did in the desktop do it yourself segment," said OCZ Systems Solutions Product Manager Eugene Chang. "With the OCZ Do-It-Yourself Notebook initiative, OCZ empowers with the resources like validated component guides, documentation, tech support, and a warranty to allow consumers to configure and build a true gaming notebook with the exact specification that matches their unique requirements."

OCZ also plans to go above and beyond the call of duty by offering validated components in the system, toll-free support, and detailed instructions on how to complete a new system build.

OCZ has not informed us of the pricing, but this will be revealed when the system and its siblings arrive later this year.

NVIDIA re-released their Forceware GeForce 175.16 drivers, this time they carry a WHQL stamp, meaning they are tested and approved my Microsoft. Among the support is the new GeForce 9600 GSO (read our review here).

These drivers supports GeForce 6, 7, 8, and 9 series GPUs including these newly released GPUs:

• GeForce 9800 GX2
• GeForce 9800 GTX
• GeForce 9600 GT
• GeForce 9600 GSO
• GeForce 8300
• GeForce 8200/ nForce 730a
• GeForce 8100/nForce 720a

Supports single GPU and NVIDIA SLI™ technology on DirectX 9, DirectX 10, and OpenGL, including Quad SLI technology with GeForce 9800 GX2 and 3-way SLI Technology with GeForce 9800 GTX.

Supports Hybrid SLI technology to turbo-charge graphics performance and enjoy intelligent power management on the following motherboards:

• nForce 780a SLI
• nForce 750a SLI
• nForce 730a
• nForce 720a
• GeForce 8300
• GeForce 8200
• GeForce 8100

Supports GeForce Boost, a Hybrid SLI Technology, on the following GPUs:

• GeForce 8500 GT
• GeForce 8400 GS

Supports HybridPower, a Hybrid SLI Technology, on the following GPUs:

• GeForce 9800 GX2
• GeForce 9800 GTX

Adds support for NVIDIA GeForce 3D Stereo Technology

Adds new PureVideo HD features for GeForce 9800 GX2, 9800 GTX, 9600 GT and 9600 GSO:

• Dynamic Contrast Enhancement
• Dynamic Blue, Green & Skin Tone Enhancements
• Dual-Stream Decode Acceleration*
• Microsoft Vista Aero display mode compatibility for Blu-ray & HD DVD playback*

Added the following pages to the NVIDIA Control Panel:

• Manage Custom Resolutions
• Adjust Television Color Settings
• Adjust Screen Size and Position
• Move CRT Position

Improved performance on many DirectX 9, DirectX 10, and OpenGL applications. Numerous game and application compatibility fixes. Please read the release notes for more information on product support, features, driver fixes and known compatibility issues. We have a forum thread open on these drivers right here.

Download:

  ForceWare 175.16 Vista 64-bit
  ForceWare 175.16 Vista 32-bit
  ForceWare 175.16 XP 64-bit
  ForceWare 175.16 XP 32-bit

Matrox Graphics announced a new product called the Matrox Extio F1240, it's a new latest addition to its line of Extio remote graphics units (RGUs), capable of driving two 30-inch displays, each at its native dual-link digital resolution of 2560 x 1600.

A fanless device, the Extio F1240 RGU provides a quiet and secure environment by separating the host computer from the monitors and other peripherals (keyboard, mouse, and audio) by up to 250 meters (820 ft) via fiber-optic cable. Extio RGUs takes advantage of PCI Express bus extension technology to deliver a user experience that parallels working with the computer situated at the user's desk.

The Extio F1240 RGU is equipped with a Matrox-designed graphics chip, 128 MB of graphics memory, dual-LC connector for fiber-optic cable, 2 digital (DVI) and 2 analog (HD-15) monitor connectors that support a variety of resolutions up to 1920x1200 and 2560x1600 (using the digital connectors only), 6 USB 2.0 ports (4 in front, 2 in back), integrated audio hardware, an optical connector for digital audio output, and analog audio connectors for a microphone input, line input, and line output. Extio is available in PCI or PCI Express (PCIe) to meet different slot requirements on host systems.

Key application areas include financial, insurance, and commodities trading systems; emergency and transportation dispatch control systems; process control systems; security systems; command-and-control systems; and other high-reliability applications in enterprise, industrial, and government systems.

Front:

• A - 4 USB 2.0 ports
• B - Microphone, mini-jack connector with bias current (3.5 mm / 1/8")
• G - Audio-in, mini-stereo-jack connector (3.5 mm / 1/8")
• D - Audio-out, mini-stereo-jack connector (3.5 mm / 1/8")

Back:

• E - Audio-out, mini-Toslink connector (3.5 mm / 1/8")
• F - 2 USB 2.0 ports
• G - Fiber-optic, dual-LC connector
• H - 2 RGB and 2 DVI connectors
• I - Power input, lock-in, DIN-4 (12 VDC, 5 A) connector

See, now this shows that with dedication and effort you can make a lot of stuff happen. Excellent job this kid who it took a full year o put together from scratch, but a German PC modder going by the name "Froop" managed to build an elaborate PC casemod inspired by the Chernobyl theme in the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

The result is "Unit 4," a working PC model of Chernobyl complete with a flip-top that allows you to peer into the bowels of the destroyed power plant. The construction process is outlined in its entirety in the following links, but you can check out some pics of the early stages as well as the final product in the gallery.

Thanks James for pointing me to this news.