DX11 performance

ComputeMark 2.1

ComputeMark is a DirectX 11 Compute Shader Benchmark designed specifically with GPU punishing in mind. It attacks the compute power of your graphics card and spits out a benchmark score. The ComputeMark 2.1 benchmark is a free, downloadable benchmark that is available to everyone. I’ve included it here so that anyone can try it out and compare their scores to something they see here.

3DMark 11

3DMark11 is Futuremark’s latest iteration of the video card software benchmark suite, building on the features of 3DMark Vantage and 3DMark 06 as well as earlier version. It’s optimized and intended for testing DirectX-11 capable hardware running under Windows Vista or Windows 7.

Heaven 4.0

The Unigine Heaven 4.0 benchmark is a free publicly available tool that grants the power to unleash the graphics capabilities in DirectX-11 for Windows 7 or updated Vista Operating Systems. It reveals the enchanting magic of floating islands with a tiny village hidden in the cloudy skies. With the interactive mode, emerging experience of exploring the intricate world is within reach. Through its advanced renderer, Unigine is one of the first to set precedence in showcasing the art assets with tessellation, bringing compelling visual finesse, utilizing the technology to the full extend and exhibiting the possibilities of enriching 3D gaming.

The distinguishing feature in the Unigine Heaven benchmark is a hardware tessellation that is a scalable technology aimed for automatic subdivision of polygons into smaller and finer pieces, so that developers can gain a more detailed look of their games almost free of charge in terms of performance. Thanks to this procedure, the elaboration of the rendered image finally approaches the boundary of veridical visual perception: the virtual reality transcends conjured by your hand. The Heaven benchmark excels at providing the following key features:

• Native support of OpenGL, DirectX 9, DirectX-10 and DirectX-11
• Comprehensive use of tessellation technology
• Advanced SSAO (screen-space ambient occlusion)
• Volumetric cumulonimbus clouds generated by a physically accurate algorithm
• Dynamic simulation of changing environment with high physical fidelity
• Interactive experience with fly/walk-through modes
• ATI Eyefinity support

Gaming Benchmarks

For true gaming benchmarks, I’ve included two of the lastest and most popular titles available at launch; BioShock Infinite and Tomb Raider.

For BioShock, I used the low presets, expecting that it would be hard on the integrated GPUs. According to the press release from AMD, the Radeon HD 8670D did a little better than the results I saw.

For Tomb Raider, I used the normal presets. Again, in the press release I recieved from AMD, it looked as though the integrated graphics could handle the game a little better than what I experienced. Of course, they were also using DDR3-2333 RAM, where I was using DDR3-1600. Generally speaking, though, increased RAM speed doesn’t amount to more than a couple of FPS difference.

And there you have it! Is the 35W of potential saved power worth it?