Games of 2011 against modern video cards – – PC performance graphics benchmarks of Graphics Cards

    

Well, the great and mighty year 2011 has come to an end! For some it brought a lot of joy, for others a lot of sadness, but for us gamers it brought a bunch of high-tech games that became a real challenge for your pets. Throughout the year, our users have been closely following our reviews, peering at all the splendor that they will have to pay for…

Let’s not delve into various descriptions, reasoning and other bureaucratic delights and get straight to the point. Our test was attended by 29 candidates from two opposing camps, who met in 15 significant games this year. Our goal is to identify the fastest solutions for this year’s games and the most optimal products in terms of price/performance ratio.

All video cards were tested at maximum graphics quality using MSI Afterburner. The purpose of the test is to determine how video cards from different manufacturers behave under the same conditions. The minimum and average frame size is taken as the performance indicator. 

Our video cards were tested at separate screen sizes of 1920×1080 and 2560×1600 at the maximum graphics quality settings allowed by the games, and, of course, by the resources of the video cards. The tests were based on the most striking games of 2011, both in terms of gaming and technology. Unfortunately, for the test we used video cards of the current generation with DirectX 11. For those who want to see earlier models in the tests, we advise you to go through our test archive.

The test was carried out on one of the most powerful gaming configurations to date based on an Intel Core i7-2600K with overclocking to 4.8 GHz, eight gigabytes of DDR3 RAM with a frequency of 2133 MHz and an OCZ Vertex 3 SSD hard drive.

Bulletstorm

The game came out quite colorful and rich, even despite the obsolescence of Unreal Engine 3. In our opinion, Bulletstorm is one of the best shooters of the past year. All game settings were turned up to maximum. The only embarrassment is the FPS limitation of 62 frames.

Testing at maximum quality settings 1920×1080

At the maximum graphics quality settings allowed by Bulletstorm, all of our tested video cards were suitable for comfortable playability.

Testing at maximum quality settings 2560×1600

At a resolution of 2560×1600, with maximum graphics quality settings, the minimum acceptable level of performance will be shown by video cards of the Radeon HD 6850 or GeForce GTX 460 level. The most optimal graphics cards for comfortable gaming with these settings will be the Radeon HD 6950 or GeForce GTX 560 Ti.

Dragon Age II

Dragon Age II is a very technological project, a feature of which is the active use of DirectX 11 resources, which, on the one hand, makes it a very technological product, and on the other, one of the most resource-intensive games. Although the picture is a little weak in comparison with its competitors… All game settings are turned up to maximum, with the exception of vertical synchronization.

Testing at maximum quality settings 1920×1080

At the maximum graphics quality settings allowed by Dragon Age II at a resolution of 1920×1080, the minimum level of performance will be shown by video cards of the level of Radeon HD 5850 or GeForce GTX 470. An acceptable level should be expected from the Radeon HD 5870 or GeForce GTX 480.

Testing at maximum quality settings 2560×1600

At a resolution of 2560×1600, many video cards encountered a lack of video memory; their results were considered incorrect and were not included in the test. With video memory capacity of less than 1536 MB. video cards showed almost a slide show. At maximum quality settings, the acceptable level of performance will be shown by video cards at the level of Radeon HD 6970 or GeForce GTX 580. The most optimal graphics cards for comfortable gaming will be dual-chip Radeon HD 6990 or GeForce GTX 590.

Homefront

Homefront is a good game, but it has one drawback – the storyline is too short. The developers were able to organize support for DirectX 11 functions, even on cards with no hardware support.

Testing at maximum quality settings 1920×1080

At maximum graphics quality settings, the minimum level of performance will be shown by video cards of the Radeon HD 5770 or GeForce GTX 460SE level. Comfortable performance will be shown by video cards of the Radeon HD 5830 or GeForce GTX 560 level.

Testing at maximum quality settings 2560×1600

At a resolution of 2560×1600, video cards of the Radeon HD 5850 or GeForce GTX 470 level will be acceptable. The most optimal graphics cards for a comfortable game in Homefront will be the Radeon HD 5870 or GeForce GTX 560Ti.

Total War: Shogun 2

Total War: Shogun 2 is an excellent continuation of its Total War series that will appeal to many of its fans. Graphicsfalse39 UnhideWhenUsed= Priority=false style=esquely the game has become a leader in the abundance of graphical bells and whistles and images/stories/Test_GPU/Videocards/2011/nvidia_vs_amd.jpg Name=falsew:LsdException Locked= / Name=false UnhideWhenUsed= width= width= src= width = special effects, representing a mixture of scale and beauty unprecedented in the world of strategy. The test was carried out with the maximum possible graphics settings in the game. Only the vertical sync function remained disabled.

Testing at maximum quality settings 1920×1080

The benchmark refused to run on video cards with video memory less than 1536 megabytes. At the maximum graphics quality settings allowed by Total War: Shogun 2 at a resolution of 1920×1080, the minimum level of performance will be shown by the GeForce GTX 580. The best option should be considered dual-chip solutions Radeon HD 6990 or GeForce GTX 590.

Testing at maximum quality settings 2560×1600

With a resolution of 2560×1600, the minimum you need is two gigabytes of video memory on board. The minimum solution for these settings will be a Radeon HD 6990 video card.

Crysis 2

Crysis 2 is a very good game, with an excellent plot and gameplay. In terms of technology, the game has currently taken one of the first places, flaunting the rich capabilities of DirectX 11. As we can see in the screenshot above, testing was carried out during a bridge collapse – in one of the most resource-intensive places in the game.

Testing at maximum quality settings 1920×1080

At the maximum graphics quality settings allowed by Crysis 2 at a resolution of 1920×1080, the minimum level of performance was shown by the Radeon HD 6950 or GeForce GTX 560. The most optimal solutions for these settings would be the Radeon HD 6970 or GeForce GTX 570.

Testing at maximum quality settings 2560×1600

At a resolution of 2560×1600, with maximum graphics quality settings, the minimum level of performance will be shown by the GeForce GTX 580. The most optimal solutions for the game will be solutions such as the Radeon HD 6990 or GeForce GTX 590.

The Witcher 2: The Assassins of Kings

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings has become one of the most beautiful, technologically advanced and spectacular games of this year. The developers have shown that miracles can be done with DirectX 9. But if they had introduced support for DirectX 11 into the game, the picture could have become even more stunning, and the requirements would have become unbearable for several years to come for the most top-end solutions. The game settings for the test were turned up to the maximum.

Testing at maximum quality settings 1920×1080

At a resolution of 1920×1080, with maximum graphics quality settings, the minimum level of performance will be shown by the GeForce GTX 580. The most optimal for the game will be the Radeon HD 6990 or GeForce GTX 590.

Testing at maximum quality settings 2560×1600

At a resolution of 2560×1600, not a single video card could handle the game at the moment…

DiRT3

DiRT3 is a good racing simulator with good visuals. Tests were carried out at the maximum graphics quality allowed by the game and AMD cards, namely MSAA 8X.

Testing at maximum quality settings 1920×1080

At the maximum graphics quality settings allowed by DiRT3 at a resolution of 1920×1080, video cards Radeon HD 5770 or GeForce GTX 460SE showed the minimum level of performance. The most optimal solutions for these settings would be the Radeon HD 6850 or GeForce GTX 550Ti.

Testing at maximum quality settings 2560×1600

At a resolution of 2560×1600, with maximum quality settings, video cards of the Radeon HD 5850 or GeForce GTX 470 level will show the acceptable minimum. The most optimal graphics cards for comfortable gaming with these settings will be the Radeon HD 6950 or GeForce GTX 560Ti.

Red Faction – Armageddon

Red Faction – Armageddon is a good third-person action game, allowing players to find something to do for a long time. The graphics in the game are very good. The encouraging factor is that the developers did not forget about modern video cards and added support for DirectX 10/11 capabilities. And although it is not so significant, it is still nice to see the attention from the developers to the PC Audience.

Testing at maximum quality settings 1920×1080

At the maximum graphics quality settings allowed by the game at a resolution of 1920×1080, almost all of our tested video cards showed the minimum level of performance. The most optimal graphics cards for comfortable gaming at these settings will be the Radeon HD 6790 or GeForce GTX 460SE.

Testing at maximum quality settings 2560×1600

At a resolution of 2560×1600, with maximum quality settings, video cards of the Radeon HD 5830 or GeForce GTX 560 level will show an acceptable level of performance. The most optimal graphics cards for comfortable gaming with these settings will be the Radeon HD 5850 or GeForce GTX 470.

fear 3

The F.3.AR turned out to be a pretty good product, head and shoulders above its predecessor. The graphics in the game are quite nice and quite detailed. And no one even expected support for DX 11, although, alas, it did not bring cutting-edge graphics. The test was carried out at maximum settings.

Testing at maximum quality settings 1920×1080

At a resolution of 1920×1080, the acceptable level of performance will be shown by video cards of the Radeon HD 5770 or GeForce GTX 550Ti level. The most optimal graphics cards for comfortable gaming at these settings will be the Radeon HD 6790 or GeForce GTX 460.

Testing at maximum quality settings 2560×1600

At a resolution of 2560×1600, the acceptable level of performance will be shown by video cards of the Radeon HD 6950 or GeForce GTX 480 level. The most optimal graphics cards for comfortable gaming with these settings will be the Radeon HD 6970 or GeForce GTX 580.

Deus Ex Human Revolution

Deus Ex Human Revolution showed itself to be very good, delighting us with exquisite cyberpunk and a fascinating plot. The only drawback is minor bugs and a bit lagging AI.

Testing at maximum quality settings 1920×1080

At maximum graphics quality settings at a resolution of 1920×1080, the minimum and acceptable level of performance was shown by all of our tested video cards.

Testing at maximum quality settings 2560×1600

At a resolution of 2560×1600, with maximum quality settings, video cards of the Radeon HD 6790 or GeForce GTX 465 level will show an acceptable level of performance. The most optimal graphics cards for comfortable gaming with these settings will be the Radeon HD 6870 or GeForce GTX 560.

Battlefield 3

Battlefield 3 left a very pleasant gaming experience. Seamlessly combining the features of real combat and arcade mode. A single company, coupled with a multi player, makes the game a real hit. The test was conducted on ultra-high game settings.

Testing at maximum quality settings 1920×1080

At the maximum graphics quality settings allowed by Battlefield 3 at a resolution of 1920×1080, the minimum level of performance was shown by Radeon HD 5850 or GeForce GTX 560 and higher. The most optimal graphics cards for comfortable gaming at these settings will be the Radeon HD 6970 or GeForce GTX 570.

Testing at maximum quality settings 2560×1600

At a resolution of 2560×1600, with maximum quality settings, the GeForce GTX 580 video card showed an acceptable level of performance. The most optimal graphics cards for comfortable gaming at these settings would be the Radeon HD 6990 or GeForce GTX 580.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is rightfully a worthy successor to The Elder Scrolls series and, as many have already noted, will appeal not only to its fans, but also to newcomers. The graphics in the game did not produce a shocking effect, like The Witcher 2, but it is also unlikely to be called lagging behind. Vertical synchronization is not disabled in the game settings, so our FPS is no higher than 60 frames. The test was conducted on ultra-high game settings.

Testing at maximum quality settings 1920×1080

At the maximum graphics quality settings allowed by The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim at a resolution of 1920×1080, almost all of our tested video cards showed the minimum level of performance. An acceptable level above 25 FPS will be shown by the Radeon HD 6790 or GeForce GTX 550Ti.

Testing at maximum quality settings 2560×1600

At a resolution of 2560×1600, with maximum quality settings, video cards of the Radeon HD 6790 or GeForce GTX 465 level will show an acceptable level of performance. The most optimal graphics cards will be the Radeon HD 5850 or GeForce GTX 470.

Saints Row The Third

Saints Row The Third, to be honest, amazed us – instead of a second-rate product, we were presented with a very high-quality and versatile project, which is simply a must-see! The graphics in the game were also a pleasant surprise. Support for modern DirectX 11, a well-designed environment and delicious special effects are a delight. The only negative is the quality of the game characters. The test was carried out at the maximum settings allowed by the game.

Testing at maximum quality settings 1920×1080

At the maximum graphics quality settings allowed by Saints Row The Third at a resolution of 1920×1080, the minimum level of performance will be shown by the Radeon HD 5830 or GeForce GTX 550Ti. Comfortable performance will be shown by video cards of the Radeon HD 5850 or GeForce GTX 470 level and higher.

Testing at maximum quality settings 2560×1600

At a resolution of 2560×1600, with maximum quality settings, video cards of the Radeon HD 6970 or GeForce GTX 480 level will show an acceptable level of performance. The most optimal graphics cards for comfortable gaming with these settings will be the Radeon HD 6990 or GeForce GTX 590.

Batman: Arkham City

Batman: Arkham City is a good continuation of the franchise, which was released two years ago. There is much more in the game – and this can’t be any good. The graphics in the game pleased with the implementation of DirectX 11, where tessellation is visible to the naked eye. And in place with PhysX, this makes the game simply unattainable in terms of graphics for consoles. The test was carried out at the maximum permissible settings for AMD cards without activating physics effects. The minimum FPS was also not taken due to the rawness of the benchmark.

Testing at maximum quality settings 1920×1080

At the maximum graphics quality settings allowed by Batman: Arkham City at a resolution of 1920×1080, the acceptable level of performance will be shown by video cards Radeon HD 6850 or GeForce GTX 465. Video cards of the level of Radeon HD 6950 or GeForce GTX 480 and higher will show comfortable performance.

Testing at maximum quality settings 2560×1600

At a resolution of 2560×1600, with maximum quality settings, video cards of the Radeon HD 6970 or GeForce GTX 580 level will show an acceptable level of performance. The most optimal graphics cards for comfortable gaming with these settings will be the Radeon HD 6990 or GeForce GTX 590.

Serious Sam 3: BFE

Serious Sam 3: BFE is a good gift for fans of the series, offering fans crowds of monsters and endless drive. The graphics in the game are based on outdated DirectX 9, but this does not prevent the game from having a bunch of graphic settings, flaunting advanced and modern graphics.

Testing at maximum quality settings 1920×1080

At the maximum graphics quality settings allowed by Serious Sam 3: BFE at a resolution of 1920×1080, video cards Radeon HD 5770 or GeForce GTX 460SE will show an acceptable level of performance. Video cards of the Radeon HD 5850 or GeForce GTX 560Ti level and higher will show comfortable performance.

Testing at maximum quality settings 2560×1600

At a resolution of 2560×1600, with maximum graphics quality settings, the acceptable level of performance will be shown by video cards of the level of Radeon HD 5850 or GeForce GTX 470. The most optimal graphics cards for comfortable gaming with these settings will be Radeon HD 6990 or GeForce GTX 590.

Determining the fastest and most optimal solutions for 2011

Next, we will begin to identify the winners of our test. The winners will be determined in two categories – the fastest graphics solutions on the market and the most optimal purchase in terms of price/performance. To find out what the fastest solutions are video cards in games of 2011, we will sum up their total FPS in games.

So, we see that the top three included three video cards – GeForce GTX 590, Radeon HD 6990 or GeForce GTX 580. With this option, everything is simple and clear. What follows is the complex process of identifying the best purchase based on our tests. Below we present a generalized graph at a resolution of 2560×1600.

The resolution of 2560×1600 does not have an impact on our review regarding optimality and performance, since the users who have these monitors can be counted on one hand. But please show me who has more gunpowder for ultra resolution. The situation has not changed radically, but AMD’s position has become noticeably stronger.

First of all, we presented a generalized graph of the cost of video cards at the moment, from which, as one would expect, more money is asked for the most productive solutions. But is this purchase optimal based on the performance we get by paying the nth amount of money?

It is quite easy to identify this. We divide the total FPS we received in 15 games and get the number of frames that we can purchase for $1. And as we see, the most expensive and fastest graphics solutions turned out to be the least economical to purchase. But what can you do, as you know, beauty and speed require sacrifice… The most optimal solutions turned out to be mid-level and entry-level solutions. But we don’t end there yet. Next, we will determine which video cards are most optimal for comfortable playability, i.e. will show the minimum FPS corresponding to at least 25 frames.

So, video cards of the Radeon HD 6870 or GeForce GTX 560 level and higher can be considered comfortable gaming solutions at the moment. Also, for the sake of “purity of blood,” we will remove all “upgraded” versions of video cards and leave reference solutions.

Well, it’s done! The most optimal ones for purchase at the moment should be considered video cards GeForce GTX 560, Radeon HD 6870 and Radeon HD 6950. Based on tests and pricing policy, these video cards should be considered the optimal purchase for games in 2011. Well, then we move directly to the award ceremony itself.

Nomination “Best Performance 2011”

	GeForce GTX 590 can rightfully be called the fastest video card for games in 2011. It confidently outperformed all its competitors, both in terms of minimum and average FPS values.
	The Radeon HD 6990 took an honorable second place in our rating, losing only to its slightly more expensive competitor, the GeForce GTX 590, and showing a decent level of performance in all modern games at any screen size.
	The GeForce GTX 580 currently takes third place in the performance rating of video cards, second in performance only to older dual-chip solutions.

 Nomination “Best Buy 2011”

	The GeForce GTX 560 has become the most optimal video card for purchase, even though it is an improved version of the GeForce GTX 460. The optimal price/performance balance was able to put it at the top of the overall standings.
	The Radeon HD 6870 is also a representative of the mid-price segment and, as its opponent, was able to provide a favorable price/performance ratio, only slightly inferior to its competitor.
	Radeon HD 6950, in fact, is one of the initial solutions in the upper price range, but even this did not prevent this video card from entering the top three! If you are interested in purchasing high-performance video cards at a reasonable price, the Radeon HD 6950 is an undeniable candidate for purchase.

Unfortunately, at the time of testing we did not yet have a Radeon HD 7970 at our disposal, whose presence could undoubtedly influence the course of events. It will appear at our disposal very soon and readers will have an equally interesting and exciting test.

So stay tuned and we wish all our readers a Merry New Year and a Merry Christmas!