Futuremark's 'Vantage'

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A DirectX 10 Benchmark

Entirely based on a new 3D engine compatible only with DirectX 10, and so requiring Windows Vista (SP1); 3DMark Vantage can only run on Vista-compatible graphics cards (GeForce 8 and 9, Radeon HD 2000 and 3000). As for the CPU, only SSE2 support is really indispensable. You can check your system’s compatibility on line here . The overall score is calculated from the four main tests - two dedicated to the GPU and also no less than two for the CPU, which is a change in direction compared to the previous versions, which focused more on graphics power (as the number of dedicated tests indicated).

Another big change is that instead of the single, overall score used in preceding versions, "Presets" are available (and compulsory) with Vantage. Each one is intended to change not only the resolution but also the graphics load (like the quick adjustments in game options) and thus affects the score. Futuremark provides for calibration to suit the video memory (the first Preset, Entry, is aimed at graphics cards having 128 MB of memory and the Performance Preset is geared for 256 MB of memory). Those were the only Presets available in the Basic edition, which is what we tested. Let’s look at the differences in detail:

The scores obtained for each Preset are different, and differentiated by a letter that precedes each one. So the same high-end configuration would get scores like E7053, P5420, H3207 and X2641.

Florian Charpentier
21 Comments Comment from the forums
  • honestjohn
    Why should I pay good money tobe shown that my close to state of the art overpriced hardware sucks.
    Reply
  • clay12340
    Because chicks love it when you post the high numbers from your overclocked machine in forums.

    I think they might have underestimated how cheap a lot of the PC community is. $20 for a utility to get some arbitrary number seems a bit high to me.
    Reply
  • bourgeoisdude
    What an incredibly stupid move. In the long run futuremark will make less money because, as Florian says, popular support for this product is indispensable. Now that Tom's is shooting it down, it has already lost a significant amount of share. This product has been all about hype, and there seems to be little hype for it this time around. I'm certainly not paying for what appears to be more of the same. With two years instead of just one, and DirectX 10 instead of DirectX 9, I would have expected something better.
    Reply
  • bpogdowz
    When I tried to get my results I get this fatal error: http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/6963/captureir4.png
    Reply
  • hannibal
    Well this is the first and only pure DX10 title you can test on. Every other (real games) use DX9 engine with DX10 makeup. (Ofcourse, because it would be economical suisade to make only DX10 game at this moment (too few Vistas out there))

    So is you want to know if you graphic card is any good in DX10 environment, this is the only test you can use. What it's good for... Well not much at this moment, because it will take years untill we will see pure DX10 game engines, because the DX9 support is too important to the game makers!
    But one day those DX10 games will come out, so until then this is the one and only test that you can use to test yours gpu's DX10 power...
    Reply
  • caskachan
    duuuuuuuuuur huuuuuuuuur lets use sintetic benchamrks instead of real world game tests


    seriously i am happy tomshardware wont be using 3dmarks newest applet anymore =D
    Reply
  • wingless
    Its amazing what some Hotfix drivers can do. 477% on a useless test is still pretty impressive. Imagine what ATI and Nvidia could do with their present day lineup if they took the time to optimize the drivers for each game. I mean REALLY optimize the drivers. Nvidia should be much better at this since they've had so long to optimize for the G80. ATI should probably spend more time optimizing than trying to get a new driver out each month. Their drivers sometimes degrade performance.

    As far as 3DMark Vantage goes, its useless in the real world. We should have Unreal 3 powered benchmarks since so many games actually use that game engine.
    Reply
  • If 3Dmark Vantage is anything like PCMark Vantage, stay away. It's the most aggravating, stupidest program I've ever used. I wasted $20 on this piece of crap. To view your results you are directed to a web site that has literaly hundreds of pop-up adds all mixed in with your results. Realy, realy stupid
    Reply
  • arius
    I can run free TRIAL VERSION asm many as I want - just click UPGRADE LATER and RUN !
    Reply
  • thomasxstewart
    with fire GL v. it won't work, although most OTHER test do work, not vantage.

    Signed:PHYSICIAN THOMAS STEWART VON DRASHEK M.D.
    Reply