Recommended Settings for 1GB - 1.5GB - 2GB+ Video Cards

[FS~Phat]

Please review these recommendations if you are still having performance issues with the lastest beta patch.
I have double checked my findings with another set of tests on 3 different lower spec machines I have and the conclusion is the same.

Additional testing was done on
i7 Laptop with GT330M 8GB Ram

Intel Core2Duo 6600 8GB Ram
and
Intel i7 950 8GB Ram
with the following video card combinations

Nvidia 8800 Ultra 768MB card (just under minimum spec)
single 4870X2, + 4870x2 x 2 1GB cards (quadfire)
single 5870, 5970 and Quadfire 5870 1GB cards
GTX580 1.5GB cards single and SLI

Though the FPS varied between the various cards the stutters were consistently removed by dropping to the settings recommended in my testing.
When the newest patch comes out I will repeat my findings with more test data for all combinations.

[julien673]

Tks, nice test and its will be good to know for my next pc

[lensman1945]

Most enlightening tests Phat cheers for the contribution.

What's your advice for getting the 'desktop memory' down to a good level?

mine seems to hover around 950MB

I assume I get this info from task manager/performance..is that correct?

[RickRuski]

I agree with you Phat that the amount of V/ram has a major influence on performance. I don't have major stuttering but am hoping when final support comes for Sli that will cure what I have. The stuttering that I have is only micro (and only when looking down at the ground) and I have tried all sorts of testing with the settings. Running Sli, turning off Sli, going down to medium settings, but the micro stutters are still there. I have now gone back to all high except for forests and buildings which are med. My fps are good (single player London attack 40---80fps depending on action). The reason that a lot are disappointed with the performance I think is related to the PC configuration as stated on the retail box, at release and even now these recomendations are still way out and it is not giving those that bought this sim on that information a good experience. The min V/ram was stated as 512mb (1gb recommended), and cpu's at dual core 2.0gb, (Quad core 2.66 recommended), system ram 2gb (4gb recommended). Most of us are running systems in excess of the recommended and still have some problems with performance (those that are online players seem to be the worse off in that section). Thanks for the effort in explaining to all about the ram issue, I hope that the developers finally get it right. As you will see from my sig that I'm running 1gb cards and am pleased with the over all performance of my system, but it has taken some time trying different settings with Nvidia Inspector to get where I am at the moment. Looking forward to the next patch.

[Wolf_Rider]

Originally Posted by RickRuski

~ The stuttering that I have is only micro (and only when looking down at the ground) ~

Most likely due to (but not necessarily limited to) fps being lower than the native refresh rate of your monitor at that time. Similar can happen in some circumstances when fps is higher than the monitor refresh rate also.

[FS~Phat]

Originally Posted by Wolf_Rider

Most likely due to (but not necessarily limited to) fps being lower than the native refresh rate of your monitor at that time (assuming you're running a LCD). Similar can happen in some circumstances when fps is higher than the monitor refresh rate also.

Agreed but I also think that combination of video card and processor maybe to blame for some of the micro stutters. The newer cards and CPUs have much better and more efficient processing pipelines so stuttering is less likely to occur.

The older processors from Intel and AMD had longer processing pipelines as the race for ultimate MHZ was easier to achieve. Now its more about pipeline efficiency and branch prediction which means more work gets done at a slower speed and the inputs/outputs are closer together which helps reduce inter component communications and stutter.. The same can also be said for GPUs.

[Wolf_Rider]

Yes, the bus can get a bit saturated causing stutters.