# [PCGH] Assassin's Creed DX10 vs DX 9 performance



## i_ame_killer_2

Quote:

In february, Charles Beauchemin, technical leader for Assassin's Creed, said in February that the DX10 version under Vista will be noticably faster than the DX9 version under Vista.

For the benchmark, we chose a scene of a city named Damaskus. We make a 40 seconds run over different roofs and streets, where the amount of people is almost exactly the same for every bench.

The somponents we used for testing:
DX10-DX9 comparisson:
Core 2 Quad Q6600
2 GiByte RAM
Radeon HD3870 / Geforce 8800 Ultra
Windows Vista Ultimate (32 Bit) without Service Pack 1

CPU tests:
Uli M1697 / Nforce 680 SLI
Geforce 8800 GT
2 GiByte RAM
Windows XP SP2
Forceware 169.21 (HQ)

With minimum details, the DX10 version is faster than the DX9 one with booth the 8800 Ultra and the HD 3870. The reason for this behaviour is most likely caused by the efficient Vista-DX10-API. DX10 can send more information to the video card without stressing the CPU that much. The result are higher framerates - at least as long as the video card is not limiting. With all details turned on, the video card becomes the limiting factor and the additional CPU resources cannot be used.


































Source (German)
Original Thread @ Vr-Zone


----------



## Z_Vengeance

I read about this before, they werent using DX10 for improved quality, they were using it for better FPS. I guess it sort of worked.


----------



## Outcasst

Yet again i don't see any major improvements visually in DX10, however the performance boost is good enough to keep me happy. We just need benchies of how well the 8800GT performs with DX10.


----------



## TnB= Gir

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Outcasst* 
Yet again i don't see any major improvements visually in DX10, however the performance boost is good enough to keep me happy. We just need benchies of how well the 8800GT performs with DX10.

It's not too shabby really. My GT heavily overclocked averages 50-60 fps in Gears of War dx10 + anti aliasing. That's on 1024x768


----------



## -AMD-

yet a another reason not to go dx10. non much of a differents. just another way to call for a minumal iinprovement to get us to spend money. that isnt need


----------



## Namrac

Quote:


Originally Posted by *-AMD-* 
yet a another reason not to go dx10. non much of a differents. just another way to call for a minumal iinprovement to get us to spend money. that isnt need

There was a 20 fps boost... not a big visual difference, pretty major performance difference.


----------



## ErBall

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Namrac* 
There was a 20 fps boost... not a big visual difference, pretty major performance difference.

couldn't have said it better.


----------



## Ch13f121

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Namrac* 
There was a 20 fps boost... not a big visual difference, pretty major performance difference.

Exactly, now DX10 may not be all it was cracked up to be, but this game seems to show at least part of what it was designed to do; and that's good because it shows people are making progress with the API.

And DX10 is only minimally better I think because developers don't TRY to make the game look any better, they sorta just...throw it in there.

Also, I may be picky, but I hate DX9 shadows, look at them in that screenshot, they're so jaggy and ugly, but the DX10 ones look so much better.


----------



## Fishie36

So... you can get a boost if you like to play at low quality on your 8800 ultra or 3870, but if you want to play on high you actually get a (HUGE) performance drop? That seems entirely 100% useless to me.


----------



## Logit

No diffenrce to me


----------



## Crazy9000

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Fishie36* 
So... you can get a boost if you like to play at low quality on your 8800 ultra or 3870, but if you want to play on high you actually get a (HUGE) performance drop? That seems entirely 100% useless to me.

That's because the dx10 high quality is alot higher then the dx9 (theoretically). If you have dx9 vs dx10 at the same settings, dx10 would be faster.


----------



## Sazar

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Logit* 
No diffenrce to me

You must not understand math then, so let me simplify it for you
and any other illiterates.

Dx10 = more fps
Dx9 = less fps

Get it?


----------



## Higgins

Seems to me that DX10 has slightly better perspectives.. like the angle of the plank is more realistic, along with the buildings' alignment


----------



## lordikon

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sazar* 
You must not understand math then, so let me simplify it for you
and any other illiterates.

Dx10 = more fps
Dx9 = less fps

Get it?

He probably looked at the first two photos and then skipped the rest of the post. Or at least I would hope he could understand basic math.

I still lol'd at your post though.


----------



## Pegasus

Guys dx 10 in assassins creed is GARBAGE, I went from 50 fps average with dx 9 to 29 fps average with dx 10, thats at 1440x900 maxed out with AA

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Crazy9000* 
If you have dx9 vs dx10 at the same settings, dx10 would be faster.

100% incorrect, I've seen first hand, dx 10 in assassins creed= huge fps drops, its actually unplayable in dx10!


----------



## yannis7777

EDIT: Difference between DX10 and DX9 is quite noticable...


----------



## Bacchus451

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pegasus* 
Guys dx 10 in assassins creed is GARBAGE, I went from 50 fps average with dx 9 to 29 fps average with dx 10, thats at 1440x900 maxed out with AA

100% incorrect, I've seen first hand, dx 10 in assassins creed= huge fps drops, its actually unplayable in dx10!

You know that game doesn't actually come out for a couple weeks, right?


----------



## bdattilo

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Bacchus451* 
You know that game doesn't actually come out for a couple weeks, right?










Aaaarrrgg ye mateys! I gots me the Assasins Creed!


----------



## yannis7777

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Bacchus451* 
You know that game doesn't actually come out for a couple weeks, right?


















magic!
I think reason DX10 fps drop happens is probably because of the bugs the version that floats on the net has. I have not downloaded it but i know something is out at the moment.


----------



## snowman88

--post deleted--

question answered


----------



## redsunx

Yeah, this was posted a while back, that's the initial plan, Ubisoft said so themselves. More FPS. It's the way the game engine handles Direct X's engine. Also, my rig can max it @1024x768. Well, with my e2180 @ 3Ghz.


----------



## marc.tulley

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pegasus* 
100% incorrect, I've seen first hand, dx 10 in assassins creed= huge fps drops, its actually unplayable in dx10!

lol well about 50% maybe







if you pay attention to the original post AA/AF makes the difference


----------



## Pheatton

I seem recall the same thing happening with the newest generation of cards when DX9 came out. Most games ran like crap under it. Now look at it. Its the mainstay of the PC game industry.

It will take time to get DX10 up the standard that has been set by DX9 and its cards.


----------



## QuickS

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Namrac* 
There was a 20 fps boost... not a big visual difference, pretty major performance difference.

You mean a 9fps boost when using XP over Vista and using high quality settings. Who's going to play at all low settings with a HD3870 or 8800GT at that low of a resolution with no AA or AF LOL?

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Crazy9000* 
That's because the dx10 high quality is alot higher then the dx9 (theoretically). If you have dx9 vs dx10 at the same settings, dx10 would be faster.

DX10 doesnt have any graphical enhancements over DX9 in Assasins Creed..... It's all the same engine.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ch13f121* 
Also, I may be picky, but I hate DX9 shadows, look at them in that screenshot, they're so jaggy and ugly, but the DX10 ones look so much better.

Placebo.


----------



## sublimejhn

Quote:


Originally Posted by *QuickS* 
You mean a 9fps boost when using XP over Vista and using high quality settings. Who's going to play at all low settings with a HD3870 or 8800GT at that low of a resolution with no AA or AF LOL?

DX10 doesnt have any graphical enhancements over DX9 in Assasins Creed..... It's all the same engine.

Placebo.

Might want to check the pics again, there IS a noticeable difference in the shadows. Maybe that doesn't matter to YOU, but I like every visual improvement I can get


----------



## OmegaNemesis28

They said there wasn't to be any visual improvements in the DX10 version. If there are some differences, then I guess thats an added bonus? But I see no difference.


----------



## kkbob33

after reading this thread all i can do is shake my head(its not really just this thread but tons of threads i have been reading







). it boggles my mind why people are so hesitent to shift towards dx10. the quality in visuals is obvious to me. i mean, i am always reading people hating on DX10. i dont know if its the fact that people want to think that what they are running currently(dx9,XP) is better or if they just want to talk themselves into not spending money for new software or maybe a combination of the two. lets face it people, its not some secret conspiracy set forth by the industry to leech your money from you. its just tech moving forword.

srry for the rant but i had to spew it somewhere


----------



## ManicGenius

Jebus. This might actually make me break out my Vista disc again if more games
end up showing similar improvements.


----------



## killerhz

I agree that the benchmarks with no AA and low resolution are useless. However, I think DX10 seems to be getting better with each game that is geared towards it. (spare me the crysis with the hack in DX9 mode example) The blame for the lack of DX10 quality games goes on to the people that will not let go of DX9 (for whatever reason) and the game developers who do not want to lose that market, which actually may be the majority. I would like to see more games DX10 exclusives to see what it actually has to offer.


----------



## ElMikeTheMike

Once again, DX10 fails to impress.


----------



## OmegaNemesis28

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ElMikeTheMike* 
Once again, DX10 fails to impress.

apparently you don't like reading the entire thread

AC DX10 wasn't done to impress anyone or anything


----------



## QuickS

Quote:


Originally Posted by *OmegaNemesis28* 
apparently you don't like reading the entire thread

AC DX10 wasn't done to impress anyone or anything

Actually it was, they claimed that the performance would be much better with DX10 which was obviously a lie.


----------



## voice

It was actually stated a while back that the Dx10 version would have no graphics quality increase over the Dx9 version, but that the Dx10 version would have a performance boost.


----------



## TaiDinh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *QuickS* 
Actually it was, they claimed that the performance would be much better with DX10 which was obviously a lie.

How is it a lie? The game isn't even released yet.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *voice* 
It was actually stated a while back that the Dx10 version would have no graphics quality increase over the Dx9 version, but that the Dx10 version would have a performance boost.

Exactly.


----------



## QuickS

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TaiDinh* 
How is it a lie? The game isn't even released yet.

Exactly.

Ummm i've had my copy for over two weeks now.


----------



## TaiDinh

Quote:


Originally Posted by *QuickS* 
Ummm i've had my copy for over two weeks now.

But it's not going to be released for PC until April 8th in the US.


----------



## Gillos

"All this proves is that the GeForce 8800 Ultra kicks ass!"








"Although it would be nice to get some of those increases in framerate with the higher detail. Also, are those shadows (the DX 9 vs DX 10 ones)... are they low detail or high detail?"








"Also, I wouldn't mention that you have the game if you have the game. That means you either pirated it (bad!) or you are some sort of industry insider (we *will* pester you for scoops)."

.


----------



## yannis7777

I suppose there will always be scepticism when a new version of a successful product appears (such as DirectX) but from what i have seen on these pictures, DX10 delivers and will only get better as time progresses. There is no way it could be worse than DX9 in the long run. As the product matures it will only get better.


----------



## Anth0789

Not much of a big difference between DX9 and DX10.


----------



## dinsum

Guys, games written under dx9 and just adding the dx10 layer to it does not have any huge gains.

The main point of dx10 is performance, and untill games are written from the ground up for dx10 instead of just adding a dx10 layer to a dx9 game then there will be no real improvements visualy or performance wise.

Try the nvidia Cascades dx10 demo, im pretty sure its true dx10 and it has so much detail and runs so good, its pretty amazing. You can zoom so close to the texture and see just how detailed it really is, then slowly zoom away and you will see just how much detail there really is

Any dx9 written game with added dx10 layer pretty much seems like a marketing gimmick/attention.

I dont think there are any real dx10 games out yet. I beleive the first dx10 title is suposed to be Futuremark Vantage which should come out soon and looks sweet from the pics, although its a benchmark not a game

So basically once games are written for dx10 and people see how great it can be when done right everybody will be moving on to vista


----------

