Futuremark's test suite 3DMark have been the tool for measuring graphical performance for many years. While it gives an interesting guide line for the theoretic performance of a GPU it has become a status symbol among manufacturers to end up high in the ranking, even if it may not reflect the true performance of the chips. AMD has now reported Intel to Futuremark where it claims it has optimized the latest drivers for its integrated graphics circuits in foul ways.
At TechReport they have published an interesting article where they tested Intel's G41 chipset in 3DMark Vantage, which is the test AMD refers to. Using Intel's latest driver, version 15.15.4.1872, the system managed to score 2931 point.
When they changed the name of 3DMarkVantage.exe to 3DMarkVintage.exe performance dove 37%, to 2132 points. This does prove that Intel has changed the chipset behavior in some way to react to the executed file name. Something AMD claims violates Futuremark's rules.
Intel says that the optimizations that have been made also affect several games, including Crysis Warhead, which was confirmed by TechReport.
We have engineered intelligence into our 4 series graphics driver such that when a workload saturates graphics engine with pixel and vertex processing, the CPU can assist with DX10 geometry processing to enhance overall performance. 3DMarkVantage is one of those workloads, as are Call of Juarez, Crysis, Lost Planet: Extreme Conditions, and Company of Heroes. We have used similar techniques with DX9 in previous products and drivers. The benefit to users is optimized performance based on best use of the hardware available in the system. Our driver is currently in the certification process with Futuremark and we fully expect it will pass their certification as did our previous DX9 drivers.
Intel has succeeded in getting optimizations for both synthetic tests and games, which doesn't seem to reduce image quality, but the question is if the optimizations are allowed by Futuremark. The fact remains though that Intel's integrated graphics circuits have little to barely nothing to offer for gamers.
More on Intel's optimizations at TechReport.
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Intel accused of foul play in 3DMark
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