DOOM 3 Performance

DOOM 3 is a game that needs no introduction, and continues in a long line of id Software Quake and DOOM first-person shooters. This latest installment is one serious 3D game test, including some of the highest-end graphics yet seen on the PC. It is also a different type of game benchmark, especially compared to Quake 3, and it has an almost total reliance on the 3D video card for high-end framerate results. This limits its use in certain system or CPU testing, but makes DOOM 3 a killer 3D video card benchmark.

DOOM 3 is more of an old school graphics benchmark these days, and we can see this in some of the test results. The Albatron GeForce 8600 GTS 256MB shows very high scores for its class in DOOM 3, powering by both the GeForce 7600 GT and Radeon X1950 Pro, but it can't seem to crack to the high-end of the GeForce 7 line. The GeForce 7900 GT and 7950 GT are still well ahead of NVIDIA's latest mainstream GPU, but that is to be expected, especially with an older game like DOOM 3.

DOOM 3 AA and AF Widescreen Performance

The hierarchy shifts a bit when the Albatron GeForce 8600 GTS 256MB moves to the higher resolution widescreen settings, as we upgrade to 4X AA and 16X AF detail options. Here, we see the Radeon X1950 Pro 256MB slipping by the Albatron card, but the relative gap between the Albatron GeForce 8600 GTS and GeForce 7 cards remains fairly constant.

Quake 4 Performance

Quake 4 is the latest in 3D first-person shooters from id Software and Raven, and while the actual storyline is pretty standard fare and the game itself is based on the DOOM 3 engine, the graphics are exceptional and it is an improvement over previous games. The lighting and shadow effects are excellent, and the overall level design and architecture are a real treat. The overall load on the graphics card can be extreme, which is both a blessing and a curse, depending on the actual hardware you are testing. For this review, we've updated to the latest patch, and use a custom netdemo for testing.

The Albatron GeForce 8600 GTS 256MB card fairs extremely well in base Quake 4 testing, speeding by the Radeon X1950 Pro, while coming extremely close to the GeForce 7900 GT.

Quake 4 AA and AF Widescreen Performance

Just like with DOOM 3, the Albatron GeForce 8600 GTS 256MB starts to fall back at the higher-end widescreen resolutions with 4X AA/16X AF detail settings. It still has more than enough juice to outpace the Radeon X1650 XT and GeForce 7600 GT 256MB cards, but falls just shy of the Radeon X1950 Pro 256MB.