CUDA question

Light1984

Gawd
Joined
Dec 31, 2004
Messages
615
Ok, So apparently this CUDA thing is to combine different GPUs (series 8 and above) so that one processes physics and the other visuals? If I have that correct, will I benefit with the ASUS M3N72-D which has an onboard 8 series gpu and then my evga gtx 260?
 
No. CUDA is a way to do GPGPU work (General Purpose GPU). Essentially it allows a developer to program for the GPU in a way similar to that of a CPU. The Nvidia PhysX support is built using CUDA, but CUDA has nothing to do with combining GPUs or physics or anything of that nature itself. Think of CUDA more as a language + runtime (like, say, the Java JVM or .NET).

That said, you theoretically could benefit from the M3N72-D by using its IGP for physics work, but do note two things:
1) A monitor must be connected to the motherboard's video output due to a limitation in Vista
2) The IGP could very possibly be slower at physics work than your CPU, in which case you won't see any benefit, and could potentially see a decrease in performance if enabled.

Of course, there is only like 1 game (UT3) that can benefit from PhysX acceleration at the moment, and even then only in a few levels. I would say just ignore the feature for now, and not worry about finding a motherboard with an onboard 8-series GPU.
 
thanks for the clarification. So basically I should still install the 177.39 drivers which apparently install the physics system software as well. However, I have 177.41 installed, and I dont think those installed any physics software. Why would I have to resort to an earlier driver version to get this physics thing?
 
Of course, there is only like 1 game (UT3) that can benefit from PhysX acceleration at the moment, and even then only in a few levels. I would say just ignore the feature for now, and not worry about finding a motherboard with an onboard 8-series GPU.

No, there are a few games out that already take advantage. UT3, GRID, GRAW2, Mass Effect, etc. There are others that can utilize it as well but the internet is slow in the hospital I'm in and I don't feel like searching.
 
No, there are a few games out that already take advantage. UT3, GRID, GRAW2, Mass Effect, etc. There are others that can utilize it as well but the internet is slow in the hospital I'm in and I don't feel like searching.

Mass Effect uses the UT3 engine and as such can use PhysX hardware acceleration, but won't benefit from PhysX. GRID doesn't use PhysX at all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PhysX#Title_support

There are many games that support PhysX hardware acceleration, but that doesn't mean they will benefit from it. So that leaves UT3 and GRAW 1/2 being the only games I know of that will actually benefit from PhysX, and only in special PhysX levels (except GRAW 1, where it just makes prettier 'splosions)
 
Mass Effect uses the UT3 engine and as such can use PhysX hardware acceleration, but won't benefit from PhysX. GRID doesn't use PhysX at all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PhysX#Title_support

There are many games that support PhysX hardware acceleration, but that doesn't mean they will benefit from it. So that leaves UT3 and GRAW 1/2 being the only games I know of that will actually benefit from PhysX, and only in special PhysX levels (except GRAW 1, where it just makes prettier 'splosions)

Interesting, in the Wikipedia link, it says this
"With Intel's cancellation of Havok FX, PhysX is currently the only available solution for physics hardware acceleration"

Intel have bailed out of Havok?
 
Mass Effect uses the UT3 engine and as such can use PhysX hardware acceleration, but won't benefit from PhysX. GRID doesn't use PhysX at all.

my bad on Grid then, with the realistic looking flags waving I assumed it did for the cloth.

As for your first statement...I don't understand it. Looks like a contradiction to me "It can use Physx acceleration but won't benefit from Physx". With Physx enabled, the fire effects are different, that's about all I noticed so basically no benefit - is this what you mean? I think I read somewhere that some other things are changed, but really not noticable unless really looking for them.
 
Interesting, in the Wikipedia link, it says this
"With Intel's cancellation of Havok FX, PhysX is currently the only available solution for physics hardware acceleration"

Intel have bailed out of Havok?

Havok FX was canceled, which was an attempt to run Havok on the GPU before CUDA and nvidia's acquisition of PhysX

my bad on Grid then, with the realistic looking flags waving I assumed it did for the cloth.

As for your first statement...I don't understand it. Looks like a contradiction to me "It can use Physx acceleration but won't benefit from Physx". With Physx enabled, the fire effects are different, that's about all I noticed so basically no benefit - is this what you mean? I think I read somewhere that some other things are changed, but really not noticable unless really looking for them.

Its not a contradiction. If the game doesn't have demanding physics and the CPU is more than capable of handling the games physics, there is no gain from tossing more power towards physics. So Mass Effect can use PhysX hardware acceleration (I'm not even sure of that. It could just be using the software-only version of PhysX), but there won't be any gains. It won't be any faster, or better, nor will there be any more effects.
 
use the 177.83 drivers with 8.07.18 physx software

The 177.83 include the PhysX software, and it's a newer version than 8.07.18 (it's 8.08.something).
So you don't need to install the PhysX software separately, nor do you want to, because it's older.
 
The 177.83 include the PhysX software, and it's a newer version than 8.07.18 (it's 8.08.something).
So you don't need to install the PhysX software separately, nor do you want to, because it's older.

yes, that's true...however did anyone else notice that in that physx pack some of the demo's and crap included in the optional downloads installed the OLDER physx drivers? I think Warmonger and Nurien did, but come on nVidia....you'd think that if they're going to release something like this they'd at least make sure they were all on the same page.
 
yes, that's true...however did anyone else notice that in that physx pack some of the demo's and crap included in the optional downloads installed the OLDER physx drivers? I think Warmonger and Nurien did, but come on nVidia....you'd think that if they're going to release something like this they'd at least make sure they were all on the same page.

Does that matter though? The same happens often with games that bundle the DirectX installer. The installer only adds files that are missing, but doesn't replace newer files.
I assume PhysX does the same, because in the control panel it has a list of all different versions that are installed. So they are installed side-by-side (not too elegant, but it should not be a problem if an older installer is run over a newer installation).
 
I think it matters. Makes the company look like an ass when they release something like this, and throw out all these tech demos and stuff to flaunt the physx capabilities, but fail to make sure that everyone that is including a game or techdemo has the correct/newest version of the physx software - especially since nvidia was coordinating the download packages of what was being released with the pack.

Of course, I suppose in the scheme of things, it doesn't matter because just about every software company does that these days.
 
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