Suggestion for benchmarking

[AdamAnubis]

I know this probably isn't the best place to put it, but i couldn't decied if it fell into hardware, gaming, or hexus opinions, and i thought it would get most views here so here it goes

When looking at reviews of graphics cards/processors, i am always dissapointed by what games they have. It's always the same crysis, GRID etc, good games, but they tend not to be mainstream games that everyone plays daily.

I play Team Fortress 2 alot, but can never find any benchmarks on it when looking around at hardware. It frustrates me how one of the most popular online games currently out, is excluded from testing as I think it would give a good overall comparison. Is it because it isn't intesive enough to push the card to the limits? Or is it that it is mainly CPU based? I would just like to see it in some benchmarks for something, as it only makes sense to use a game that everyone has because people can compare it to or whatever.

Just an idea I had, probably stupid and theres a very good reason why you don't include it, but I thought I'd give it a try

[Salazaar]

I guess they use high spec games which will really test whatever card it is, TF2 is pretty but the source engine doesn't really push the boundaries of technology these days.

[shadowmaster]

I play Team Fortress 2 alot, but can never find any benchmarks on it when looking around at hardware. It frustrates me how one of the most popular online games currently out, is excluded from testing as I think it would give a good overall comparison. Is it because it isn't intesive enough to push the card to the limits? Or is it that it is mainly CPU based? I would just like to see it in some benchmarks for something, as it only makes sense to use a game that everyone has because people can compare it to or whatever.

Besides what Salazaar said, another reason I think why they don't use TF2 is because its a purely online game. This means that factors such as internet connection, ping, lag, cheats, etc, are involved, and which can effect the fps.

[directhex]

not all games CAN be benchmarked. many are hard to benchmark

certain games appear frequently because they contain the infrastructure required to make repeatable, scriptable runs which stress all the hardware

[AdamAnubis]

Yeah, never really thought about the lagg etc affecting it. I just thought it would give people a general idea on how it performs on 'everyday' games. Also, i think it would be difficult as RAM, CPU and GPU, all affect the source engine, rather that it being just down to graphics. Nvm then ^^

[2Cold Scorpio]

Some games like F.E.A.R. and Crysis have built-in benchmarks, and these are still quite a performance test, as they really push your system. Other games, like shooters like Doom 3 (or to a lesser extend, CoD4; it really pushes your system too, but is a bit more 'randomized' in places) and such, are linear enough that its easy to replicate a certain part of the game for testing.

They generally pick games that actually tax the system. You used to see (and still do sometimes) The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion as a test game; its not easy to use as a benchmark because of how open it is, but it can be quite taxing on your system with everything maxed. Other times, they pick games that are still widely popular. Half-Life 2 is a good example; it may not be as taxing as newer games (though Episiode 2 is a bit harder on your system than HL2 was), but lots of people still play it and its a pretty easy game to test from because certain parts are easy to replicate over and over.

[Mithrandir]

I started playing World in conflict over the weekend and the game has a good benchmarking tool. From some comments written at other websites it seems to be both a gpu and cpu intensive game.
Other games with benchmarking tools:
Crysis
Company of Heroes
Devil May cry 4
Lost Planet
FEAR

[Whiternoise]

Just google "<your game> <graphics card> fps" (or replace fps with performance, benchmark, etc). Not quite the same as a full on review, but it'll do the job.

Should work fine.

[idimmu]

a benchmark is after all a bencharmark... meaning that x performs better than y in sucha nd such a condition, so technically it doesnt matter what they choose. BUT as said before differente games bench differently. the best way imo is google. you can find a lot of info about the ghardware your lookig at, from techies to normal people and thats what i base my decisions on.

[Whiternoise]

Bear in mind also that if you google or search around you're more likely to find "benchmarks" for your current set up. No point looking at a fancy graphics card and cooing over the framerates if it's going to be bottlenecked by another part of your system - that way you can also find benches that are relevant to you.