NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 GPU Runs Doom At 200 FPS: Hype Versus Reality
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 GPU was shown running id Software’s Doom at 200 frames per second (fps). The graphics card company unveiled its newest and fastest graphics processor at the Austin Convention Center the evening before the DreamHack event, reported Forbes. The unveiling was not unexpected. What was pleasantly surprising was that the crowd got a sneak peek at the GTX 1080 running the upcoming Doom title with an uncapped frame rate.
Doom is rated Mature. Viewer discretion is advised.
In the demo, NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1080 GPU ran the game at an HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 with the graphics settings set to Ultra. With this configuration, the graphics card was able to push out between 115-200 fps.
According to Geek, it is doubtful that “pushing the resolution up to 4K would create any major issues.”
The report of the graphics processor running at 200 fps has had the internet buzzing with excitement, but does it matter, or is the high frame rate mostly hype?
The issue of frame rate in video games has been a hotly debated issue in gaming communities for years. One camp in the debate claims that frame rates above a certain level make no difference because the eye and brain can only process a limited number of frames per second. The threshold lies between 30 and 80 fps depending on who you ask.
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 GPU is capable of four times that frame rate, but the naysayers’ general contention is that anything over the threshold will not be perceived, so the extra frames produce no noticeable improvement in performance.
The other camp in the issue insists that the human eye is capable of capturing a much higher frame rate than 60 fps. According to 100fps.com, there was purportedly a study done on fighter pilots that showed that they could identify an aircraft that was only flashed for 1/220 of a second. If this report is true, then that would mean that the human eye is capable of seeing a difference between 60 fps and 220 fps. However, there are hardware limitations to consider.
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The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 GPU’s capabilities on a standard 1080p HD television would go wasted as most are certified to display at 24, 50, and 60 fps by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Some high-end computer monitors are capable of higher frame rates, but not much higher. So even if the software is showing that the GPU is running 200 fps, the display is not refreshing that fast.
Does this mean that the GTX 1080’s power is going to waste on producing such a high frame rate? Not exactly.
The fact that the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 GPU can push out 200 fps is a testament to its total power. Most video games have their frame rates locked at 30 or 60 fps. Even the Doom game demoed in the video was locked at 60 fps at first.
The hottest item announced this weekend: @NVIDIAGeForce GTX 1080, the future of #VR graphics https://t.co/WpZAvv1mLk pic.twitter.com/AuC7byKLsk
— Phaser Lock Interactive GOING #GDC2023 (@PhaserLockInt) May 9, 2016
Since this is the case, the rest of the GPU cycles that would be used to create those extra 140 or so frames can be used to create other graphical improvements, such as crisper textures, higher polygon counts, and ultra high resolutions. The power of the GTX 1080 will not likely be wasted on higher frame rates. With the boost in processing power, developers can focus on substantial graphical improvements and animation while maintaining the standard 30/60 frame rate.
The processing performance of NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1080 GPU did not come as a surprise to anyone in attendance.
According to Forbes, everyone was expecting NVIDIA ” to offer killer next-generation levels of performance.”
The card will come with 8 GB of GDDR5 memory, a 2.1GHz core clock, and a 5.5GHz memory interface. The company proclaims that it will be faster than their previous GeForce GTX Titan X.
Just $599 for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 — Releasing May 27, 2016. Can't wait to get my hands on it. #nvidia pic.twitter.com/NdWXCsWZOH
— Wykrhm Reddy (@wykrhm) May 7, 2016
What was surprising was the price. The GeForce GTX Titan X retails for $1000. NVIDIA says that the GeForce GTX 1080 GPU will retail for $599.
Forbes states, “The launch of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 … may be the single biggest gain in price/performance value proposition for gamers in the company’s history so far.”
Despite the hype over the demonstrated frame rate of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 GPU, high-end gamers can expect a lot of bang for their buck when they upgrade to the new graphics card.
[Photo by HO/AP Images]
