Benchmarks, coming right up!

Game tests / settings

Configurations

1875K + 960           = CPU @ 2930 MHz. RAM @ 1333MHz. GPU @ 1304 MHz core, 3505 MHz memory. Windows XP 32-bit.
2875K + 980 Ti        = CPU @ 2930 MHz. RAM @ 1333MHz. GPU @ 1430 MHz core, 3548 MHz memory. Windows XP 32-bit.
3875K OC + 980 Ti     = CPU @ 4135 MHz. RAM @ 1600MHz. GPU @ 1430 MHz core, 3548 MHz memory. Windows XP 32-bit.
4875K + 980 Ti OC     = CPU @ 2930 MHz. RAM @ 1333MHz. GPU @ 1610 MHz core, 4104 MHz memory. Windows XP 32-bit.
5875K OC + 980 Ti OC  = CPU @ 4135 MHz. RAM @ 1600MHz. GPU @ 1610 MHz core, 4104 MHz memory. Windows XP 32-bit.
64690K OC + 1080 Ti   = CPU @ 4698 MHz. RAM @ 2133MHz. GPU @ 1860 MHz core, 5508 MHz memory. Windows 7 64-bit.

Details

1Frequency/Voltage Control
2	Memory Configure
3		DRAM SPD = XMP Profile 1
4		DRAM Frequency = 1600 MHz (2:12)
5		DRAM tCL = 7
6		DRAM tRCD = 8
7		DRAM tRP = 7
8		DRAM tRAS = 20
9	CPU Configuration
10		MPS and ACPI MADT ordering = Modern ordering
11		Intel(R) HT Technology = Enabled
12		Active Processor Cores = All
13		C1E Support = Disabled
14		Intel(R) SpeedStep(tm) tech = Enabled
15		Intel(R) TurboMode tech = Enabled
16			Turbo Ratio Limit Program = Enabled
17			1-Core Ratio Limit offset = 0
18			2-Core Ratio Limit offset = 0
19			3-Core Ratio Limit offset = 0
20			4-Core Ratio Limit offset = 0
21			Turbo Limit current Override = Disabled
22			Turbo Limit power Override = Disabled
23		Intel(R) C-STATE tech = Disabled
24	K Boost = Enabled
25	CPU Multiplier Setting = 31
26	CPU Frequency Setting = Auto
27	PCIE Frequency Setting = 100
28	QPI Frequency Seletion = Auto
29	MCH Strap = Auto
30	EVGA VDroop Control = With VDroop
31	Bootup CPU VCore = 1.40000V
32	Eventual CPU VCore = 1.40000V
33	DIMM Voltage = 1.65V
34	Bootup CPU VTT = 1.400V
35	Eventual CPU VTT = 1.400V
36	PCH = 1.400V
37	CPU PLL = 1.900V

Results - F.E.A.R.

(Min - Avg - Max FPS)

Results - Far Cry 2

Interesting results! Keep them coming!

It looks like a GTX 960 or equivalent is ideal for later windows XP gaming - for max settings at 1600x1200 - but when you add in extreme forms of AA and super sampling you can justify up to a 980ti.

Using a CRT monitor, because of the limitations of the dot pitch and of the tech, I find that 2x super sampling is just as good as 4x or more. I just can't get more detail out of my 17inch CRT because there aren't enough phosphors. Using an LCD panel at 1080p, I find I need 4x super sampling to completely eliminate aliasing .

mothergoose729 wrote on 2021-02-12, 19:24:

Interesting results! Keep them coming!

It looks like a GTX 960 or equivalent is ideal for later windows XP gaming - for max settings at 1600x1200 - but when you add in extreme forms of AA and super sampling you can justify up to a 980ti.

Using a CRT monitor, because of the limitations of the dot pitch and of the tech, I find that 2x super sampling is just as good as 4x or more. I just can't get more detail out of my 17inch CRT because there aren't enough phosphors. Using an LCD panel at 1080p, I find I need 4x super sampling to completely eliminate aliasing .

I was (again) testing downsampling from 16K to 4K (2880x2160@60Hz) the other day on a 21" CRT and that's around where things start to look really good in motion. CRTs are very sharp in motion so you can see every tiny bit of shimmering, especially tree leaves in the distance and such. Regarding native CRT resolution, 1280x960 is imo the cut off when you stop noticing the "pixels" or scanlines or whatever. At least on 21" CRT. So if your CRT can do at least that then downsampling/AA should be really beneficial.

If you look at mere 720p movies you can barely see any "pixels", that's because the real world has infinite amounts of downsampling so to speak. So 720p movies just look a little softer than 1080p.

The takeaways from those tests for me and this build are that:

- even 980 Ti is not enough to really max out the late-era Windows XP games
- while a lot of these games work in Win7 they will show little glitches in audio or video department. Usually nothing you would notice unless comparing side by side, but if you are after the original (yet maxed out) experience then it kind of counts.
- you need super fast AND overclocked CPU to play these games at high refresh rates (assuming you are not bottlenecked by GPU, which you are usually not at lower resolutions). The 875K CPU I have there now is too slow for this type of use. After overclocking the 875K there was still "only" ~130FPS in Far Cry 2 (with no extra eye candy from NVPI, at 1600x1200).

Thankfully there is not really that many computationally/graphically intense late-era Windows XP games.

So to sum up, I am happy that 980 Ti from 2015 can still be used in Windows XP but not super excited because it does not max out what NVPI offers (although only in a few later titles). 875K not so much, it is here only because of the P55 motherboard, which has been great so far, and of course allowed me to do this kind of build in the first place. If I will run into a lot of compatibility issues with older games under 980 Ti (haven't really tried many of those yet) then I might as well replace it with for example 780 Ti or older here and then build a dedicated rig with 980 Ti and a much better CPU (is his how it starts?!). But for now it stays as I have nothing bad to say about it.

duga3 wrote on 2019-08-07, 21:45:

W98:....
Good news is that I was able to solve the disk speed issue after installing RLoew SATA patch and doing some specific configuring in BIOS and Device Manager with his great help. The speed increased from 7MB/s to upto 215MB/s. Amazing. It also made the SATA CD-DVD drive work (which I didnt really pay attention to before).
.....

Just wondering, for future reference, what exact configuring had to be done here ?
(have a 'plan' about a build, and am gathering background knowledge before starting, never having used any Rloew programs before, and expecting them to be somewhat cryptic...)

I remember when I had a Titan X Maxwell, there were rumors VGA performance was degraded compared to digital signals.

Very strange but it did feel like that, might be worth checking with a benchmark and then you could always use a DP -> VGA converter if it is a massive difference.

I find the output of analogue VGA is a bit subpar on the Maxwell and to a lesser extent Kepler, my Delock DP -> VGA seems clearer for high res.
On the other hand something like a <GTX 580 or HD7970 has lovely VGA quality.

Just another thing to consider for the ultimate build 😁

Lucky guy to have Kingpin card. Fully copper heastsink. Not easy to find like one and I rather prefer that type. I was lucky to get two GTX 580 Classified cards, one needed repairs but got working.

Cheers,

bestemor wrote on 2021-05-02, 16:23:

duga3 wrote on 2019-08-07, 21:45:

W98:....
Good news is that I was able to solve the disk speed issue after installing RLoew SATA patch and doing some specific configuring in BIOS and Device Manager with his great help. The speed increased from 7MB/s to upto 215MB/s. Amazing. It also made the SATA CD-DVD drive work (which I didnt really pay attention to before).
.....

Just wondering, for future reference, what exact configuring had to be done here ?
(have a 'plan' about a build, and am gathering background knowledge before starting, never having used any Rloew programs before, and expecting them to be somewhat cryptic...)

I was meaning to do it myself at some point because yes, the SATA patching was rather cryptic, at least for me. It is an email conversation. I can clean it up, focus it only on the specific technical bits and post it -> but where? Would be offtopic in this thread. If you or anyone has ideas for a proper place, please send me a PM.

edit: I will try to remember to update this reply with a link, once it is posted somewhere.

Hanamichi wrote on 2021-05-03, 16:50:

I remember when I had a Titan X Maxwell, there were rumors VGA performance was degraded compared to digital signals. […]
Show full quote

I remember when I had a Titan X Maxwell, there were rumors VGA performance was degraded compared to digital signals.

Very strange but it did feel like that, might be worth checking with a benchmark and then you could always use a DP -> VGA converter if it is a massive difference.

I find the output of analogue VGA is a bit subpar on the Maxwell and to a lesser extent Kepler, my Delock DP -> VGA seems clearer for high res.
On the other hand something like a <GTX 580 or HD7970 has lovely VGA quality.

Just another thing to consider for the ultimate build 😁

I always had this feeling that the older cards were crisper somehow but never really believed it or tested it. It could just be that Win7+ UI and text looks really soft on a CRT.

pentiumspeed wrote on 2021-05-06, 01:36:

Lucky guy to have Kingpin card. Fully copper heastsink. Not easy to find like one and I rather prefer that type. I was lucky to get two GTX 580 Classified cards, one needed repairs but got working.

Cheers,

Yeah, the copper is real nice and the card is quite heavy so it has that high quality hefty feel. It is a little over engineered which makes it interesting, check out https://xdevs.com/guide/maxwell_big_oc/