The performance you get on each board and with each hardware configuration can definitely vary by that much. The further back in time you go, hardware wise, the more that is the case.

The live 5.1 is probably the culprit here, as some sound cards have much higher CPU requirements than others. But the memory timings, the board, and the chip set can also have an impact as well.

The chipset and ram timings can make a lot of difference. Also other settings like sound quality (11Khz, 22Khz), gl_ztrick, vsync on/off, overclocking.

The timmings are 2-3-2-2. Can anyone here run Quake 2 at 512x384 with no sound on demo1.dm2? I would like to see pure CPU performance on software renderer. Just to see if the system is underperforming. I would apreciate a lot.

Pentium MMX 233 / 430TX / 64 MB RAM CL2 / Voodoo 3 PCI 3000 / 3dfx MiniGL / No sound - 46 fps.
Voodoo 2 should give almost the same result in 640x480, because they both are bottlenecked by a Pentium CPU.

Try these set of benchmarks for performance reference points:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uKhCI … #gid=1719797471

In Doom, a pentium MMX 233 scores between 82-96 fps, or between 150-176 in Speedsys.

Doom is a horrible benchmark for a Pentium class CPUs. There's a performance brick wall around 80 fps in many cases, due to how Doom renders the graphics. Quake 1.06 timedemo is much better.

The Serpent Rider wrote:

Pentium MMX 233 / 430TX / 64 MB RAM CL2 / Voodoo 3 PCI 3000 / 3dfx MiniGL / No sound - 46 fps.
Voodoo 2 should give almost the same result in 640x480, because they both are bottlenecked by a Pentium CPU.

I can try using the V3 2000PCI and OC to 3000 levels. That should give acurate comparison.

Just run DOS Quake without sound. Reference performance is around 48-52 fps on demo1 (430HX-430TX chipsets). That said, your board on a VIA VP3 chipset most likely will require Memory Interleave enabler patch. Just google it.

Are you using WDM or VXD drivers for the Live? VXD is usually the way to go for Win9x and should save you some CPU time. WDM was pretty raw and quirky back then.

The Serpent Rider wrote:

Just run DOS Quake without sound. Reference performance is around 48-52 fps on demo1 (430HX-430TX chipsets). That said, your board on a VIA VP3 chipset most likely will require Memory Interleave enabler patch. Just google it.

I run Quake at what resolution? 320x200 or 320x240?

swaaye wrote:

Are you using WDM or VXD drivers for the Live? VXD is usually the way to go for Win9x and should save you some CPU time. WDM was pretty raw and quirky back then.

I have used the drivers provided on the Live 5.1 CD. Are they VXD? How do i know that?

mothergoose729 wrote:

Try these set of benchmarks for performance reference points:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uKhCI … #gid=1719797471

In Doom, a pentium MMX 233 scores between 82-96 fps, or between 150-176 in Speedsys.

Thank you for that link.

Default resolution is 320x200. HUD2 - health, armor, ammo + weapons and keys bar.

The Serpent Rider wrote:

Default resolution is 320x200. HUD2 - health, armor, ammo + weapons and keys bar.

The VP3 chipset and MMX 233 is scoring 47fps on DOSQuake. Not to bad, but not impressive either.

swaaye wrote:

Are you using WDM or VXD drivers for the Live? VXD is usually the way to go for Win9x and should save you some CPU time. WDM was pretty raw and quirky back then.

They seem to be WDM acording to dxdiag...

rcarkk wrote:

They seem to be WDM acording to dxdiag...

Maybe there are some VXDs that will install on that 5.1.
http://www.vogonsdrivers.com/index.php?catid= … menustate=43,36

Not to bad, but not impressive either.

That's normal for VIA chipsets. They weren't top performers on 66mhz FSB.

hows the intel 430HX chipset compared to the VIA chipset?

You may run Doom without the refresh option which eliminates most of the measure that depends on the bus and gfx hardware.