Asus 128mb PhysX Card Review/Preview
Gaming on PhysX: G.R.A.W.
Published: 12th July 2006 | Source: Specialtech | Price: |
G.R.A.W. is a game that is allows for hardware and software support of the PhysX card. It's the first full retail game that can claim this and as far as I am aware the only game actually out that allows for PhysX card support.
G.R.A.W. is a first person shooter that is heavy on HDR lighting, particle effects and of course: physics effects. It does not put a huge strain on the PC is was using although with it being a slow FPS I found that around 30FPS was acceptable. If your PC can run CoD 2, F.E.A.R. and Oblivion then it can definitely run this game: although I will say that you need to run it at fairly high settings to see all the nice particle physics effects.
I am not here to give a review of the game itself but I will make some comment on the gameplay seeing as the game is bundled with the card.
Gameplay
The game is a tense, tactical shooter. I'll revise that. It's a hard tense tactical shooter. For someone like me who usually plays a game on normal, then on hard it is pretty hard.
The HDR lighting effects are very nice but I feel that the colours are very slightly "washed out" - maybe I haven't got to a bright bit in the game yet. The graphics are very nice altogether and are definitely worthy of a new PC game - perhaps lacking the "sparkle" of games like Oblivion.
The controls are pretty intuitive and I quite enjoy sending my team here and there to kill enemy soldiers.
But, I hear you cry, "What are the physics effects like?"
In my opinion G.R.A.W. has not fully utilised the strengths of the physx card. This is not to say that it does not use them at all, it does use them with sparks flying when you hit metal, cars being destroyed when you shoot them and walls with lots of fragments coming off them.
All is not rosy for those among you who are really wanting to see what PhysX can do. After you shot that wall and the dust settles the fragments disappear and sometimes makes you feel a little non-plussed. But then sometimes you'll have enjoyed blowing up the lorry so much you simply will not care!
However when you do come across some decent explosions the PhysX card takes it all in it's stride and they are very impressive. It's just a shame more isn't made of the physics aspect of the game. Imagine being able to blow down the top of a building and kill several enemy soldiers in the process!
Screenshots and Video's
I have provided you with some screenshots and video's of PhysX in action.
First a comparison of no PhysX and PhyX on destroying a wall:
No PhysX
With PhysX
With PhysX
The gun is different but you get the point: the particles fly all over the place and are much more prevalent than they are without PhysX
Next we see some car/lorry destroying:
Lorry explosion (2 pics sequence)
Car explosion (2 pics sequence)
Next we see some car/lorry destroying:
Lorry explosion (2 pics sequence)
Car explosion (2 pics sequence)
The sparks are a very nice touch and all cars in the game can really be shot and blown up!
Here's a video of a grenade thrown at a van. Click Here to download
And a very nice clip of a lorry I decided to blow up click Here
You can see the effects of a grenade in the game is much more pronounced than in normal games with a lot more debris. I was very impressed with the lorry being blown up in the clip and this was definitely a fun thing to do.
Does G.R.A.W. really take advantage of PhysX?
All in all I think that G.R.A.W. lacks that killer touch when it comes to physics. It is better than your average game but when you take a look at F.E.A.R. and the explosions and effects in that you are a little disappointed in all honesty. However it is good fun destroying lorry's and all sorts of other objects in the game and the game itself grows on you.
Don't be dissuaded yet...read on to see why I think PhysX really is an excellent product...
Here's a video of a grenade thrown at a van. Click Here to download
And a very nice clip of a lorry I decided to blow up click Here
You can see the effects of a grenade in the game is much more pronounced than in normal games with a lot more debris. I was very impressed with the lorry being blown up in the clip and this was definitely a fun thing to do.
Does G.R.A.W. really take advantage of PhysX?
All in all I think that G.R.A.W. lacks that killer touch when it comes to physics. It is better than your average game but when you take a look at F.E.A.R. and the explosions and effects in that you are a little disappointed in all honesty. However it is good fun destroying lorry's and all sorts of other objects in the game and the game itself grows on you.
Don't be dissuaded yet...read on to see why I think PhysX really is an excellent product...
Most Recent Comments
w00t, been waiting for this, lemme have a read 
sweet reveiw
those physics look muchos tasty
can i ask a favour though?
would you mind checking if the card has the following ram chips on it?
and how many it has.
"Samsung K4J52324QC-BC20 16 Mbit x 32 GDDR3 500 MHz FBGA 136 M54P"
cheers.
those physics look muchos tasty
can i ask a favour though?
would you mind checking if the card has the following ram chips on it?
and how many it has.
"Samsung K4J52324QC-BC20 16 Mbit x 32 GDDR3 500 MHz FBGA 136 M54P"
cheers.
May I ask why? Pretty sure it has those chips on it but why?
nice review...didnt realise they were that expensive tho!
best review I've seen for ages.
well done
well done
because it may infact have 256mb of memory and not 128mb
please check?:eyes: hehe
cheers J.
please check?:eyes: hehe
cheers J.
probably because it is 256mb but Aegis had some UK exclusive agreement on the chipset so they had to advertise it as 128mb to avoid being sued.
or so I'm told
or so I'm told
thats why kemp
OK
Lemme switch off and yank it out then
Lemme switch off and yank it out then
Yeah thats what i heard from somewhere too 
indeed it is ,and thx in advance for checking
,and thx in advance for checkingThere's 4 of the buggers on ther.
Info and nakedness on page 2
http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews.php?type=3&id=75&page=2&desc=asus_128mb_physx_card_review_preview
Info and nakedness on page 2
http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews.php?type=3&id=75&page=2&desc=asus_128mb_physx_card_review_preview
shame on ocuk though,they claim on their forums that they had the only 256mb ones because of a deal with asus,thats bad.
nice to see the addition about the ram chips on the reveiw-again a great reveiw matt
so it looks like all the asus physx cards are 256mb
now a 256mb physx card,graw and all those other extras is pretty good for the price now
cheers.
So....4 x 32mb = 256??
How does that work?
Their single sided DIMMs
How does that work?
Their single sided DIMMs
bloody nice review mate. Still doesnt seem like it deserves me money just yet. Im waiting for ATI's physix solution .
my mistake...oh well maybe they might have the only 256mb ones
are you sure though because the pics of ocuk ones has four and looks the same:eh:
are you sure though because the pics of ocuk ones has four and looks the same:eh:
so does this mean that the card we are giving away is possibly a 256 rather than a 128 then?
ill check out the review when I get home, looks intense mate!
ill check out the review when I get home, looks intense mate!
That was a very well done review Matt. I am going to hold off purchasing one until Unreal Tournament 2007 comes out because if that game utilizes the physX card fully then I will definately go out and buy one Lets hope new games continue to come out with support for them. I can just imagine how sweet games are going to look with DirectX10, PhysX capability and a sweet graphics card.
Lets hope new games continue to come out with support for them. I can just imagine how sweet games are going to look with DirectX10, PhysX capability and a sweet graphics card.w00tage, awesome review Kemp I just wanted to ask a couple of questions if I may:
1)Do you believe that the PhysX card will add another level to future game immersion?
2)Did you find the game physics realistic enough; was it just as easy to throw a large object, as a small object?
3)Does the debris stay around where it fell after an explosion (like it should), or does it fade away like most 'console' games do?
I just wanted to ask a couple of questions if I may:1)Do you believe that the PhysX card will add another level to future game immersion?
2)Did you find the game physics realistic enough; was it just as easy to throw a large object, as a small object?
3)Does the debris stay around where it fell after an explosion (like it should), or does it fade away like most 'console' games do?
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by PV5150
w00tage, awesome review Kemp
I just wanted to ask a couple of questions if I may:1)Do you believe that the PhysX card will add another level to future game immersion? |
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='PV5150'
2)Did you find the game physics realistic enough; was it just as easy to throw a large object, as a small object?
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by name='PV5150'
3)Does the debris stay around where it fell after an explosion (like it should), or does it fade away like most 'console' games do?
|
All answered?
Excellent mate...thank you. 
Soz I must have missed where you stated in the review, my bad
Soz I must have missed where you stated in the review, my badJust got done reading the review and damn Kemp! That is a wicked little addition. If I still had a gaming computer you can bet the bank I'd have a PhysX card in it.
Absolutely killer review too mate, very well put together. A+
Absolutely killer review too mate, very well put together. A+
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