F@H GPU Folding Question

[aegisofrime]

Hello there people. I searched for this on Google, but couldn't find anything relevant. I'm about to buy a new Graphics Card, and my question is are the 48x0 series for the GTX 200 series faster when it comes to folding? Or is it impossible to tell for sure because every work unit provides a different workload?

 

[Keysplayr]

I think you'll find the general concensus will concur that the 48xx series is about equivelent in folding power to a GeForce 8600GTS using the CUDA based GPU folding client. Give or take a bit.

And the GT200 series kind of destroys 48xx in GPU folding. There was a list in a thread about approximately how many PPD each card (38xx/48xx/G8x/G9x/GT200) produces.

I'll go try to find the link and post back in a few.

EDIT: Ah, here we go.

GPU Folding results

 

[aegisofrime]

Thank you for the reply, that was very helpful.

I remember nVidia announced in a preview of the GTX 200 that it will be 2 to 3 times faster than the 48x0 series. Guess they weren't joking.

Do you think its possible that the GPU2 code isn't really optimized for the 48x0 series yet? Given the close performance between the two in games, I won't have guessed that there will be such a huge disparity.

 

[Insidious]

According to the fah people, there is a lot of optimizing left to do on both brands of card.

Also, as I understand it, the ATI card has so many more shader processors, but they aren't being fully utilized by the small molecules being tested in the early stages of GPU folding. The NVidia architecture is much better at the kinds of work that is being done at the present time.

Lot's of posts at the fah forum talk about ATI catching up with NVidia in folding production power when larger molecules start getting tested. Personally, I read these as wishfull thinking in large part, but I certainly don't know enough to say anything with authority.

But at present, when it comes to folding at home, no matter which two cards you compare, NVidia blows ATI production out of the water.... it's not even close.

-Sid

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: aegisofrime
Thank you for the reply, that was very helpful.

I remember nVidia announced in a preview of the GTX 200 that it will be 2 to 3 times faster than the 48x0 series. Guess they weren't joking.

Do you think its possible that the GPU2 code isn't really optimized for the 48x0 series yet? Given the close performance between the two in games, I won't have guessed that there will be such a huge disparity.

48xx are excellent for gaming, as are GT200's. But as far as dedicating more resources to hardware/software compute power, Nvidia seems to be spending much more time in this area. Whatever the potential for the 48xx series could be, it doesn't seem like they (AMD/ATI) are putting as much resources into it (at the moment). And it could also be that the 48xx is not designed appropriately for this kind of work. We just don't know and aren't being told either. But as for right now and the forseeable future, and if you plan on gaming AND folding the best you can, a GT200 would serve you well in both areas.

It is impossible to answer your question though. "Do you think its possible that the GPU2 code isn't really optimized for the 48x0 series yet?"

This may be. But it also may be that what you see right now is the best you're going to get with 48xx. I'll agree with insidious about the wishful thinking bit, for now.

 

[Foxery]

Buy whichever you'd prefer for your personal use - the Folding@Home code keeps changing

The first (test) proteins were very small, and nVidia trounced ATI.
The second round (currently) are twice the size, and ATI's 4000 series gained significant ground.
Future proteins will continue to get larger. We haven't seen results yet, just hints from the devs that they're excited.

Buy the card that suits you.

 

[Drsignguy]

Originally posted by: Foxery
Buy whichever you'd prefer for your personal use - the Folding@Home code keeps changing

The first (test) proteins were very small, and nVidia trounced ATI.
The second round (currently) are twice the size, and ATI's 4000 series gained significant ground.
Future proteins will continue to get larger. We haven't seen results yet, just hints from the devs that they're excited.

Buy the card that suits you.

Ah hell, Now I am going buy 1 of each!

 

[aegisofrime]

Thanks for the help guys. The reason I'm asking is that the 4870 and GTX 260 are pretty evenly matched in terms of price and gaming performance, so I'm looking to value-added extras to help tip the balance. Folding@Home was one thing, video transcoding is another I do alot of. And it seems like both cards does that, albeit at an beta level. ATI supposedly has AVIVO xCode, and nVidia has Badaboom. Not sure how each are working though. And then supposedly 4870 does video upscaling, but once again Google has failed me on that. Still, hopefully ATI could improve on their F@H performance, 800 streaming units is no joke!