X2
- Author: Egosoft
- DirectX Class: 9.0
- Pixel and Vertex Shaders: Yes (unknown versions or amount of effects)
X2 is an interesting test. Being DX9 (just) and testing stencil shadowing, it's maybe a decent indication of what your average DX9 title should play like, if actually developed for the PC first.
In this case, despite an initial lead without IQ applied, the Aeolus concedes to let the ASUS take the lead otherwise. There's not much in it, 5950U's pixel pushing and bandwidth advantages cancelled out by the obvious efficiency of the Radeon board. 9800XT is simply better at most DX9 style render setups, brute force only goes so far in terms of smoothing out an inherent lack of raw, untuned, DX9 shader performance in the 5950 Ultra that powers the Aeolus.
