Parhelia: benchmark results

3D performance: Direct 3D
Using the standard image quality settings and MadOnion’s 3DMark 2001 test, the Parhelia is out-performed by the GeForce4, which is 41 percent faster. This is mainly due to the better performance of the GeForce4’s vertex shader and the higher fill rate with single-texturing -- the Parhelia manages only 679MTexels per second, while the Geforce4 with 936MTexels per second is 38 percent better.

But if you increase the image quality by activating anisotropic filtering and anti-aliasing, the GeForce4’s lead shrinks. With these enhancements turned on, the performance of the two graphics chips is almost equal.

3D performance: OpenGL
Without anti-aliasing and anisotropic filtering, the GeForce4 is faster at OpenGL games than the Parhelia.

When running the professional Viewperf 7.0 OpenGL benchmarks, the GeForce4 is clearly ahead of the Parhelia.

When interpreting all of these benchmark tests, it should be noted that Matrox is only beginning the process of driver optimisation for the Parhelia, whereas nVidia has been tweaking its Detonator drivers for a considerable length of time. Future driver releases should be able to further unlock the potential of Parhelia chip.