Vista64 vs XP64 - Graphics

[strafe]

I recently installed Vista64, and normaly I`v tested it with Performance Test. There are some strange results that I want to share with you and to compare it with XP64.
My craphic card is Asus EN6600 TD 256 DDR.
Drivers in Windows XP 64 - 93.71
Drivers in Windows Vista 64 - 163.69
Both configurations are with Clear Type font smooth turned ON.
Resolution - 1280x1024.
Colors - 32 bit.

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Results from XP64 - Theme Royale
Graphics 2D - Lines: 217.9
Graphics 2D - Rectangles: 139.0
Graphics 2D - Shapes: 46.8
Graphics 2D - Fonts and Text: 124.5
Graphics 2D - GUI: 398.7
Graphics 3D - Simple: 415.1
Graphics 3D - Medium: 92.4
Graphics 3D - Complex: 36.6
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Vista 64 - Basic- Fresh Install
Graphics 2D - Lines: 27.4
Graphics 2D - Rectangles: 48.3
Graphics 2D - Shapes: 16.9
Graphics 2D - Fonts and Text: 102.0
Graphics 2D - GUI: 113.6
Graphics 3D - Simple: 399.6
Graphics 3D - Medium: 89.3
Graphics 3D - Complex: 32.9
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Vista 64 - Basic - With hotfixes recomended from Nvidia
Graphics 2D - Lines: 32.3
Graphics 2D - Rectangles: 50.7
Graphics 2D - Shapes: 17.5
Graphics 2D - Fonts and Text: 104.2
Graphics 2D - GUI: 118.6
Graphics 3D - Simple: 707.3
Graphics 3D - Medium: 176.4
Graphics 3D - Complex: 36.2
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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Vista 64 - Aero - Fresh Install
Graphics 2D - Lines: 71.1
Graphics 2D - Rectangles: 36.7
Graphics 2D - Shapes: 29.2
Graphics 2D - Fonts and Text: 114.3
Graphics 2D - GUI: 148.5
Graphics 3D - Simple: 330.0
Graphics 3D - Medium: 71.8
Graphics 3D - Complex: 31.7
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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Vista 64 - Aero - With hotfixes recomended from Nvidia
Graphics 2D - Lines: 71.5
Graphics 2D - Rectangles: 40.0
Graphics 2D - Shapes: 29.4
Graphics 2D - Fonts and Text: 115.6
Graphics 2D - GUI: 149.1
Graphics 3D - Simple: 575.6
Graphics 3D - Medium: 135.5
Graphics 3D - Complex: 34.5
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It looks like some of the hardware accelerations are not working, but that is expected because for generation 6x00 with Drivers >100 they are not working in XP also.
Hotfixes are doing a fantastic job.
Strange that Aero is faster than Basic in 2D performance. My only explanation is that with Aero which is 3D interface, some accelerations are working that benefit to better 2D performance. But that is probably only on 6x00 gen.
Strange is that Vista in older shader model, in Windowed mode, is faster that XP, but with newer shader is slower.
In real life scenarios like Games and 3D Applications, Vista is 2% - 10% slower that XP.

[David (PassMark)]

I wish we could explain all of these results, but it really requires from input from Nvidia, who in the past have been extremely unresponsive.

But there are clearly significant differences between the XP and Vista desktop rendering and the optimisation of the device drivers. Neither Microsoft nor Nvidia want to highlight the lack of improvements in Vista I guess, so they don't publish much about it.

You should also be aware that we have a 32bit and 64bit version of PerformanceTest and that this might effect the results (mostly for the CPU test however).