Another nice video guide to Hybrid PhysX systems emerges on YouTube recently. Drivers installation, patching process with GenL PhysX mod and final test in Fluidmark – all in one continuous 10-min video.

Despite the fact that guide is Italian, english version of Windows was used, so it’s easy to follow the process just by watching video carefully.

Other guides you may refer to: Link#1 | Link#2 | Link#3 (Please note that most of them refer to old PhysX mod 1.01 – use 1.02 mod instead, download link above) | Link#4 | Link#5 (video guide) | Link#6 (specific details) | Link#7

Catalyst 10.2 and extended display error fix.

Hybrid PhysX related article with provoking title “Nvidia helps the HD 5870 beat the GTX285 in PhysX” can be found at Fudzilla today.

Article itself is nothing particularly special, from our opinion – only one dedicated PhysX GPU was tested, old 1.01 PhysX mod (while 1.02 is available for several months) and old installation guide (while much more detailed can be found easily) were used – still, fact that Hybrid PhysX is now recognized by such popular website like Fudzilla, is memorable enough.

Other Hybrid PhysX links you may refer to:

Installation instructions – Link#1 | Link#2 | Link#3 (Please note that most of them refer to old PhysX mod 1.01 – use 1.02 mod instead, download link above) | Link#4 | Link#5 (video guide) | Link#6 (specific details) | Link#7 (Italian video guide) | Link#8

Hybrid PhysX systems benchmarks: HD4870/5870+9500/9600GT | HD4850/5750+9800GT | HD5870+GT220 | 2xHD5870 + 9800GT

Many of you know that so called Hybrid PhysX setups (using ATI GPU for graphics and Nvidia GPU for PhysX – in one system) are officially banned by Nvidia. Unofficially – available through GenL PhysX mod. However, all this hacking and patching isn’t appropriate for certain users, not to mention that Nvidia can find a way to block Hybrids completely one day.

New Lucid Hydra, technology that can split graphics rendering even between  ATI and Nvidia GPUs in Multi-GPU setups, was rumored as compromising solution for Hybrid PhysX problem. (can’t say we believed in that).

Unfortunatelly, recent tests of MSI Big Bang Fuzion, first motherboard with Hydra Engine inside, have shown finally – No. It’s not working this way.

According to Big Bang Fuzion review by GURU 3D

What if you want to enjoy PhysX in X-mode? – well you can’t, as the minute the NVIDIA driver sees an ATI card, it will disable it.

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Pretty interesting video emerges on YouTube today. Batman: Arkham Asylum built-in benchmark was used to demostrate that Crossfire setup (2x HD5870) is actually working along with Nvidia GPU (9800GT), dedicated for PhysX calculations (author was using GenL PhysX mod, I guess).

However, with PhysX effects set to High, fps is bottlenecked with PhysX simulation, as it went from average 301 (with PhysX disabled), to average 125. Still, more than enough to play the game without any inconvenience.

User Containforum has uploaded video guide on how to set up Hybrid ATI+NV PhysX system. It contains overview of all necessary drivers and mods, where to download them, and how to make them working together.

Other guides you may refer to: Link#1 | Link#2 | Link#3 | Link #4 | Link#5 | Link#6

Hybrid PhysX systems benchmarks: HD4870/5870+9500/9600GT | HD4850/5750+9800GT | HD5870+GT220 | 2xHD5870 + 9800GT | HD5870/GTX285 + 9800GT

Update: Catalyst 10.2 and extended display error fix – in addition, you’ll be able to use dedicated NV GPU for PhysX without necessity to extend display.

User pipnasty from Overclock.net forums has presented fine guide on how to enable Hybrid ATI+NV PhysX setup on single monitor, using dummy VGA plug.

This guide is detailed enough, takes new version of GenL mod into account, and is probably one of the best Hybrid PhysX related articles we’ve seen so far.

Proceed to the Guide

Other guides you may refer to: Link#1 | Link#2 | Link#3 | Link#4 (video guide) | Link#5 (Italian video guide) | Link#6

Update: Catalyst 10.2 and extended display error fix – in addition, you’ll be able to use dedicated NV GPU for PhysX without necessity to extend display.

Recently, bunch of PhysX related articles have emerged on several chinese websites, like yesky.com or EXPreview.com. They all have similar structure and idea – benchmarks of Nvidia GPUs vs ATI GPUs in games with hardware accelerated PhysX content. Typical result is looking like this..

.. and can mislead inexperienced user – “How can it be, that low-end GT240 outperforms hi-end HD5850 ?! Is GT240 better thus ? I’ll buy it as Christmas present instead“. Answer is simple – in ATI’s case supplementary PhysX content is calculated on CPU, while accelerated on GPU in Nvidia case. Therefore, playing with extra GPU PhysX effects enabled on ATI GPU will result in low fps regardless what setup you have – old X1800XT or two HD5970 in crossfire.

Appropriate Nvidia GPU – it’s the only way currently to enjoy games with GPU PhysX support. Is it worth ? It’s up to you to decide. And don’t forget compromising solution -  officially unsupported, but popular Hybrid PhysX systems.

Related articles: EXPreview.com | yesky.com | beareyes.com.cn |  sanhaostreet.com | vga.zol.com.cn | mydrivers.com

It seems that today Hybrid ATI+NV PhysX systems (ATI GPU for graphics, Nvidia GPU for PhysX) are even more popular than Ageia PPUs in their time. Not officially supported (and chased) by Nvidia, such configurations are possible using custom patch.

This time, our colleagues from PCgamesHardware.de have published results of Hybrid PhysX tests in Batman: Arkham Asylum built-in benchmark.

To built a Hybrid PhysX System, you’ll need mobo with two PCI-E slots (regardless to SLI/Crossife support; PCI-Ex8/x4 is enough for PhysX), appropriate Nvidia GPU (something like 9600/GT240), Win XP/Win 7 OS and PhysX mod 1.02, which you can download here.

Installation instructions – Link#1 | Link#2 | Link#3 (Please note that most of them refer to old PhysX mod 1.01 – use 1.02 mod instead, download link above) | Link#4 | Link#5 (video guide) | Link#6 (Italian video guide) | Link#7

GenL has released updated mod for hybrid PhysX systems – now it works with recent 195.xx GeForce drivers and supports Windows XP/2003

- added support for new checks in 195.xx drivers
- added support for XP/2003 drivers
- both x86 and x64 are supported by a single mod now

Notes about the mod:
- Both x86 and x64 are supported by a single file now. If you are using x86 OS, you should just skip patching 64-bit binaries (press No when asked for a search).
- Don’t forget that you must be able to access nvidia control panel. For this connect nvidia GPU to the second input port of your monitor – physically or virtually (i don’t know if this is possible), or any other way you find. There are community-generated tutorials for this, i can’t tell anything because i own only 1 GPU.
- Lite version may come later, if needed. Additionally, i can fix errors if you find them and release it with an update.

Notes about XP/2003 support:
- Only 195.62 drivers are tested for XP/2003 case. I can’t say anything about earlier versions, i didn’t even try them.
- It should work for XP/2003 x64 editions too, would be great if anyone will confirm.
- It will work for 2000 only if original XP/2003 package supports it.

You can download PhysX mod 1.02 directly from our server (2.19 mb)

Mirror #1 (thanks to Alexandr82)

Update #2: 1.02 mod is working with new 196.21 drivers.

Update: #4: 1.02 mod is not working properly with 196.75 drivers.

In addition, original post contains mod for PhysX drivers 9.09.30, that allows to use original Ageia PPU with ATI cards.

Please use commentaries to this post or thread at NGHQ forums to report errors, if they’ll occur. Reports with positive results are also appreciated.

Update: Installation instructions – Link#1 | Link#2 | Link#3 (Please note that most of them refer to old PhysX mod 1.01 – use 1.02 mod instead, download link above) | Link#4 | Link#5 (video guide) | Link#6 (specific details) | Link#7 (Italian video guide) | Link#8

Hybrid PhysX systems benchmarks: HD4870/5870+9500/9600GT | HD4850/5750+9800GT | HD5870+GT220 | 2xHD5870 + 9800GT | HD5870/GTX285 + 9800GT

Dedicated PhysX GPU performance dependence on PCI-E bandwidth

Update #3: Catalyst 10.2 and extended display error fix – in addition, you’ll be able to use dedicated NV GPU for PhysX without necessity to extend display.

Adoption of hybrid ATI + Nvidia PhysX configurations is growing day by day. We wrote recently about some benchmarks using hybrid PhysX setup, and now BodNara website has published an article, that is investigating perfomance in games with GPU PhysX support using ATI HD 4850/5750 + NV 9800GT configuration.

Test setup: Intel Core I7 860 CPU, Asus P7P55D Motherboard, 2GB DDR3 RAM, 32-bit Win 7 Ultimate OS, Catalyst 9.9 and ForceWare 191.07 drivers

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