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Mafia II’s APEX PhysX setting adds more detailed clothing motion, debris, smoke and destruction effects, but it can reduce frame rates. In TechSpot’s 2010 built-in-benchmark test, a GeForce GTX 480 ran at 70 fps with PhysX off and 42 fps with it on at 1680×1050 with anti-aliasing enabled. That result describes a specific, historical test—not how the game will perform on a current PC.
What APEX PhysX changes in Mafia II
NVIDIA’s original PC settings guide describes APEX as its framework for adding physics-based effects. In Mafia II, the Medium and High settings add more detailed clothing, debris and particle effects, using the CPU and a suitable NVIDIA GPU.
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| 1 |
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Mafia II - PC | $22.89 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
![Mafia II: Definitive Edition - Steam PC [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/518uE4aLi4L._SL160_.jpg)
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Mafia II: Definitive Edition - Steam PC [Online Game Code] | $6.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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The Godfather II - PC | $35.50 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Mafia III - PC | Buy on Amazon | |
| 5 |
![Mafia III: Definitive Edition - Steam PC [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51MS1FNE9yL._SL160_.jpg)
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Mafia III: Definitive Edition - Steam PC [Online Game Code] | $6.00 | Buy on Amazon |
- Destruction and debris: Explosions can leave more debris and cause greater environmental destruction.
- Smoke: Sustained burnouts produce thicker smoke.
- Clothing: Vito’s jacket moves as he runs. NVIDIA says clothing looks the same at Medium and High.
- Particles: Medium reduces particle effects compared with High.
These are visual and simulation details, not a change to the story or game mechanics.
How Off, Medium and High differ
| Setting | What the NVIDIA guide says | Processing notes |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Reduced-detail, reduced-realism PhysX effects remain; turning the option off does not remove every physics effect. | NVIDIA recommends Off when the hardware is unsuitable for APEX PhysX. |
| Medium | Adds APEX clothing, debris and particle effects. Clothing is described as identical to High, while particle effects are reduced. | Medium and High use the CPU and a suitable NVIDIA GPU. |
| High | Provides the more detailed particle effects, along with clothing and debris effects. | Scene complexity matters; clothing can be demanding in scenes with multiple people. |
For a single suitable NVIDIA GPU, NVIDIA says particle and debris effects run on the GPU. Without an NVIDIA GPU, those effects are processed on the CPU. Clothing is a separate bottleneck: NVIDIA says it remains CPU-processed unless a second PhysX-capable NVIDIA GPU is dedicated to PhysX. This helps explain why the setting’s cost can vary with both the scene and the hardware configuration. NVIDIA’s Mafia II APEX guide advises: “Ultimately, if your hardware is not suitable for running Mafia 2 with APEX PhysX, then turn it Off.”
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- Players will be immersed in the Golden Era of America as Mafia II features tracks from some of the era's most influential artists
- Through strong, authentic characterization and compelling narrative, the mature storyline will make you understand the pull and impossible escape of life in the Mob
- Take part in car-to-car gunfights, hand-to-hand combat and gunplay, forming an intense and exciting experience
- 2K Czech's next-generation engine, allows gamers to travel from outdoor environments to intricately designed interiors without the need for loading times
- The writing team from Mafia I returns to deliver another powerhouse script that portrays a tale of survival, camaraderie and the pitfalls of pursuing the American Dream
What the 2010 performance test measured
TechSpot published its Mafia II performance review on August 31, 2010. It tested 23 graphics-card configurations using the game’s built-in benchmark, high quality settings and three runs per test, recording average frame rate. For tests labeled PhysX enabled, it used High. TechSpot characterized the built-in benchmark as a worst-case scenario, so its results are not a prediction for every gameplay scene. See its test methodology.
At 1680×1050 with PhysX and anti-aliasing enabled, TechSpot recorded these results:
Rank #2
- Golden-era Drama: Inspired by iconic mafia dramas, be immersed in the allure and impossible escape of life as a wise guy in the Mafia.
- Empire Bay, NY: Post-World War 2 Empire Bay, NY, a city sprawling with opportunity and where organized crime thrives on the booming industries of post-war America.
- The Complete & Remastered Favorite: For the first-time ever experience the Mafia II crime drama all in one package and presented in stunning HD detail.
- Own Mafia II: Definitive Edition to unlock Vito’s Leather Jacket and Car in both Mafia and Mafia III Definitive Editions.
| Tested graphics card | PhysX Off | PhysX On | Test context |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce GTX 480 | 70 fps | 42 fps | 1680×1050, anti-aliasing enabled; 40% lower with PhysX on |
| GeForce GTX 470 | not stated in cited PhysX-on result | 38 fps | 1680×1050, anti-aliasing enabled |
| GeForce GTX 460 | not stated in cited PhysX-on result | 33 fps | 1680×1050, anti-aliasing enabled |
| GeForce GTX 285 | not stated in cited PhysX-on result | 30 fps | 1680×1050, anti-aliasing enabled |
These are TechSpot’s 2010 averages on its test system, not current GPU comparisons. The review also reported its tested AMD cards were limited to about 20 fps in the PhysX-on test, where PhysX processing ran on the CPU of its overclocked Core i7-920 system. The results illustrate how costly the workload could be on period hardware; they do not establish how a modern CPU or GPU handles it. See the published benchmark results.
What a dedicated PhysX GPU changed in that test
TechSpot separately tested a GeForce GTX 460 dedicated to PhysX. With that period-hardware arrangement, the GTX 480 result increased by 24%, and the GTX 470 result rose from 38 fps to 47 fps. The article noted that its AMD-plus-GeForce arrangement typically did not work without a software mod. These findings document one 2010 configuration; they are not a general recommendation to buy or install a second graphics card. Details are in TechSpot’s dedicated PhysX GPU test.
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- Relive the greatest moments from "The Godfather II" in an open-world action experience inspired by the movie
- Act like a mobster to command respect, intimidating and extorting business owners and rival families with devastating new attacks and executions
- Recruit, develop, and promote members of your crime family. Recruit your friends to join your family and take them into battle online to find out who is the Don of Dons
- Bring up to three crew members along on jobs, including an arsonist, demolitions expert, safecracker, and more. Command their actions in battle and unleash their specialties on your enemies
- Be a true Don as you coordinate all the action using a 3D world map: survey your turf, place defenses on businesses, analyze crime patterns, identify new illicit racket monopolies, and choose the target of your next attack
Original-era hardware requirements are not current buying advice
2K’s PC requirements page, published March 16, 2011 and updated September 3, 2025, separates the original game’s minimum requirements from its APEX PhysX tiers. Its listed APEX hardware is legacy guidance, and should not be used to predict how a current GPU will perform.
| APEX tier on 2K’s page | Minimum listed | Recommended listed |
|---|---|---|
| Medium | GTX 260 or better for graphics, plus a dedicated NVIDIA 9800 GTX or better for PhysX | GTX 470 or better for graphics |
| High | GTX 470 or better for graphics, plus a dedicated NVIDIA 9800 GTX or better for PhysX | GTX 480 for graphics, plus a dedicated GTX 285 or better for PhysX |
The Steam-hosted PC readme lists somewhat different historical model names and thresholds, including GT 240 for one Medium tier and GTX 460 for the High graphics minimum. These records should not be silently blended: they are separate legacy documents, not evidence of present-day compatibility. 2K’s page also names historical GPU and PhysX driver versions. See 2K’s PC requirements and the Steam-hosted readme.
Rank #4
- Collectible map of New Bordeaux Included.
- 1968 NEW BORDEAUX, A REIMAGINED NEW ORLEANS: A vast open world ruled by the mob and detailed with the sights and sounds of the era.
- A LETHAL ANTI-HERO: Be Lincoln Clay, orphan and Vietnam veteran hell bent on revenge for the deaths of his surrogate family.
- REVENGE YOUR WAY: Choose your own play-style; brute force, blazing guns or stalk-and-kill tactics, to tear down the Italian Mafia.
- A NEW FAMILY ON THE ASHES OF THE OLD: Build a new criminal empire your way by deciding which lieutenants you reward, and which you betray
NVIDIA’s PhysX System Software 9.10.0513 page is dated August 11, 2010. It lists GeForce 8-, 9-, 100-, 200-, 300- and 400-series support subject to minimum memory and CUDA-core requirements, and notes bug fixes for Mafia 2. That release record is historical, not a current driver recommendation. NVIDIA PhysX System Software 9.10.0513.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to choose a setting today
There is no current-hardware benchmark here, so a specific modern GPU recommendation or expected frame rate cannot be established. Use the in-game setting as a practical visual-versus-performance choice, and compare it on your own system:
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Best Value
- NEW BORDEAUX, LA: A vast world ruled by the mob and detailed with the sights and sounds of the era.
- A LETHAL ANTI-HERO: Be Lincoln Clay, orphan and Vietnam veteran hell bent on revenge for the deaths of his surrogate family.
- REVENGE YOUR WAY: Choose your own play-style; brute force, blazing guns or stalk-and-kill tactics, to tear down the Mafia.
- A NEW FAMILY ON THE ASHES OF THE OLD: Build a new criminal empire your way by deciding which lieutenants you reward, and which you betray.
- Own Mafia III: Definitive Edition to unlock Lincoln’s Army Jacket and Car in both Mafia and Mafia II Definitive Editions.
- Start with APEX PhysX Off if performance is poor or you are unsure whether the system handles it comfortably.
- Try Medium, then High, and compare the scenes that matter to you—especially busy scenes with several characters, explosions, or sustained burnouts.
- If frame rate or smoothness worsens noticeably, lower the setting or return to Off. The Steam-hosted readme also advises lowering resolution and/or graphics and PhysX settings when performance is poor.
- Keep in mind that Off retains reduced-detail PhysX effects; it is not a promise that every physics effect disappears.
2K’s page and TechSpot’s tests concern the original PC release and period hardware. They do not establish which current GPU and driver combinations reliably accelerate PhysX in every available Mafia II PC version.
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