Is there a reason GMod runs better than any other source game I have?

[Doomish]

I have a fairly good computer gaming-wise (edit: not for this generation unfortunately, it can't handle modern games very well), and I can run HL2 and beyond with max graphics and all the fancy stuff. Up until Episode 2, that is, when it gets to around 30 constantly.

But when I play Gmod on the same graphics levels, no matter what I do, no matter how much is going on, the game runs at an average 50-60 fps even though it and Episode 2 use practically the same engine.

This isn't really a tech support question, I'm just wondering, is GMod optimized in some way other source games aren't? Or is there just less going on in the background behind all the gameplay in GMod?

[SomeFaggot]

There's probably less going on in the maps you play.

[amcwatters]

It should really be the other way around. Garry's Mod will typically be the worst game of all Source Engine games as far as performance, simply because of all the entity data it has to deal with.

Glad you're not having problems with it yet, though.

[One Ear Ninja]

Consider: In Hl2 for example, you're looking into a tight room with tons of entities. IN GMod, you're looking into a vast field; there isn't that much going on in comparison.

[Zombie Strider]

Counter Strike runs so much better for me than Garrys mod. And I run Counter Strike on all the higher settings and such in Direct X 9 (Gmod in 8)