Test Systems And Benchmarks
We compare our new build to the $1000 enthusiast system we put together for our last SBM in September 2010. The Intel Core i3-550/Nvidia GeForce GTX 460 SLI combo should have a higher capacity for playable high-resolution graphics than the preceding Core i5-750/GeForce GTX 470 config. But the previous system’s quad-core CPU is expected to outperform our dual-core model in threaded productivity and transcoding applications.
| $1000 Enthusiast PC Test Settings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Standard Speed | Overclocked | |
| Motherboard | ASUS Sabertooth 55i Chipset: Intel P55 | Unchanged |
| Processor | Intel Core i3-550 3.2 GHz, Dual Core, 4 MB L3 Cache | 4019 MHz at 1.35 V, 167.5 MHz BCLK |
| Memory | GeIL Black Dragon 4 GB (2 x 2 GB) SDRAM DDR3-1333 Dual-Channel Desktop Memory Kit, CAS 7-7-7-24-1T | DDR3-1004, CAS 7-7-7-24-1T |
| Graphics | 2 x ECS NBGTX460 (SLI) 1 GB GDDR5-3700 Per Card GeForce GTX 460 GPU at 765/1530 MHz core/shaders | GDDR5-3800 825/1650 MHz core/shaders |
| Hard Drives | Western Digital Caviar Black 750 GB 7200 RPM, 32 MB Cache, SATA 3Gb/s | Unchanged |
| Optical | LG 22x DVD – GH22LS50 OEM 22x DVD+R, 8x DVD+RW, 48x CD ROM | Unchanged |
| Case | NZXT Gamma | Unchanged |
| Power | Corsair CMPSU-650TX 650 W ATX12V, EPS12V, 80 PLUS Certified | Unchanged |
| $1000 Enthusiast PC (From Previous SBM) Test Settings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Standard Speed | Overclocked | |
| Motherboard | Asus P7P55D-E LX LGA 1156, Intel P55 chipset, BIOS 1003 | Unchanged |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-750 2.66 GHz, Four Cores, 8 MB L3 Cache | 3.75 GHz, 178 MHz Reference Clock |
| Memory | Crucial 4 GB (2 x 2 GB) SDRAM DDR3-1333 Dual-Channel Desktop Memory Kit, CAS 9-9-9-24-1T | DDR3-1070, CAS 8-8-8-22-1T |
| Graphics | MSI GeForce GTX 470 1280 MB GDDR5-3348 Per Card 607/1215 MHz GPU/Shaders, 837 MHz Mem | GDDR5-4500 690/1380 MHz GPU/Shaders, 845 MHz Mem |
| Hard Drives | Western Digital Caviar Black 640 GB 7200 RPM, 32 MB Cache, SATA 3Gb/s | Unchanged |
| Optical | Lite-On iHAS124 24x DVD+R, 8x DVD+RW, 48x CD ROM | Unchanged |
| Case | Antec Three Hundred | Unchanged |
| Power | Corsair CMPSU-650HX 650 W ATX12V, EPS12V , 80 PLUS Certified | Unchanged |
And here's a list of the benchmarks:
| Benchmark Configuration | |
|---|---|
| 3D Games | |
| Crysis | Patch 1.2.1, DirectX 10, 64-bit executable, benchmark tool Test Set 1: High Quality, No AA Test Set 2: Very High Quality, No AA |
| DiRT 2 | In-game benchmark Test Set 1: High Quality Preset, No AA Test Set 2: Ultra Quality Preset, 8x AA |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 | Campaign, Act III, Second Sun (45 sec. FRAPS) Test Set 1: Highest Settings, No AA Test Set 2: Highest Settings, 4x AA |
| S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat | S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call Of Pripyat benchmark version Test Set 1: High Preset, DX11 EFDL, No AA Test Set 2: Ultra Preset, DX11 EFDL, 4x MSAA |
| World in Conflict | Patch 1009, DirectX 10, timedemo Test 1: Very High Details, No AA / No AF Test 2: Very High Details 4x AA / 16x AF |
| Audio/Video Encoding | |
| iTunes | Version: 9.0.2.25 x64 Audio CD ("Terminator II" SE), 53 min Default format AAC |
| Handbrake 0.9.4 | Version 0.9.4, convert first .vob file from "The Last Samurai" (1 GB) to .mp4 High Profile |
| TMPGEnc 4.0 Express | Version: 4.7.3.292 Import File: "Terminator 2" SE DVD (5 Minutes) Resolution: 720x576 (PAL) 16:9 |
| DivX 6.9.1 | Encoding mode: Insane Quality Enhanced multithreading enabled using SSE4 Quarter-pixel search |
| XviD 1.2.2 | Display encoding status = off |
| MainConcept Reference 1.6.1 | MPEG2 to MPEG2 (H.264), MainConcept H.264/AVC Codec 28 sec HDTV 1920x1080 (MPEG2) Audio: MPEG2 (44.1 KHz, 2 Channel, 16-Bit, 224 Kb/s) Mode: PAL (25 FPS) |
| Productivity | |
| Adobe Photoshop CS4 (64-bit) | Version: 11.0 x64, Filter 15.7MB TIF Image Radial Blur, Shape Blur, Median, Polar Coordinates |
| Autodesk 3ds Max 2010 | Version: 11.0 x64, Rendering Dragon Image at 1920x1080 (HDTV) |
| Grisoft AVG Anti-Virus 9.0 | Version: 9.0.663, Virus base: 270.14.1/2407 Benchmark: Scan 334 MB Folder of ZIP/RAR compressed files |
| WinRAR 3.90 | Version x64 3.90, Dictionary = 4,096 KB, Benchmark: THG-Workload (334 MB) |
| 7-Zip | Version 4.65: Format=Zip, Compression=Ultra, Method=Deflate, Dictionary Size=32KB, Word Size=128, Threads=8 Benchmark: THG-Workload (334 MB) |
| Synthetic Benchmarks | |
| 3DMark Vantage | Version: 1.01, GPU and CPU scores |
| PCMark Vantage | Version: 1.0.1.0 x64, System, Productivity, Hard Disk Drive benchmarks |
| SiSoftware Sandra 2010 | Version 2010.1.16.11, CPU Test = CPU Arithmetic / MultiMedia, Memory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark |
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I can't say I'm impressed this time. You should never have went with a clarksdale, they are simply bad. Getting a more reasonably priced motherboard, cutting another $20 from the HDD and PSU, and an i5 750, would have been much better.
Still, we have more information than before so I can't complain.
That PSU only has 2 PCI-E hook ups. So you'll have to use adapters in this build. Pathetic.
yeah I agree with AMW1011, but it is pretty solid. Too bad only US residents can participate
The CPU choice was a little disappointing this time around. A Core i5 or even a comparably priced AMD processor would have done much better (especially in productivity because four cores are typically better than two).
I think it would be good to include previous build in the test system page it would make comparison easier.
1 tb 7200.12 hard drive?
GTX 570? (debatable)
Cheaper motherboard, maybe not supporting SLI if gtx 570 is taken over 460 sli?
$50 corsair ddr3 1600?
i5 760 with these savings?
I think we're missing the point of including the Core i3 in this month's build. The purpose was to explore the CPU bottle-necking that can be observed on today's common applications because threading implementation has managed to find itself actually put into effect. Throwing in an i5 760 would have been too predictable and too boring. This puts perspective on the fact that dual-cores matched with high clock speeds are no longer the performance kings as was true more than a year ago.
Tom's nvidia -line continues. No surprises there.
like they said in the previous article even the 6000 series radeons weren't out when they made these articles,
reading comprehensions noobs
*comprehension
Not impressed, could have been better.
add space is getting out of control on this site.
worst i3 overclock ever. And a 750gb wd black? Waste! You could get a faster 1tb samsung for less.
I normally enjoy these builds, but this is among the worst I've seen. For ~$10 you probably could have gotten a ddr3 1600 kit, not to mention money could have been saved on the motherboard. And with a measly 4ghz overclock, you can probably return the aftermarket cooler and get your money back.
like they said in the previous article even the 6000 series radeons weren't out when they made these articles,reading comprehensions noobs
derp
nice
Two GTX 460s... with a dual-core... serious?
...Cable...Management...
a dual-core i3 eh? Why not have tried a dual-core i5-655k? I know, more expensive... but I know some people out there may see "i5" and think that they are all the same. (n00bs, who haven't educated themselves yet.)
The Intel Core i5-655K Clarkdale 3.2GHz LGA 1156 73W Dual-Core Unlocked Desktop Processor ( NewEgg p/n BX80616I5655K ) is the same price as the Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor ( NewEgg p/n BX80605I5750 ) at the time of this post.
I enjoyed this build, i don't see the sense in always using the same CPU, case,GPU combos. By changing to the i5, using the NZXT case, the 460 1GB in SLI you give your readers something different to consider and not the same old, same old. Good work and good builds in both the $2,000 and $1,000 SBMs.