The Pentium D: Intel's Dual Core Silver Bullet Previewed

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Test Setup

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Intel Processors (Socket 775)
FSB800 (Dual DDR2-667)Pentium EE 840 (3200 MHz Dual 12KµOps+16/1024 kB)Pentium D 840 (3200 MHz Dual 12KµOps+16/1024 kB)
FSB800 (Dual DDR2-533)Pentium 4 660 Prescott (3600 MHz 12KµOps+16/2048 kB)Pentium 4 570 Prescott (3800 MHz 12KµOps+16/1024 kB)
Memory
DDR2-6672 x 512 MB - DDR2-667 (333 MHz)Micron MT8HTF646AY-667A3 200506 BZACS610011RX8 PC2-5300U-555-11-D0DDR2-667 (CL 5.0-5-5-15)DDR2-533 (CL 4.0-4-4-13)
Intel Motherboards
Intel 955XIntel D955XBK
Common Hardware
Graphics Card (PCIe)NVIDIA Geforce 6800 GT (Reference board)GPU: NVIDIA Geforce 6800 GT (350 MHz)Memory: 256 MB DDR-SDRAM (500 MHz)
Hard DriveHitachi Deskstar HDS722516VLSA802x 160 GB / 8 MB Cache / 7200 rpm
Network-CardIntel 100/1000 Mbit PCIe
DVD-ROMGigabyte GO-D1600C (16x)
Sound CardTerratec Aureon 7.1 Space96.00 kHz sample rate
Software
Intel ChipsetV 7.0.0.1014 BETA
LAN-Treiber:V 7.0.1.0
VGA-Driver:Nvidia 71.84
DirectXVersion: 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
OSWindows XP, Build 2600 SP2

Benchmarks And Settings

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Benchmarks and SettingsOpenGL
Quake III ArenaVersion 1.161024x768 - 32 bitTimedemo1 / demo demo001command line = +set cd_nocd 1+set s_initsound 0Graphics detail = Normal
Quake III Team ArenaVersion 1.321280x1024 - 32 bitTimedemo1 / demo thg3"custom timedemo"Graphics detail = High Quality
Doom IIIVersion: 1.0.12621024x768 - 32 bitVideo Quality = High Quality
WolfensteinVersion: 2.56 (Patch V 1.02)
Enemy Territory1280 x 1024 - 32 bittimedemo 1 / demo demo4Geometric detail = highTexture detail = high
DirectX 8
Unreal Tournament 2004Version: 32041280 x 1024 / 32 bit / Audio = offTHG8-assault-single
DirectX 9
3DMark03Version 3.4.01024 x 786 - 32 bitGraphics and CPU Default Benchmark
FarCryVersion 1.1 Build 12561280 x 1024 - 32 bitqualtity options = low
3DMark05Version 1.01024 x 786 - 32 bitGraphics and CPU Default Benchmark
Video
Mainconcept MPEG EncoderVersion: 1.4.21.2 GB DV to MPEG II(720x576, Audio) converting
Pinnacle Studio 9 PlusVersion: 9.1.2from: 352x288 MPEG-2 41 MBto: 720x576 MPEG-2 95 MBEncoding and Transition Rendering to MPEG-2/DVDno Audio
Auto Gordian KnotDivX 5.2XviD 1.0.2Version: 1.57 BetaAudio = AC3 6chCustom size = 100 MBResulution settings = Fixed widthCodec = XviD and DivX 5Audio = CBR MP3, kbps 192182 MB VOB MPEG2-source
Windows Media EncoderVersion: 9.00.00.2980720x480 DV to WMV320x240 (29.97 fps)282 kbps streaming
Audio
Lame TM MP3Version 3.97 alpha 2Wave 17:14 minutes (182 MB) to mp332 - 320 kbitVBR = level 3
Applications
WinrarVersion 3.40283 MB, 246 FilesCompression = BestDictionary = 4096 kB
3D Studio Max 6.0DiscreetCharacters "Dragon_Charater_rig"Pixel: 1024 x 768Rendering Single
Synthetic
PCMark 2004 ProVersion: 1.2.0CPU and Memory Tests
SiSoftware Sandra 2004Version 2004.10.9.89CPU Test = MultiMedia / CPU ArithmeticMemory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark
WstreamVersion: 5100 Operations with 25 MB file
Other
Windows Media Player 10Version: 10.00.00.36.46
Patrick Schmid
2 Comments Comment from the forums
  • DaveF1953
    How much can the Extreme Edition be had for now? $40? Sounds like a deal to me. Although, older, hotter, and slower in the long run. Best bet now. No?
    Reply
  • wild9
    I'd just go AMD or Core 2, the former having a much lower power draw and great overclocking potential than what you have here. My relative used to run Intel Extreme Editions like this, and the power draw was immense, he had to use water cooling. In the end he ditched it and got AMD. Not trying to say one is better than the other all the time (ie for media encoding the Intel was great), just some ideas to consider. Cheap dual-core AMD's based on AM2 are hard to beat at the moment.
    Reply