Test Setup And Benchmarks
For this review, we're using the same hardware that also helps us generate our VGA Charts, giving us consistency across a wide number of cards and, consequently, a large number of competing products for the sake of comparison. There is one small change to note: as a result of the wear and tear associated with constantly switching out graphics cards, the x16 PCIe slot on our Gigabyte Z68X-UD7 B3 literally came off the board. We are using the Gigabyte Z68X-UD5 B3 in its place, giving us identical performance.
| 2012 Graphics Charts Test Bench | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i7-2600K (Sandy Bridge), 3.4 GHz @ 4.5 GHz (45 * 100 MHz), LGA 1155, 8 MB Shared L3 Cache |
| CPU Cooler | Prolimatech SuperMega plus Noiseblocker Multiframe |
| Motherboard | Gigabyte Z68X-UD5 B3, Intel Z68 Express |
| RAM | 2 x 4 GB Kingston HyperX DDR3-1600 |
| System Disk | Kingston V100+ 256 GB SSD |
| Chassis | Cooler Master Lab |
| Power Supply | Corsair AX1200 |
| Operating System | Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1 |
In the same vein, we are also drawing on our gaming benchmark suite used for the VGA charts. Rather than testing with all three of our current presets, we chose the one most relevant to this card, namely Performance. You can find the specific settings used for each benchmark in its corresponding chart. For more information about our methodology, feel free to check out our article Meet The 2012 Graphics Charts: How We're Testing This Year.
