Test Settings
| Test System Configuration | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i7-2600K (Sandy Bridge) LGA 1155 3.4-3.8 GHz, 8 MB Shared L3 Cache |
| RAM | Kingston KHX2133C9D3T1K2/4GX (4 GB) DDR3-2133 at DDR3-1600 CAS 7-7-7-21, 1.60 V |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce GTX 580 1.5 GB 772 MHz GPU, GDDR5-4008 |
| Hard Drive | Western Digital WD1002FBYS 1 TB 7200 RPM, SATA 3Gb/s, 32 MB cache |
| Sound | Integrated HD Audio |
| Network | Integrated Gigabit Networking |
| Power | OCZ-Z1000M 1000 W Modular, ATX12V v2.2, EPS12V, 80 PLUS Gold |
| Software | |
| OS | Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate x64 |
| Graphics | Nvidia 263.58 |
| Chipset | Intel INF 9.2.0.1019 |
While we do have a new set of reference hardware for many of our benchmarks, today’s configuration was kept consistent with our previous $150-200 P67 motherboard roundup to enable data comparison by our readers. Not that there’s anything wrong with the old hardware.
For example, Elpida Hyper IC’s made Kingston’s HyperX 2133 some of the best-overclocking memory ever produced. Kingston handled the quality control issue of those IC’s through extended burn-in testing, making these parts true survivors of a bygone overclocking champion. That made these perfect for testing the overclocking capabilities of each motherboard, providing today's motherboards with the same limitations as their predicessors.
We haven’t received our new reference graphics cards yet, but then again we can’t think of a single-GPU card more powerful than Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 580. We certainly wouldn’t want any of our game tests to be GPU-bottlenecked, and the GF110 GPU helps eliminate that potential problem.
High efficiency for OCZ’s Z1000M minimizes the power supply’s impact on global wattage readings, while high-voltage stability assures consistent overclocking results. Our replacement standardized part might have been just as good for this task, but using it would have prevented readers from making accurate comparisons to our previous test results.
| 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, 4x AA |
| F1 2010 | V1.01, Run with -benchmark example_benchmark.xml Test Set 1: High Quality Preset, No AA Test Set 2: Ultra Quality Preset, 8x AA |
| Just Cause 2 | Version 1.0.0.2, Built-In Benchmark "Concrete Jungle" Test Set 1: Medium Details, No AA, 8x AF Test Set 2: Highest Details, 8x AA, 16x AF |
| S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call Of Pripyat | Call Of Pripyat Benchmark version, all options, HDAO Test Set 1: High Preset, DX11 EFDL, High SSAO, No AA Test Set 2: Ultra Preset, DX11 EFDL, High SSAO, 4x MSAA |
| 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 |
| TMPEGEnc 4.0 XPress | Version: 4.7.3.292 Import File: Terminator 2 SE DVD (5 Minutes) Resolution: 720x576 (PAL) 16:9 |
| DivX Codec 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 | MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 (H.264), MainConcept H.264/AVC Codec, 28 sec HDTV 1920x1080 (MPEG-2), Audio: MPEG-2 (44.1 KHz, 2 Channel, 16-Bit, 224 Kb/s), Mode: PAL (25 FPS) |
| Productivity | |
| Adobe Photoshop CS4 | Version: 11.0 x64, Filter 15.7 MB TIF Image Radial Blur, Shape Blur, Median, Polar Coordinates |
| Autodesk 3ds Max 2010 | Version: 11.0 x64, Rendering Dragon Image at 1920x1080 (HDTV) |
| WinRAR 3.90 | Version x64 3.90, Dictionary = 4096 KB, Benchmark: THG-Workload (334 MB) |
| 7-Zip | Version 9.20: Format=Zip, Compression=Ultra, Method=Deflate, Dictionary Size=32 KB, Word Size=128, Threads=8 Benchmark: THG-Workload (334 MB) |
| Synthetic Benchmarks and Settings | |
| 3DMark 11 | Version: 1.0.1.0, Benchmark Only |
| PCMark Vantage | Version: 1.0.1.0 x64, System, Productivity, Hard Disk Drive benchmarks |
| SiSoftware Sandra 2011 | Version 2011.1.17.25, CPU Test = CPU Arithmetic / MultiMedia, Memory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark |
