Test Settings And Benchmarks
Test System Configuration | |
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CPU | Intel Core i7-2600K: 3.40 GHz, 8 MB Cache, LGA 1155 |
CPU Cooler | Thermalright MUX-120 w/Zalman ZM-STG1 Paste |
RAM | G.Skill F3-17600CL9Q-16GBXLD (16 GB) DDR3-2200 at DDR3-1600 CAS 9, 1.60 V |
Graphics | Nvidia GeForce GTX 580 1.5 GB 772 MHz GPU, GDDR5-4008 |
ASRock Motherboard | Z68 Extreme7 Gen3, BIOS 1.3 (9/28/2011) |
Asus Motherboard | P8Z68 Deluxe, BIOS 0706 (08/05/2011) |
Gigabyte Motherboard | Z68XP-UD5, BIOS F4e (08/25/2011) |
MSI Motherboard | Z68A-GD80, BIOS V17.2 (07/18/2011) |
Hard Drive | Samsung 470 Series MZ5PA256HMDR, 256 GB SSD |
Sound | Integrated HD Audio |
Network | Integrated Gigabit Networking |
Power | Seasonic X760 SS-760KM ATX12V v2.3, EPS12V, 80 PLUS Gold |
Software | |
OS | Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate x64 |
Graphics | Nvidia GeForce 270.61 WHQL |
Chipset | Intel INF 9.2.0.1030 |
Seasonic’s X760 provides the consistent efficiency required to assess motherboard power differences.
G.Skill’s RipJaws X DDR3-2200 16 GB kit provides the super-high XMP value we needed to evaluate each motherboard’s overclocking capabilities. We used two of the four modules for today’s test.
Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 580 graphics card minimizes GPU bottlenecks, allowing us to further evaluate the performance benefit of CPU and memory overclocks in games.
Benchmark Configuration | |
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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, 8x AA |
Metro 2033 | Full Game, Built-In Benchmark, "Frontline" Scene Test Set 1: DX11, High, AAA, 4x AF, No PhysX, No DoF Test Set 2: DX11, Very High, 4x AA, 16x AF, No PhysX, DoF On |
Audio/Video Encoding | |
iTunes | Version 9.0.3.15 x64: Audio CD (Terminator II SE), 53 minutes, default AAC format |
Lame MP3 | Version 3.98.3: Audio CD "Terminator II SE", 53 min, convert WAV to MP3 audio format, Command: -b 160 --nores (160 Kb/s) |
MediaEspresso 6.5 | Version 6.5.1210_33281: 1080i HDTV (449 MB) to iPad H.264, 1024x768 |
MediaConverter 7 | Version7.1.0.68: 1080i HDTV (449 MB) to iPad, SmartFit profile |
File Compression | |
WinZip | Version 14.0 Pro: THG-Workload (464 MB) to ZIP, command line switches "-a -ez -p -r" |
WinRAR | Version 4.0 Beta 4: THG-Workload (464 MB) to RAR, command line switches "winrar a -r -m3" |
7-Zip | Version 9.2: THG-Workload (464 MB) to .7z, command line switches "a -t7z -r -m0=LZMA2 -mx=5" |
A scaled-back benchmark set keeps our charts and pages at manageable length with several additional test configurations.