Test System Configuration And Benchmarks
The following tables give you a more in-depth look at the specifications of this quarter's System Builder Marathon configuration, along with the modest overclock I achieved with its graphics card, along with the same information from my previous two SBM builds. At the very bottom, you'll find all of the programs and games used for benchmarking.
Current $750 PC System Test Configuration | ||
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Component | Base Settings | Overclock Setting |
CPU | Intel Core i3-4130 (Haswell): 3.4 GHz, 3 MB shared L3 cache, Power-saving features enabled | Unchanged |
CPU Cooler | Intel boxed heat sink and fan | Unchanged |
Motherboard | Asus H81M-K, LGA 1150, Intel H81 Express, BIOS: v.0304 (08-23-13) | Unchanged |
RAM | 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) Adata DDR3-1600 kit, CL 9-9-9-24 XMP at 1.5 V | Unchanged |
Graphics | Zotac ZT-70301-10P GeForce GTX 770 2 GB GDDR5, 1059 MHz (1111 MHz GPU Boost, 1150 MHz maximum) GPU, 1.2 V, 1753 MHz (7010 MT/s) memory | 1283 MHz (Maximum GPU Boost), 1903 MHz (7610 MT/s) GDDR5 Memory, (+12 mV, 106% power, Custom fan profile) |
Hard Drive | Western Digital Blue WD10EZEX 1 TB, 7200 RPM, 64 MB Cache | Unchanged |
Sound | Integrated eight-channel HD Audio | Unchanged |
Network | Integrated GbE networking | Unchanged |
Power | Rosewill Capstone-450-M 450 W ATX | Unchanged |
Optical | Asus 24x DVD burner DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS | Unchanged |
Software and Drivers | ||
Operating System | Windows 8 Professional x64 | Unchanged |
Graphics Driver | Nvidia GeForce 332.21 WHQL | Unchanged |
Platform Driver | Intel Inf. v. 9.4.0.1017 | Unchanged |
And here's last quarter's configuration.
Q4 2013 $800 PC System Test Configuration | ||
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Component | Base Settings | Overclock Setting |
CPU | Intel Core i5-3470 (Ivy Bridge): 3.2 GHz Base Clock Rate, 3.6 GHz Turbo Boost, 6 MB Shared L3 Cache, Power-saving features enabled | 3.8 - 4.0 GHz (20 * 200), Power-saving features enabled |
CPU Cooler | Intel boxed heat sink and fan | Unchanged |
Motherboard | ASRock Z75 Pro3, LGA 1155, Intel Z75 Express, BIOS: v.P1.90 (07-12-13) | Unchanged |
RAM | 8 GB (2 x 4 GB)Team Vulcan DDR3-1600 kit, CL 9-9-9-24 XMP at 1.5 V | Unchanged |
Graphics | Gigabyte GV-R928XOC-3GD Radeon R9 280X 3 GB GDDR5, 1100 MHz GPU, 1500 MHz (6000 MT/s) memory | 1115 MHz GPU, 1600 MHz (6400 MT/s) GDDR5 Memory |
Hard Drive | Western Digital Blue WD10EZEX 1 TB, 7200 RPM, 64 MB Cache | Unchanged |
Sound | Integrated eight-channel HD Audio | Unchanged |
Network | Integrated GbE networking | Unchanged |
Power | EVGA 500B 100-B1-0500-KR 500 W ATX12V v2.91 | Unchanged |
Optical | Lite-On 24x DVD burner SATA IHAS124-04 | Unchanged |
Software and Drivers | ||
Operating System | Windows 8 Professional x64 | Unchanged |
Graphics Driver | AMD Catalyst 13.11 Beta 9.4 | Unchanged |
Platform Driver | Intel Inf. v. 9.4.0.1017 | Unchanged |
And finally, the $650 PC from six months ago.
Q3 2013 $650 Gaming PC System Test Configuration | ||
---|---|---|
Component | Base Settings | Overclock Setting |
CPU | AMD FX-6300 (Vishera), 3.5 GHz (4.1 GHz Turbo Core), Socket AM3+, 8 MB shared L3 cache, Turbo Core enabled, Power-saving features enabled | 4 GHz (20 * 200), stock 1.2625 V VID, Turbo Core disabled, Power-saving features disabled |
CPU Cooler | AMD retail boxed heat sink and fan | Unchanged |
Motherboard | MSI 970A-G43, AMD 970 / SB950, BIOS: v.10.2 (02-04-13) | Unchanged |
RAM | 8 GB (2 x 4 GB)Kingston HyperX DDR3-1600 kit, CL 9-9-9-27 XMP at 1.650 V | DDR3-1866, CL 9-10-10-28 1T at 1.65 V |
Graphics | EVGA GeForce GTX 760 02G-P4-2760-KR2 GB GDDR5, 980 MHz (1033 GPU Boost, 1110 MHz maximum) GPU, 1502 MHz (6008 MT/s) memory | 1254 MHz (Maximum GPU Boost), 1801 MHz (7204 MT/s) GDDR5 memory, (110% power, +150 MHz GPU, +600 MHz memory, Auto Fan) |
Hard Drive | Western Digital Blue WD10EZEX 1 TB, 7200 RPM, 64 MB Cache | Unchanged |
Sound | Integrated eight-channel HD Audio | Unchanged |
Network | Integrated GbE networking | Unchanged |
Power | Antec VP-450 450 W ATX12V v2.3 | Unchanged |
Optical | Samsung 24x DVD burner SATA Model SH-224DB/RSBS | Unchanged |
Software and Drivers | ||
Operating System | Windows 8 Professional x64 | Unchanged |
Graphics Driver | Nvidia ForceWare 320.49 WHQL | Unchanged |
Platform Driver | Unchanged |
These are the System Builder Marathon benchmarks.
Benchmark Configuration | |
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3D Games | |
Battlefield 3 | Version 1.6.0.0, DirectX 11, 90-sec. Fraps "Going Hunting" Test Set 1: Medium Quality Preset, No AA, 4X AF, SSAO Test Set 2: Ultra Quality Preset, 4X MSAA, 16X AF, HBAO |
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | Version 1.9.32.08, 25-Sec. Fraps Test Set 1: High Preset, No AA, 8x AF, FXAA Enabled Test Set 2: Ultra Preset, 8x AA, 16x AF, FXAA Enabled |
Far Cry 3 | V. 1.05, DirectX 11, 50-sec. Fraps "Amanaki Outpost" Test Set 1: High Quality, No AA, Standard ATC., SSAO Test Set 2: Ultra Quality, 4x MSAA, Enhanced ATC, HDAO AMD/ HBAO NVidia |
F1 2012 | Version 1.3.3.0, Direct X 11, Built-in Benchmark Test Set 1: High Quality, No AA Test Set 2: Ultra Quality, 8x MSAA |
Arma 3 | Version 1.08.113494, 30-Sec. Fraps "Infantry Showcase" Test Set 1: Standard Preset, No AA, Standard AF Test Set 2: Ultra Preset, 8x FSAA, Ultra AF |
Battlefield 4 | Version 1.0.0.1, DirectX 11, 100-sec. Fraps "Tashgar" Test Set 1: Medium Quality Preset, No AA, 4X AF, SSAO Test Set 2: Ultra Quality Preset, 4X MSAA, 16X AF, HBAO |
Grid 2 | Version 1.0.85.8679, Direct X 11, Built-in Benchmark Test Set 1: High Quality, No AA Test Set 2: Ultra Quality, 8x MSAA |
Audio/Video Encoding | |
HandBrake CLI | Version: 0.99, Video: Video from Canon Eos 7D (1920x1080, 25 frames) 1 Minutes 22 Seconds, Audio: PCM-S16, 48,000 Hz, Two-Channel, to Video: AVC1 Audio: AAC (High Profile) |
iTunes | Version 11.0.4.4 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) |
TotalCode Studio 2.5 | Version: 2.5.0.10677, MPEG-2 to H.264, MainConcept H.264/AVC Codec, 28 sec HDTV 1920x1080 (MPEG-2), Audio: MPEG-2 (44.1 kHz, Two-Channel, 16-Bit, 224 Kb/s) Codec: H.264 Pro, Mode: PAL 50i (25 FPS), Profile: H.264 BD HDMV |
Abobe Creative Suite | |
Adobe After Effects CS6 | Version 11.0.0.378 x64:Create Video, Three Streams, 210 Frames, Render Multiple Frames Simultaneously |
Adobe Photoshop CS6 | Version 13 x64: Filter 15.7 MB TIF Image: Radial Blur, Shape Blur, Median, Polar Coordinates |
Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 | Version 6.0.0.0, 6.61GB MXF Project to H.264 to H.264 Blu-ray, Output 1920x1080, Maximum Quality |
Adobe Acrobat X Pro | Version 11.0.0.379: Print PDF from 115 Page PowerPoint, 128-bit RC4 Encyption |
Productivity | |
ABBYY FineReader | Version 10.0.102.95: Read PDF save to Doc, Source: Political Economy (J. Broadhurst 1842) 111 Pages |
Autodesk 3ds Max 2013 | Version 15.0 x64: Space Flyby Mentalray, 248 Frames, 1440x1080 |
Blender | Version 2.67b, Cycles Engine, Syntax blender -b thg.blend -f 1, 1920x1080, 8x Anti-Aliasing, Render THG.blend frame 1 |
Visual Studio | Version 10.0, Compile Google Chrome, Scripted |
Compression | |
7-Zip | Version 9.28, LZMA2, Syntax "a -t7z -r -m0=LZMA2 -mx=5" Benchmark: THG-Workload-2012 (1.3 GB) |
WinRAR | Version 4.2, RAR, Syntax "winrar a -r -m3" Benchmark: THG-Workload-2012 (1.3 GB) |
WinZip | Version 17.0 Pro, Syntax "-a -ez -p -r" Benchmark: THG-Workload-2012 (1.3 GB) |
Synthetic Benchmarks and Settings | |
3DMark 11 | Version: 1.0.3, Performance Suite |
3DMark Professional | Version: 1.2.250.0, Fire Strike Standard and Extreme |
SiSoftware Sandra 2013 | Version: 2013.01.19.50, Processor Arithmetic, Cryptography, Memory Bandwidth Benchmarks |