Let us start the evaluation from the slowest setup I benchmarked: The Athlon 800 and a GeForce2 MX. To get a faster system for this application, you could either get an Athlon-C 1200 or a GeForce2 GTS card. The faster Athlon means an extra expense of approximately $ 180, while the GTS card is only ~ $ 50 more expensive than the MX model. Buying a GeForce2 Ultra model will cost the same as buying the fastest Athlon, but will give you more then 60% more 3D-performance.
SPECviewperf 6.1.2: Design Review
Design Review will only be able to benefit from fast CPUs if you use a fast graphics card as well. If you just take a MX or GTS card, you won't be able to get higher results by using fast CPUs.
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Patrick Schmid was the editor-in-chief for Tom's Hardware from 2005 to 2006. He wrote numerous articles on a wide range of hardware topics, including storage, CPUs, and system builds.
