Test Settings
| Test System Configuration | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i7 920 (2.66 GHz, 8.0 MB Cache) Overclocked to 3.20 GHz (BCLK 200) |
| CPU Cooler | Swiftech Liquid Cooling: Apogee GTZ water block, MCP-655b pump, and 3x120 mm radiator |
| Motherboard | Asus P6T Intel X58/ICH10R Chipset, LGA-1366 |
| RAM | 3.0, 6.0, and 12.0 GB DDR3-1600 Triple-Channel Kits CAS 8-8-8-24 at 1.65 volts |
| Graphics | Zotac GeForce GTX2 60 896 MB 576/999 MHz GPU/Shader, GDDR3-2484 |
| Hard Drive | WD VelociRaptor WD30000HLFS 0.3 TB, 10,000 RPM, 16 MB Cache |
| Sound | Integrated HD Audio |
| Network | Integrated Gigabit Networking |
| Power | Cooler Master RS-850-EMBA ATX12V v2.2. EPS12V, 850W, 64AOptical |
| Optical | LG GGC-H20LK 6X Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM, 16X DVD±R |
| Software | |
| Operating System | Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 |
| Grpahics | Nvidia Forceware 182.08 |
| Chipset | Intel INF 9.1.0.1007 |
Because we didn’t have a single brand of modules to represent all three test capacities, we were forced to use different brands to represent different sizes. Crucial Ballistix filled the 3 GB void with three 1 GB DDR3-1600 modules, while Kingston’s 2 GB DDR3-2000 modules were used in 6 GB and 12 GB configurations. In order to assure performance parity, memory timings were matched at 8-8-8-24 and 1N, and all available BIOS sub-timings were “locked” at those detected for the slowest (Crucial) modules.
We also updated several of our benchmarks to 64-bit compatible versions, ahead of the full-site transformation that’s scheduled to take place soon. Because today’s article preceded any unilateral agreement, further changes in the suite are likely to accompany future articles.
| Benchmark Configuration | |
|---|---|
| 3D Games | |
| Call of Duty: World at War | Patch 1.1, FRAPS/saved game High Textures, No AA / No AF, vsync off Ultra Textures, 4x AA / Max AF, vsync off |
| 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 |
| Far Cry 2 | DirectX 10, Steam Version, in-game benchmark Test Set 1: High Quality, No AA Test Set 2: Ultra High Quality, 8x AA |
| World in Conflict | Patch 1009, DirectX 10, timedemo Test 1: High Details, No AA / No AF Test 2: Very High Details 4x AA / 16x AF |
| Audio/Video Encoding | |
| iTunes 8 | Version: 8.1.0.52 (x64) Audio CD "Terminator II SE," 53 min Default format AAC |
| LAME MP3 | Version: 3.98 64-bits (07-04-2008) Audio CD "Terminator II SE," 53 min wave to MP3 |
| TMPEG 4.6 | Version: 4.6.3.268 Import File: Terminator 2 SE DVD (5 Minutes) Resolution: 720x576 (PAL) 16:9 |
| DivX 6.8.5 | Encoding mode: Insane Quality Enhanced multithreading enabled using SSE4 Quarter-pixel search |
| Xvid 1.2.1 | Display encoding status = off |
| Mainconcept Reference 1.6.1 | MPEG2 to MPEG2 (H.264), MainConcept H.264/AVC Codec, 28 sec HDTV 1920x1080 (MPEG2), Audio: MPEG2 (44.1 kHz, 2 Channel, 16-Bit, 224 KB/s), Mode: PAL (25 FPS) |
| Productivity | |
| Autodesk 3ds Max 2009 | Version: 11, Rendering Dragon Image at 1920x1080 (HDTV) |
| Grisoft AVG Anti-Virus 8 | Version: 8.0.134, Virus base: 270.4.5/1533, Benchmark: Scan 334 MB Folder of ZIP/RAR compressed files |
| WinRAR 3.80 | Version 3.80, WinZIP Commandline Version 3.0, Compression = Best, Dictionary = 4,096 KB, Benchmark: THG-Workload (334 MB) |
| WinZip 12 | Version 12.0, Compression = Best, Benchmark: THG-Workload (139 MB) |
| Synthetic Benchmarks and Settings | |
| 3DMark Vantage | Version: 1.02, GPU and CPU scores |
| PCMark Vantage | Version: 1.00, System, Memory, Hard Disk Drive benchmarks, Windows Media Player 10.00.00.3646 |
| SiSoftware Sandra XII SP2 | Version 2008.5.14.24, CPU Test = CPU Arithmetic / Multimedia, Memory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark |
