Round 1: Synthetic Benchmarks
Synthetic Benchmarks
First, we'll look at synthetic benchmarks to help isolate architectural differences between our platforms. Once that’s done, we can put them into perspective by looking at real-world benchmarks.
Benchmarks and Settings:
| Benchmark | Details |
|---|---|
| 3DMark06 | Version: 1.2 Patch 1901, Default Settings |
| SiSoftware Sandra 2010 | Version: 2010.1.16.10, Processor Arithmetic, Cryptography, Memory Bandwith |
| Fritz | Fritz Chess Benchmark Version 4.3.2 |
3DMark06
While advantages in the CPU test can be explained by the 133 MHz clock speed delta, the 3D performance difference is really much more significant. This is mostly a side effect of Nvidia's ION2 graphics unit, which appears strong enough for occasional gaming (albeit running less-demanding titles). In contrast, Intel's onboard graphics performance is pathetically slow.
SiSoftware Sandra 2010
The performance benefits of the Atom D525 over the D512 are not revolutionary. As expected, we're seeing clear benefits in favor of the new, faster processor, but the performance jump is not significant.
Fritz Chess
The results are similar in Fritz 10, as the additional performance is roughly equivalent to the clock rate increase. We decided to place Fritz into the synthetic benchmark section, since few people would consider this an app for daily use.
Let's look at how these results translate into real-world benchmarks.
