SBM 2: Mid Cost System

Synthetics

3D Mark 2005 is almost always more reliant on graphics power than a fast CPU, and probably isn't optimized for four cores anyway. Relying on the faster graphics card puts the new system ahead, especially when the eye candy and resolutions are cranked up.

SPECviewperf 9 reacts strangely to the newer graphics driver of the current system, showing performance loss in six of the nine viewsets for the more powerful current system.

PC Mark 2005 is multi-core optimized, and the system test also contains graphics components. The 17% gain for our four-core processor and higher-speed graphics card is significant, though perhaps not as large as we'd hoped.

Looking at just the CPU test, PC Mark sees a 25% gain from the use of four cores as compared to the two of our earlier build.

Intel chipsets normally show better memory performance, but the current nForce 650i based platform takes the prize in PC Mark 2005's memory test.

Intel's integrated hard drive controller puts the older system in the spotlight using PC Mark 2005's hard drive test.