Ubuntu 11.10 Review: Benchmarked Against Windows 7

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Three months have passed since the latest version of Ubuntu launched. With its classic desktop gone, Oneiric Ocelot is all Unity. The training wheels are off; no turning back now. Is Ubuntu ready for touchscreens? And how does it compare to Windows 7?

Test System Setup And Methodology

Benchmark Test System

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Operating System 1 Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot (64-bit)
Operating System 2 Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit)
Processor Intel Core i5-750 (Lynnfield) @ 2.88 GHz (quad-core)
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD7 (F7 BIOS)
Memory 8 GB Crucial DDR3 @ 1333 MT/s (2 x 4 GB)
Graphics 1 AMD Radeon HD 4870 Reference Board 512 MB GDDR5 (PCIe 2.0)
Graphics 2 Evga Nvidia GeForce GTX 260 896 MB GDDR5 (PCIe 2.0)
Storage Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 500 GB SATA 3Gb/s, 7200 RPM, 16 MB Cache
Optical Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS
Power Supply Corsair TX750W (750 W max)
Chassis Zalman MS-1000 HS2
CPU Cooler Scythe Mugen 2 Revision B
Mouse 1 Logitech Cordless TrackMan Wheel
Mouse 2 Apple Magic Trackpad

X-Plat (cross-platform) Benchmark Suite v1.0

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Category Tests
Start & Stop Times Boot, Shut Down, Hibernate, and Wake
File Copy Times HDD to HDD, HDD to USB, and USB to HDD
Archiving Zip, Un-Zip, Tar.gz, and Un-Tar.gz
Multimedia HandBrake, LAME, and RawTherapee
System GeekBench, POV-Ray, and Blender
Unigine Sanctuary, Tropics, and Heaven
Games Doom 3, Prey, and Enemy Territory: Quake Wars

Methodology

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Specific information on individual benchmark settings, setup, and methodology can be found above the corresponding benchmark on the following pages. Both operating systems were installed and fully updated on January 20th, 2012.

uTouch Review System

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Operating System Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot (64-bit)
Model Fujitsu Lifebook T580
Processor Intel Core i3-380UM @ 1.33 GHz (dual-core)
Memory 2 GB DDR3-800 (2 x 1 GB)
Graphics Intel HD Graphics
Storage 160 GB 2.5-inch 5400 RPM, SATA HDD
Display 10.1-inch HD 1366x768 WXGA TFT LED-backlit LCD
Touchscreen N-Trig DuoSense Pen and Capacitive Four-Finger Multi-touch
165 Comments Comment from the forums
  • compton
    The best part of 11.10 is the renewed appreciation it gave me for Windows 7.
    Reply
  • Gamer Dude
    comptonThe best part of 11.10 is the renewed appreciation it gave me for Windows 7.LOL that bad uh well at leased there is an alternative if the Sopa takes awake my ripped Window 8 copy LOL.
    Reply
  • jasonpwns
    That's the problem, I've always considered Windows king for gaming, but after looking at Doom 3, and the performance boost over Windows 7. Are we sure we're developing for the right platform? I mean games on Linux theoretically would run a lot better.
    Reply
  • indian-art
    Happy with the benchmarks. I feel Ubuntu 12.04 will be even better.

    Just around a couple of months for its launch!
    Reply
  • malimbar
    One major irrelevancy in beginning of the article: while Mint overtook Ubuntu in Distrowatch, it's nowhere near the actual userbase: http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2012/02/stats-show-ubuntu-not-losing-ground-to-linux-mint/

    Interesting article otherwise, and very well done. I particularly like how it highlights major areas that ubuntu developers need to work on, but still gives ubuntu as a OS credit where it deserves it. It's more worthwhile IMO to review LTS releases (and one is coming up soon), but in the meantime it's great to see where Ubuntu is right now.
    Reply
  • Lol. I knew I was gonna see old games on the benchmarks, but all of them id Tech 4? Hahahah.
    Reply
  • rmpumper
    jasonpwnsThat's the problem, I've always considered Windows king for gaming, but after looking at Doom 3, and the performance boost over Windows 7. Are we sure we're developing for the right platform? I mean games on Linux theoretically would run a lot better.
    If you did not notice, all of the 3 tested games are OpenGL which is barely supported in Win7. How about we see some DirectX9 10 and 11 games before making silly conclusions? And in any case, who gives a rat's ass about Doom3 - 7 year old awful game?
    Reply
  • Gamer Dude
    jasonpwnsThat's the problem, I've always considered Windows king for gaming, but after looking at Doom 3, and the performance boost over Windows 7. Are we sure we're developing for the right platform? I mean games on Linux theoretically would run a lot better.To bad Microsoft has a Monopoly on DX architecture.
    Reply
  • nekromobo
    Linux is only free if your time has no value.
    Reply
  • 4870, gtx260, doom 3, did i time travel to 2008?
    Reply