Test System And Benchmarks
In an effort to best demonstrate multiple configurations, we first tested our system at stock frequencies using 800 MHz memory at 8-8-8-24-2T timings. Those are the same settings used in February's Llano-based overclocking story. Then, we overclocked Corsair's Vengeance kit to 933 MHz (the architecture's highest official data rate) using 9-9-9-24-29-1T timings, but kept stock CPU and GPU speeds.
We're also including a standard overclock using the same 933 MHz memory setting, changing only the CPU and GPU multipliers, but not the reference clock. This gives us 3.6 GHz processing cores and a 960 MHz GPU.
Finally, we include the highest memory overclock, a 117 MHz reference clock, 3627 MHz CPU cores, a 936 MHz GPU, and 1092 MHz (2184 MT/s DDR3) memory at 10-10-10-27-35-2T.
We're ultimately interested in how our all-out overclock compares to a discrete Radeon HD 6670 DDR3. So, we installed it in the overclocked system and disengaged its on-die GPU.
| Interface | Socket FM1 |
|---|---|
| CPU/APU | AMD A8-3870K (Llano), Stock: 3.0 GHz, Overclocked To 3.627 GHz @ 1.5 V |
| Motherboard | Asus F1A75-V Pro, Socket FM1, Chipset: AMD A75 |
| Integrated Graphics | Integrated Radeon HD 6550D, Stock: 600 MHz, Overclocked To 960 MHz @ 1.3 V |
| Discrete Graphics | Radeon HD 6670 DDR3800 MHz GPU, 900 MHz (1800 MT/s DDR3) memory |
| Networking | On-board Gigabit LAN controller |
| Memory | Corsair Vengeance CMZ4GX3M2A2000C102 x 2 GB, Max rating: 2000 MT/s, CL 10-10-10-27-2T,Max overclock: 2184 MT/s @ CL 10-10-10-27-2T |
| Hard Drive | Western Digital Caviar Black 750 GB, 7200 RPM, 32 MB Cache, SATA 3Gb/s |
| Power | ePower EP-1200E10-T2 1200 W, ATX12V, EPS12V |
| Software and Drivers | |
| Operating System | Microsoft Windows 7 x64 |
| DirectX | DirectX 11 |
| Graphics Drivers | Catalyst 12.7 Beta |
| Benchmark Configuration | |
|---|---|
| 3D Games | |
| Battlefield 3 | Version 1.0.0.0, Operation Swordbreaker, Fraps Runs |
| Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | Version 1.4.21.04, Fraps Runs |
| DiRT 3 | Version 1.2.0.0, Built-In Benchmark |
| StarCraft II | Version: 1.4.2.20141, Tom's Hardware Guide Benchmark |
| Synthetic Benchmarks | |
| 3DMark 11 | Version: 1.0.1.0, Benchmark Only |
| SiSoftware Sandra 2011 | Version 2011.1.17.15, CPU Test = CPU Arithmetic / MultiMedia, Memory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark |
