How We Tested
Contents
During our benchmarking sessions, we used the configuration listed below. Between our benchmarking sessions the only variable device was the CPU being tested and the motherboard, which had to be replaced to match the different CPU sockets.
Hardware Configuration
- Motherboard (Socket AM3+): ASUS Crosshair V Formula (0813 BIOS)
- Motherboard (Socket LGA1366): MSI Big Bang XPower (1.6 BIOS)
- Motherboard (Socket LGA2011): Intel DX79SI (S1.0280B BIOS)
- CPU Cooler: Intel Liquid Cooling/AMD stock
- Memory: 16 GB DDR3-2133/PC3-17000, four G.Skill Ripjaws Z F3-17000CL9Q-16GBZH memory modules
- Hard Disk Drive: Western Digital Black Caviar 1 TB (WD1001FALS, SATA-300, 7,200 rpm, 32 MB buffer)
- Video Card: Radeon HD 6970
- Video Monitor: Samsung Syncmaster 305T Plus
- Power Supply: Antec TruePower New 750 W
Operating System Configuration
- Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
- NTFS
- Video resolution: 2560×1600 60 Hz
Driver Versions
- AMD video driver version: Catalyst 11.10
- AMD chipset driver version: 3.0.816.0
- Intel Inf chipset driver version (socket LGA2011): 9.2.3.1022
- Intel Inf chipset driver version (socket LGA1366): 9.1.2.1008
Software Used
- 3DMark 11 1.0.2
- Adobe After Effects CS4
- Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended + GamingHeaven Photoshop Benchmark V3
- Cinebench 11.529
- Deus Ex: Human Revolution
- DiRT3
- Lost Planet 2
- iTunes 10.2
- Media Espresso 6.5
- PCMark 7 1.0.4
- Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty – Patch 1.3.4
- VirtualDub 1.9.5 + MPEG-2 Plugin 3.1 + DivX 6.9.2
- WinZip 15.5
Error Margin
We adopted a 3% error margin. Thus, differences below 3% cannot be considered relevant. In other words, products with a performance difference below 3% should be considered as having similar performance.
