System Builder Marathon September: The Articles
Here are links to each each of the five articles in this month's System Builder Marathon (SBM).
Day 1: Low Cost PC compared to last SBM Low Cost PC
Day 2: Mid Cost PC compared to last SBM Mid Cost PC
Day 3: Higher Cost PC compared to last SBM Higher Cost PC
Day 4: All Three September SBM PCs Overclocked
Day 5: Summary - Price- Performance Winner
Introduction
The first three days of this marathon demonstrated the PC component choices we would purchase with a $1,000, $2,000 and $4,000 budget respectively. All three systems are great all-around performers, and we're happy with the value they demonstrate for their price points.
Today, we'll review how well each of these systems scaled for us when we coaxed them to operate at higher-than-stock clock speeds. We won't be comparing the three systems against each other quite yet - we're saving that for the final article in the series, released tomorrow, where we'll be comparing performance across the board in addition to relative value per dollar. Today, we will be comparing each system's overclocked performance to its own stock clock speed performance.
Benchmarks & Settings
We'll be covering the same overclocking benchmarks for each of the three systems, so let's cover the information on the benchmark settings we'll use for all of the systems first to get it out of the way.
| Benchmarks and Settings | |
|---|---|
| 3D-Games | |
| F.E.A.R | Version: 1.0 RetailVideo Mode: 1024x768, 1280x1024, 1680x1050, 1920x1200Computer: MaximumGraphics: Maximum-Custom-No SoftshadowsTest Path: Options/Performance/Test Settings |
| Doom 3 | Version: 1.3Video Mode: 1024x768, 1280x1024, 1680x1050, 1920x1200Graphics: HighTest: Time Demo 1 |
| Oblivion | Version: 1.0 RetailVideo Mode: 1024x768, 1280x1024, 1680x1050, 1920x1200Graphics: High, 4xAATest: Inside & Outside save files |
| Audio | |
| Lame MP3 | Version 3.97 Beta 2 (12-22-2005)Audio CD "Terminator II SE", 53 minwave to mp3160 kbps |
| OGG | Version 1.1.2 (Intel P4 MOD)Version 1.1.2 (Intel AMD MOD)Audio CD "Terminator II SE", 53 minwave to oggQuality: 5 |
| Video | |
| TMPEG 3.0 Express | Version: 3.0.4.24 (no Audio)fist 5 Minutes DVD Terminator 2 SE (704x576) 16:9Multithreading by rendering |
| DivX 6.1 | Version: 6.1Profile: High Definition Profile1-pass, 3000 kbit/sEncoding mode: Insane QualityEnhanced multithreadingno Audio |
| XviD 1.1.0 | Version: 1.1.0 Beta 2Target qantizer: 1.00 |
| Applications | |
| Autodesk 3D Studio Max | Version: 8.0Characters "Dragon_Charater_rig"rendering HTDV 1920x1080 & 1280x720 |
| Synthetics | |
| SPECviewperf 9 | Version: 9.0.3 |
| PCMark05 Pro | Version: 1.1.0System, CPU and Memory TestsWindows Media Player 10.00.00.3646Windows Media Encoder 9.00.00.2980 |
| 3DMark05 | Version: 1.2System Test Only |
| SiSoftware Sandra 2005 | Version 2005.7.10.60CPU Test = Arithmetic, Multimedia BenchmarksMemory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark |
