Testing systems and processors, we are most interested in real, actual tasks people perform with the help of computers. While synthetic tests may produce much data for an experienced user, we are not considering them, because there is no useful work involved. All benchmarks we have are based on real software suites that people use for whatever purpose, from retouching wedding photos to designing internal combustion engines or making home media collections. Choosing benchmarks, we also avoid applications which are mostly useless or not widespread, because results we might obtain with those will hardly interest anyone.

Testbeds

These parts remain the same:

• 22" monitor, 1680x1050x32@60Hz
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 1280MB graphics card
• Cooler Master RS-A00-EMBA 1000W PSU
• 160GB Intel SA2M160G2GC SSD
• Testbeds featuring CPUs with 2 and more memory controller channels have 1x4GB of RAM per channel
• Testbeds featuring CPUs with single-channel memory controllers have 2x4GB of RAM
• Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
• NVIDIA ForceWare 270.61
• NVIDIA PhysX System Software 9.10.0514
• AMD Catalyst 11.3

This system is considered reference (scoring 100 points):

• AMD Athlon II X4 620 CPU
• ASUS M4A78T-E motherboard
• 2x4GB DDR3-1333 RAM
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 1280MB graphics card
• Cooler Master RS-A00-EMBA 1000W PSU
• 160GB Intel SA2M160G2GC SSD

Primary benchmarks

These benchmarks are needed to examine the testbed in detail and obtain an average score indicating performance.

3D modeling

• Autodesk Maya 2011 x64 SP1
• SPECapc for Maya 2009
• PTC Creo Elements/Pro 5.0 x64
• OCUS Benchmark v5.1
• SolidWorks 2011 x64 SP2
• SPECapc for SolidWorks 2007

Final 3D rendering

• Autodesk 3ds max 2011 x64 SP1
• VRay 2.00.02 for 3ds max 2011 x64
• Autodesk Maya 2011 x64 SP1
• Lightwave 10 x64

Data compression/decompression

• 7-Zip 9.20 x64
• WinRAR 4.0 x64

Audio encoding

• dBpoweramp Music Converter R14
• dBpoweramp Reference Codec Pack R3
• dBpoweramp Benchmark

Compiling

• Boost C++ Libraries 1.46.0
• Intel Parallel Studio XE 2011
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate
• MinGW 11.02.2011

Mathematical and engineering computations

• Autodesk Maya 2011 x64 SP1
• SPECapc for Maya 2009
• MAPLE 14.01 x64
• Maple version of SciGMark
• MATLAB R2010b (7.11.0) x64
• PTC Creo Elements/Pro 5.0 x64
• OCUS Benchmark V5.1
• SolidWorks 2011 x64 SP2
• SPECapc for SolidWorks 2007

Raster graphics processing

• ACDSee Pro 3.0 build 475
• ACDSee RAW Plugin 4.1 build 295
• Adobe Photoshop CS5 x64
• Corel PaintShop Photo Pro X3
• GIMP 2.6.10 x64
• ImageMagick 6.6.7 x64 static

Vector graphics processing

• Adobe Illustrator CS5
• CorelDraw Graphics Suite X5 SP2

Video encoding

• Adobe Premiere CS5 (5.0.3) x64
• Microsoft Expression Encoder 4
• Sony Vegas Pro 10.0c x64
• x264 rev 1924
• XviD 1.30 RC1
• AviSynth 2.5.8
• VirtualDub 1.10.0

Office suites

• ABBYY FineReader 10
• Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010
• ExcelTrader Excel Benchmark
• Google Chrome 10.0.648.204
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 9
• Mozilla Firefox 4.0 x86
• Opera 11.01
• Google V8 Benchmark Suite

Java

• Sun JRE Version 6 Update 23 x86/x64
• SPECjvm2008 1.01

Games

• Aliens vs. Predator
• Aliens vs. Predator D3D11 Benchmark 1.03
• Batman: Arkham Asylum GOTY Edition
• Crysis: Warhead x64
• Framebuffer Crysis Warhead Benchmarking Tool 0.40
• F1 2010
• Far Cry 2
• Metro 2033
• Steam

Secondary benchmarks

Like primary benchmarks, these ones are conducted on all testbeds and their results are provided in the summary Excel tables. However, results of these tests do not affect the performance score — either because the results are only interesting in certain cases or because the given benchmark is experimental.

HD video playback

• Media Player Classic Home Cinema 1.4.2499.0 x86
• VLC Video Player 1.1.7

Multitasking environment

• 7-Zip 9.20 x64
• Autodesk Maya 2011 x64 SP1
• GIMP 2.6.10 x64
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate
• XviD 1.30 RC1
• AviSynth 2.5.8
• VirtualDub 1.10.0

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