During our benchmarking sessions, we used the configuration listed below. Between our benchmarking sessions the only different device was the CPU being tested and also the motherboard, since the tested CPUs use different socket types.

Hardware Configuration

• Socket 754 Motherboard: Chaintech ZNF3-150 (nForce 3-150, Oct 13th, 2003 BIOS)
• Socket 939 Motherboard: ASUS A8V Deluxe (VIA K8T800, Jun 17th, 2004 BIOS)
• Socket 462 Motherboard: Gigabyte 7NNXP (nForce 2 400 Ultra, F14 Sep 12th, 2003 BIOS)
• Socket 478 Motherboard: Soyo P4I875P (Intel 875P, Aug 19th, 2003 BIOS)
• Memory: Two 256 MB PC3200/DDR400 TwinMOS memory modules, using DDR Dual Channel configuration on Soyo P4I875P, Gigabyte 7NNXP and ASUS A8V Deluxe motherboards.
• Hard Drive: Maxtor DiamondMax 9 Plus (40 GB, ATA-133)
• Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon 9800 Pro
• Screen Resolution: 800x600x32

Software Configuration

• Windows XP Professional installed using NTFS
• Service Pack 1A
• Direct X 9.0B
• nForce driver version: 3.13
• Intel Inf driver version: 5.0.2.1003
• ATI video driver version: 7.95 (6.14.10.6396)

Used Software

• 3DMark2001 SE
• 3DMark03 Pro 3.40
• PCMark04 Business
• Quake III Arena 1.32
• Sandra 2004 9.89
• SYSmark2002

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.