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, when we benchmarked the CPU from AMD.
 
Hardware Configuration

• Motherboard (Intel): Intel D975XBX2 (BX97520J.86A.1024.2006.0814.1142 BIOS)
• Motherboard (AMD): ASUS M2N32 SLI Deluxe (0117, April 18th, 2006)
• Memory: 2 GB DDR2-1066/PC2-8500 with 5-5-5-15 timings, two Patriot PDC21G8500ELK modules (512 MB each) and two Corsair CM2X512-8500C5 modules (512 MB each).
• Hard Disk Drive: Samsung HD080HJ (SATA-300, 7,200 rpm, 8 MB buffer).
• Video Card: XFX GeForce 7950 GX2 M570 1GB DDR3 XXX (PV-T71U-ZDD9) (factory-overclocked).
• Video resolution: 1024x768x32@85Hz.
• Power Supply: Antec Neo HE 550.

Software Configuration

• Windows XP Professional installed using NTFS
• Service Pack 2
• DirectX 9.0c

Driver Versions

• nVidia video driver version: 91.47
• Intel Inf chipset driver version (Intel): 8.0.1.1002
• nForce 590 SLI driver version (AMD): 9.35
• Audio driver version (Intel): Sigmatel 5.10.5143
• Audio driver version (AMD): SoundMax 5.10.1.4490
• LAN driver version (Intel): Intel Pro/1000 9.5.12.0
• RAID driver version (Marvell, Intel): 1.1.0.38-beta
• RAID driver version (Intel): 5.5.0.1035
• RAID driver version (SiliconImage, AMD): 1.0.0.9

Used Software

• SYSmark2004 – Patch 2
• PCMark05 Professional 1.1.0
• DriverHeaven Photoshop Benchmark V2
• Cinebench 9.5
• 3DMark06 Professional 1.0.2
• Far Cry – Patch 1.4
• F.E.A.R. – Patch 1.08
• Quake 4 – Patch 1.2
• Battlefield 2142 – Patch 1.01

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.