During our benchmarking sessions, we used the configuration listed below. Between our benchmarking sessions the only variable was the CPU being tested and the motherboard, since each CPU benchmarked required a different type of motherboard.

Hardware Configuration

• Socket 754 motherboard: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M Rev. 2.1 (BIOS FF, December 15, 2005) for the AMD Sempron 3000+ CPU.
• Socket 775 motherboard: PCChips P21G V3.1 (BIOS 060308S, March 8, 2006) for the Celeron D331 CPU.
• Memory: One OCZ EL DDR PC-4000 Gold GX XTC 1 GB module installed at DDR single channel (3-4-3-8 timings).
• Hard disk: Samsung SpinPoint SP0411N (7,200 rpm, 40 GB, ATA-133).
• Video Card: NVIDIA Geforce 6600GT 128 MB AGP.
• Video resolution: 1024x768x32 75Hz.
• Power Supply: Seventeam ST420BKV-03F.

Software Configuration

• Windows XP Professional installed using NTFS.
•  Service Pack 2.
• Direct X 9.0c.

Driver Versions

• NVIDIA video driver version: 91.31 WHQL.
• VIA chipset driver version: Hyperion Pro 5.09A.
• Realtek sound driver version: A3.90.

Used Software

• SYSmark2004 – Patch 2
• PCMark05 Professional 1.1.0
• 3DMark2001 SE Build 3.3.0
• 3DMark06 Professional 1.0.2
• Quake III Arena 1.32
• Doom 3
• Sandra Lite 2007.SP1 (2007.6.10.99)
• Super Pi Mod 1.5
• GamingHeaven Photoshop Benchmark V2
• DVD Shrink 3.2.0.15

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.