How We Tested

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, 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
• DriverHeaven 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.

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