3D Performance: 3DMark2001 SE

To evaluate GeForce 7025 3D performance we installed a very low-end video card on Abit AN-M2: GeForce 6200 TurboCache with 64 MB and 64-bit interface (from XFX).

We also installed a high-end video card, an overclocked GeForce 8800 GTS from MSI, on it and compared its performance to a high-end motherboard with the same video card installed, ASUS M2N32-SLI De Luxe. The goal here was to see if by installing a high-end video card the reviewed board achieved the same performance level of a high-end motherboard.

We ran several programs, as you will see on the next pages. The amount of RAM memory the chipset “steals” from the main RAM memory to be used as video memory was left on the motherboard default value, which was “auto” for the reviewed motherboard.

The first one, 3DMark2001 SE, measures 3D performance by making DirectX 8.1 simulations, and the results you can see below (we ran it using its default configuration). All the listed video cards were installed on Abit AN-M2.

On 3DMark2001 SE Abit AN-M2 achieved the same performance level of ECS AMD690GM-M2 (AMD 690G) and MSI K9AGM2 (AMD 690G), being 5.52% faster than Foxconn A690GM2MA (AMD 690G) and 9.73% faster than ECS GeForce6100SM-M. Here ECS RS485M-M (ATI Radeon Xpress 1100) was 3.30% faster.

The problem is that even the “worst” PCI Express video card is a lot faster than on-board video solutions: GeForce 6200 with 64-bit memory interface and TurboCache technology was 72% faster than Abit AN-M2. This is a huge difference.

When we installed our overclocked GeForce 8800 GTS on the reviewed board it achieved the same performance level of ASUS M2N32-SLI De Luxe, what is great.

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