|
 |
|
HotHardware Test Systems |
|
Mainstream
Performance |
|
|
MSI
845G Max i845G Motherboard
512MB Corsair PC2700
DDR SDRAM
ASUS
P4T533 i850E Motherboard
512MB RIMM 4200 RDRAM
MSI 645
Ultra SiS 645 Motherboard
512MB Corsair PC2700
DDR SDRAM
Common Hardware:
Intel Pentium 4 2.4GHz
NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4600
(v.28.32)
IBM 30GB ATA-100
7200RPM Hard Drive
Sound Blaster Live!
Value |
A Few
Words About The Benchmarks:
In setting up our test machines, we install Windows XP
on a formatted, FAT32 hard drive. After installing
the relevant drivers (yes, this includes the latest IDE
and AGP drivers for the SiS board) we disable system
restore, all of the graphical enhancements in Windows
XP, and the Automatic Update feature. The desktop
on each test bed is set to 1024x768, 16-bit color and a
75Hz refresh rate. Since the 333MHz memory setting
proved unstable, all tests were run on a 266MHz memory
bus, CAS2. |
 |
|
Benchmarking with Sisoft Sandra 2002 |
|
Bandwidth Makes
the Difference |
|
The Pentium
4 really thrives on memory bandwidth, so it is a shame that
our 512MB module wouldn't operate in conjunction with the
333MHz setting. Instead, PC2100 speeds keep the 845G Max-L
below 2GB per second of memory bandwidth, while the i850 and SiS 645 platforms both sustain 2.5GB per second data
transfers.
|
|
|
Benchmarks
and
Comparisons |
|
The CPU Tests |
|
SysMark 2002
Judging by
the final score, it wouldn't seem that a lack of memory
bandwidth hurt the 845G Max at all. There is a more
complicated story, though. In the Content Creation
tests, it becomes apparent that bandwidth is king. The
Intel i850 and SiS 645-based motherboards establish a lead
over the i845G chipset. However, the situation turns
drastically in the Office Productivity tests, as horrendous
disk performance severely handicaps the SiS board. In
the end, the 845G Max-L comes out slightly behind ASUS'
P4T-E for a second place finish.
Comanche 4
At 640x480,
Comanche 4 is more of a processor test than anything.
As we'd expect, all three boards score within a couple of
frames per second of each other, although the i850-based P4T
sqeaks out a narrow victory followed by the 845G Max-L.
PC
Mark 2002, 3D Mark 2001 SE and Quake III |