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Here are the specifications of our benchmarking rig:

• CPU: Intel QX9650 at 3.6 GHZ (400x9)
• Motherboard:  Asus P5Q Deluxe
• Memory: 4 gigabytes of Mushkin XP2-9200 DDR2 RAM (2 * 2048MB @ 1203 MHz[5-5-4-12]) 
• Power Supply: Enermax Galaxy DXX 1000W
• Hard Drive: 250 GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 SATA, w/16 MB cache
• CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U 12
• OS: Vista-32,SP1

For video cards, we compared a VisionTek HD 3870 using Catalyst 8.6 with the same card using Catalyst 8.7. Then we saw what kind of performance was possible using a Diamond Multimedia HD 4870 (*2) CrossFire setup, and a VisionTek HD 4870 paired with a VisionTek HD 4850. For comparisons' sake, we included a NVIDIA GTX 280 in the charts, along with a Diamond HD 4870 and VisionTek HD 4850 running solo.

Software

Out of nine benchmarks, four did not work successfully in our tests with the HD4870 (*2) and HD 4850 + HD 4870. The programs that had limited or no functionality in the tests of these two configurations were 3DMark Vantage, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, Bioshock, and World In Conflict.

The NVIDIA GTX 280 used Forceware 177.35 drivers.

The following benchmarks worked with little or no crashing:

Call of Juarez: We used the stand-alone Call of Juarez DX10 benchmarking program for these results. For our AA testing, we used a setting of 2x.

Crysis: These benchmarks were performed using 'fly-by' GPU test found within the single-player pre-release demo version of the game. All graphic settings were on High.' For AA, we used a setting of 4x. DX10 mode was used. The game has also been fully patched.

3DMark06: This popular synthetic benchmarking programs were used at a resolution of 1280x1024.

Media Error demo: A runner-up winner in the scene.org best demo category for 2007, this demo made by Fairlight , CNCD & Orange. If you have no idea what a demoscene demo is, you might want to go here for an explication, and it is recommended you follow the link above to see for yourself. Media Error in particular presents a serious work out for a video card. Although to my knowledge, no one in the history of hardware reviewing has used a demoscene demo for benchmarking purposes before now, demos such as these are naturally well-suited to the task. This demo was run at a 1600x1200 resolution, with no AA and with 4xAA,  and FRAPS was used to measure framerate averages.   

Unreal Tournament 3: We tested the game using a fly-through of the vehicle capture-the-flag map 'Suspense.'ShangriLa (map) running for 90 seconds. Details were set to 'High', and a AF setting of 16x was used.

If you would like any further information about our benchmark settings, feel free to ask us in the forums.