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Hardware

This time around, we used the following benchmarking setup:

• CPU: E6750 Intel Core 2 Duo at 2.89 GHZ (362 * 8) 
• Motherboard:  Asus P5W DH Deluxe
• Memory: 4 gigabytes of Corsair Dominator DDR2 RAM (4 * 1024MB @ 905 MHz[4-4-4-12]) 
• Power Supply: OCZ 850W GXS
• Hard Drive: 250 GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 SATA, w/16 MB cache
• CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U 12
• OS: Vista SP1

We rounded up most of the competition that the 9600 GSO is likely to find on the market. In order of average price, from least expensive to most expensive, the cards in this benchmark include the following: a XFX 8600 GTS XXX, the Palit 9600 GSO Sonic, a PowerColor HD3850 Xtreme PCS 512MB, a Palit 9600GT, a Gigabyte HD3870, a BFG 8800 GT OC, an Asus EN8800 GTS 512MB TOP, a XFX 9800 GTX, and a dual-GPU Asus EAH3850X2.

Software

Driver-wise, I used NVIDIA's 174.74 Forceware drivers, and ATI's Catalyst 8.4 drivers.

On the software side of things, here is the list of programs used:

Bioshock: For this benchmark, all of the Detail settings were set to 'High'. All of the graphic option switches were set to 'On', with the exception of the following three settings: Vsync, Windowed mode, and Force Global Lighting. We used FRAPS to measure frame rate performance. The FRAPS run was 138 seconds, triggered from pulling the switch in the sub at game's beginning. The sub's dive involves many big models moving around, which should strain the GPU's and be a good measure of the game's engine.

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 (1.1).

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars: We use this id FPS benchmark to test out higher resolutions. We used the highest possible detail settings. We tested the resolutions at 4x AA as well as at 8x AA. 16x AF was also used.  

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.

World In Conflict: We used the built-in benchmark of the demo version of this game. We ran the benchmark in DX9 rendering mode, with a 'High' level of quality. For the AA testing, we used a setting of 4x, and a setting of 16x for AF.

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