Business Winstone 2004 Performance

The Business Winstone 2004 suite from ZD Labs is an update to the application-based PC benchmark line we've been using for years. It still makes use of real-world application tests like word processing, spreadsheets, web browsing and formatting, as well as file compression, anti-virus scanning and email. A multi-tasking component has also been added, and the base requirements have been upgraded quite significantly. As usual, this suite of programs is run from a batch script that attempts to accurately emulate a business system load, and then supplies us with a final performance rating.

The Business Winstone 2004 benchmarking shows the XC Cube EZ65 posting results consistent with the standard i865G and i875P motherboards. The integrated graphics scores do drop off for the two i865G platforms, but this is to be expected when moving to onboard video. This set of business applications really depends more on CPU and hard drive power, but it is nice to see that the XC Cube EZ65 offers comparable power for business users.

Content Creation Winstone 2004 Performance

Content Creation Winstone 2004 is another new update to the Winstone line, and also updates the base requirements and applications. We're still looking at an application-based test suite, which includes hot programs like Photoshop, Macromedia Director, LightWave, Wavelab, and many others. This new version also includes Windows Media Encoder 9, which means the both AMD and Intel processor features are fully recognized and supported. This is a very demanding system benchmark, and makes a great comparison tool for our high-end testing and when comparing component performance levels using the latest multimedia software.

Content Creation Winstone 2004 has slightly different results than Business Winstone, and while we do find the same level of drop-off for the i865G integrated video scores, those using the Radeon 9600 Pro still give a slight edge to the basic i865G and i875P motherboards. Even so, the XC Cube EZ65 posts some exceptional scores, given this is a small form factor PC, and is not that far behind either of the Intel boards.

PCMark 2004 Pro System Performance

PCMark 2004 Pro is a much-needed upgrade to the previous 2002 version, and along with adapting to the ever-changing hardware world, FutureMark has also added some new tests. The PCMark 2004 design still cuts a line between purely synthetic and application-based benchmarks, and provides a more general view of computer performance. PCMark 2004 performs general use tasks such as image compression, grammar check, and audio conversion, while combining this with a selection of similar benchmarks for individual system components. As we're dealing with motherboard and subsystem performance, the main tests we'll be looking at are the System and Memory results.

The PCMark 2004 System performance scores are close to those of Content Creation Winstone, at least in the straight-up Radeon 9600 Pro testing. Here, we see a pretty close race between the three platforms, and although the XC Cube EZ65 does come in third, the gap isn't that much at all. Once we move into i865G Intel Extreme 2 graphics testing, the scores drop considerably, and the base i865G motherboard does seem to have a relative advantage over the XC Cube EZ65.