SiSoft SANDRA XI Bandwidth Performance
SiSoft SANDRA XI is a very popular system benchmark, and each revision sticks to its roots and supplies a wide range of individual benchmarks and system utilities. These tests include processor, system, network, and hard drive benchmarks, along with many other performance metrics. The memory bandwidth test is the most popular section of the SiSoft SANDRA benchmark suite, and it highlights the potential performance levels of the CPU-memory subsystem. As the Integer and FPU memory bandwidth scores are quite similar, we are only including the first one in our benchmark testing.
SiSoft SANDRA includes a range of memory and cache-related benchmarks, and definitely makes a great fit for our AMD and Intel platform testing. The memory bandwidth scores now give the advantage to the Athlon 64 X2 + GeForce 6150 LE system, while the Core 2 Duo + Intel G965 Express platform comes up a bit short. This is slightly different from the PCMark05 results, and we'll have to see if the upcoming SiSoft SANDRA and Everest Ultimate memory benchmarks support this trend.
There is no question which platform has the lowest memory latency scores, especially as the integrated memory controller of the Athlon 64 X2 4600+ gives it the clear advantage over the Core 2 Duo. The SiSoft SANDRA XI results confirm this, and show the Athlon 64 X2 + GeForce 6150 LE platform with a decided edge over the Core 2 Duo + Intel G965 Express system.
Everest Ultimate Edition Performance
In order to give yet another view of memory performance, bandwidth and latency, we have incorporated the Everest Ultimate Edition into our benchmark mix. With many platforms changing to DDR2 or adapting to ever-increasing clock speeds, the question of memory performance has never been more important. The Everest benchmarking suite offers several different memory performance modules, and has quickly become a standard for many hardware evaluations.
For this review, we use Everest Ultimate Edition version 4.0, which is essential for valid Core 2 Duo/Extreme/Quad and Athlon 64 X2/FX platform testing. Our benchmark testing centers on the Memory Read and Memory Write tests, and it should give us an overall view of how the AMD and Intel platforms stack up.
Surprisingly, the Everest Memory Read and Write tests show differing results. The Athlon 64 X2 + GeForce 6150 LE system falls back from the Core 2 Duo + Intel G965 Express PC in the Memory Read benchmarking, while making short work of the Intel system once we switch to the Memory Write test.
CINEBENCH 9.5 Performance
CINEBENCH 9.5 is the latest update to this performance suite, which utilizes CINEMA 4D for both CPU and video-based testing. Although we usually go the CPU route in this benchmark, in order to give our GeForce 6150 LE and Intel G965 Express platforms a real workout, we're switching over to the video portion. This includes three tests: Cinema 4D Shading, OpenGL Software Lighting and OpenGL Hardware Lighting.
In the initial Cinema 4D Shading portion of the CINEBENCH 9.5 benchmark, the AMD and Intel platforms results are close together, although the GeForce 6150 LE does post the highest score. But once we move to the OpenGL Software Lighting and OpenGL Hardware Lighting benchmarking, the GeForce 6150 LE lays a serious beating on the outmatched Intel G965 Express.
HQV - Hollywood Quality Video - Performance
The HQV benchmark DVD provides a set of image quality tests that evaluate video signal processing tasks including decoding, de-interlacing, motion correction, noise reduction, film cadence detection, and detail enhancement. The DVD provides a pass/fail type of benchmark, and it can be used to test an LCD display, a DVD player or a video processor. The individual tests add up to a maximum score of 130 points, but as stated in the documentation, a 100% test score is virtually unattainable.
As the chart below attests, the GeForce 6150 LE easily outranks the Intel G965 Express when it comes to high-end video processing. There were marked differences in some of the tests, and the GeForce 6150 LE was significantly better in the Jaggies Pattern, Waving Flag, and Detail Enhancement tests. Intel held its own in the Noise Reduction and Film with Titles areas, but totally dropped the ball in the Film Cadence section. In this area, the Intel G965 Express produced noticeable jagged edges and flickering, while the GeForce 6150 LE passed with flying colors.
