Hardware

3DMark06 Advanced Performance

3DMark06 Advanced is the latest version of this popular 3DMark series of gaming benchmarks from FutureMark, and is the first to highlight new HDR/SM3.0 and SM2.0 graphics tests, as well as offering multi-core tailored CPU tests. The Feature tests have also been enhanced for the newest 3D support, and helps provide reliable measurements for game hardware of today and tomorrow. This is one very serious performance test, which punishes hardware that does not fully support HDR/SM3.0 or SM2.0, and really puts graphics cards to the next-generation test.

In this review, we will be concentrating on the overall 3DMark score as well as individual benchmark tests covering SM2.0 results, fill rate, vertex and pixel shading, and the Shader Particles and Perlin Noise SM3.0 tests. Unfortunately, neither the GeForce 6150 LE nor Intel G965 Express could perform all of the HDR/SM3.0 tests, so we will not have an overall result in that category.

The initial graphics tests show the GeForce 6150 LE coming up a bit short to the Intel G965 Express. The 3DMark06 overall score is in favor of the Intel system, and the SM2.0 mark follows right along. This is hardly surprising given that the G965 graphics core does offer more base horsepower, especially in Direct3D, compared to its GeForce counterpart.

The next part of our 3DMark06 Advanced testing utilizes the Feature Test portion of the benchmark (at the standard 1280x1024 resolution), and concentrates on the Fill Rate performance. This chart shows the cards ranked by Fill Rate performance, with the number displayed representing MTexels/second.

The scenario doesn't change in the Fill Rate benchmark tests, and again it's the Intel G965 Express powering ahead of the GeForce 6150 LE. This is true in both the single and multi-texturing benchmarks, with Intel holding a comparable lead in each.

The 3DMark06 Advanced Pixel and Vertex Shader benchmark chart shows the two platforms ranked by shader performance, with the number displayed representing MVertices/second. The Intel G965 Express continues to show off like in the first two tests, but while the GeForce 6150 LE falls back again at the pixel shader test, it remains close in the vertex shader benchmark.

The final 3DMark section includes the Shader Particles and Perlin Noise benchmarks, which are both SM3.0 shader tests. Unfortunately, the Intel G965 Express did not support this test, while the GeForce 6150 LE ran through it without an issue. This comes back to the compatibility issue again, and while the Athlon 64 X2 + GeForce 6150 LE platform isn't going to break any speed records, it does have the hardware necessary to complete the test.