Business Winstone 2001

The Business Winstone 2001 suite from ZD Labs is an application-based PC benchmark that uses business programs like MS Office 2000, FrontPage 2000, Lotus Notes, and Netscape to test a system's performance. New in the 2001 version are specific tests for file compression, anti-virus scanning and email. This suite of programs are run from a batch script that attempts to accurately emulate a business system load, then supplies a final performance rating.

While Business Winstone performance was quite close in our previous processor roundup, the Pentium 4-2.4 GHz takes the crown this time out. Business performance has long been AMD's forte, but at 2.4 GHz, Intel holds the cards this time. It's also interesting to note that the Pentium 4-2.4 GHz/i845D actually ties the score posted by the Athlon XP 2100+. This is something that was unheard of in the past, and Intel's 200 MHz leap-frogging act may be having the desired effect.

Content Creation Winstone 2002

Content Creation Winstone 2002 is another excellent benchmark from ZD, and is one of the first to have Windows XP as the intended platform. Its demanding applications and exceptional stability makes it a great match for our high-end testing and a valuable tool when determining system performance levels using cutting-edge hardware and software.

The Pentium 4-2.2 GHz is the reigning Content Creation Winstone champ, so it's no surprise that the Pentium 4-2.4 GHz would set yet another performance record. The increments may seem small, but even a single point translates into a noticeable performance gain. The Athlon XP 2100+ does well, but once again the i845D outperforms it using the new 2.4 GHz Pentium 4.