DOOM 3 is a game that needs no introduction, and continues in a long line of id Software Quake and DOOM first-person shooters. This latest installment is one serious 3D game test, including potentially the highest-end graphics yet seen on the PC. It is also a different type of game benchmark, especially compared to Quake 3, as it has a greater reliance on the 3D video card for high-end framerate results. This makes it less-than an optimum current CPU performance test, but may still bear fruit as newer and faster processors make an appearance.
DOOM 3 has some level of video card dependence, but with a high-end video card, it is still possible to achieve separation, especially at the lower resolutions. This is definitely true in the case of DOOM 3 benchmarking, and the Core 2 Extreme and Duo processors are again the class of the field, and include the only two processors to ever exceed 200 fps. The performance advantage is still very significant, and there is a clear delineation between the Core 2 and the various AMD and Intel reference processors.
FarCry is a hot new first-person shooter that takes in-game graphics to the next level, although in a different direction than DOOM 3. Instead of darkness and confined spaces, FarCry places you outdoors, on bright sandy beaches, jungles or even on the water itself. This game gives our processors a different kind of a stress test, and rest assured that FarCry ranks up there with the very toughest 3D game benchmarks. For this test, we are using the full retail version, and the included in-game demo.
FarCry benchmarking seems to follow along with DOOM 3, and we again see the Core 2 Extreme and Duo models taking the top three spots, well ahead of all competition. This is a serious performance benchmark, and to see the Core 2 Extreme X6800 and Core 2 Duo E6700 posting scores that much faster than the Athlon 64 FX-62 is simply amazing.
Half-Life 2 is the latest in a line of serious first-person shooters from Valve, and has really taken in-game graphics to the next level. This is a great opportunity to really push our processors to the limit, as well as providing a counterpoint to newer 3D games like DOOM 3. This is also a CPU-reliant game in many ways, making Half-Life 2 a game that rewards higher-end processors and systems.
Half-Life 2 is another benchmark that is limited by the graphics component to some extent. But even under this demanding scenario, the Core 2 Extreme and Duo processors still manage to take a noticeable performance lead.
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