CPU Reviews & Articles

3DMark06 Pro Performance

3DMark06 is the latest version in the popular 3DMark series of gaming benchmarks, and like 3DMark05, it also requires DirectX 9.0 compatibility. The 3DMark06 program offers a high-end selection of both gaming and CPU tests, while upping the ante in terms of jaw-dropping graphics and 3D feature support. 3DMark06 is not only a prime way of determining potential DirectX 9 game performance, but the individual CPU performance score also makes it a valuable tool in processor reviews and performance comparisons. This CPU benchmark is performed at the standard 1280x1024 resolution and 32-bit color depth, with no anti-aliasing or filtering options enabled.

Game benchmarks usually don't show any real advantage with a multi-core setup, primarily because these are not written with a multi-core platform in mind. While this is true in the majority of cases, 3DMark06 Pro does offer multi-threaded benchmarking, and will help give us an idea of theoretical performance in true multi-threaded game environments. Under this scenario, the Athlon 64 X2 6000+ performs on par with the Core 2 E6700, and this represents another AMD high water mark. The quad core comparison is not quite as good, as both the Core 2 Quad Q6600 and Extreme QX6700 are well out in front.

Unreal Tournament 2004 Performance

Unreal Tournament 2004 is an upgraded version of the popular UT series, and includes support for Botmatch demos. This is the current iteration for Unreal Tournament graphics and performance, and is yet another serious test for current PC hardware. Botmatch performance is also more reflective of CPU power than Flyby, giving UT 2004 special significance in processor testing. For this benchmark, we've used the UMark GUI interface with the following options and settings: 3 Botmatch maps, 12 players and maximum detail graphics.

UT 2004 is one of the older game tests in our benchmark suite, so naturally, there is virtually no chance of multi-threaded enhancements. Still, it is important to note how new multi-core processors handle old school games. In this case, the Athlon 64 X2 6000+ again posts the top AMD score, but remains back of the Core 2 crowd.

Painkiller Performance

Painkiller is another hotrod first-person shooter that features high-end game graphics, but the difference here is the use of a non-standard, proprietary game engine. So instead of the next revision of the latest DOOM, Quake or Unreal Tournament product, we get something slightly different that helps spice our benchmarks up a bit. Due to the video card reliance of some portions of the game, we have used the in-game Docks demo, which does show a performance impact based on the processor used.

The Athlon 64 X2 6000+ shows very similar results in this test, and the Painkiller benchmarking certainly holds no surprises. Once again, the 3.0 GHz Athlon 64 X2 6000+ is tops on the AMD side, but simply cannot crack the Intel wall.