MSI 645E Max2-LRU SiS 645DX Motherboard Review
By Vince Freeman :
May 13, 2002
Quake 3 Performance
Quake 3 remains the standard 3D game benchmark here at SE, and due to its highly repeatable results, it is still one of the best game benchmarks when comparing different system components. In this test we match the three motherboards up using High Quality detail settings and a resolution of 1024x768.
Quake 3 benchmark scores definitely favor the 645E Max2-LRU, and surpassing the powerful i850E is certainly an accomplishment. Quake 3 seems to really appreciate the extra system and memory bandwidth offered by the SiS 645DX, and it handily stomps the i845D.
Return to Castle Wolfenstein Performance
Return to Castle Wolfenstein is another Quake engine game, but with some notable differences. The basic game engine may be the same, but the added stress it puts on your system is very different. We have used the Checkpoint MP demo for our testing, using the High Quality settings at a 1024x768 resolution.
Once again the 645E Max2-LRU turns in another impressive performance and takes the crown in the Return to Castle Wolfenstein benchmark. To see such framerate differences with just the change of a motherboard is quite surprising, especially with such a demanding game.
3DMark 2001 SE Pro 32-bit Performance
MadOnion's 3DMark 2001 SE is a popular 3D benchmark tool, and one that many gamers use to compare performance results. All benchmark testing was performed in 32-bit mode, and used pure hardware T&L/DirectX support.
The hits just keep on coming, and MSI's 645E Max2-LRU takes the field once again. These are some high 3DMark 2001SE scores for a base system configuration and if you want to overclock and tweak your settings for higher scores, the SiS 645DX is your kind of chipset.