Big GPU Shootout – Revisited

3DMark06

3DMark06 still remains the number one utility used for a system benchmark. We find that it is mostly useful for tracking changes within a single system. There are four “mini-games” that it uses for benchmarking graphics, as well as two CPU tests. The scores are weighed and added together to give an overall “score” and there is a further frame rate breakdown possible with these mini-games that we are charting for you.

Here is a scene from “Canyon Flight” in 3DMark06, a mini-game which is used to benchmark performance. These tests will still give your PC a real workout even though its default resolution is only 1280×1024.

Here are the results of our 3DMark06 benchmark comparison using the benchmark at its default settings:

The results are just scores. Often a little variability will occur by just running the tests over and over. Now the mini-game frame rates:

As though we were ‘playing’ the 3DMark06 mini-games, we note the frame rate rankings.  So, let’s move on to our second synthetic benchmark, Vantage.