X-bit labs

Massive Attack: Performance Tests of 14 Processors Priced at $200+ (page 3)

Category: CPU

by Ilya Gavrichenkov

[ 02/01/2004 | 12:02 PM ]

Performance in Gaming Applications

The performance in gaming applications is a pretty important factor for many users. Moreover, extreme processor models such as Pentium 4 Extreme Edition and Athlon 64 FX are positioned by the manufacturers as gaming CPUs. That is why the results of gaming benchmarks open our today’s test session.

As you remember, AMD processors have always been the leaders in 3DMark 2001, however, now the faster Pentium 4 Extreme Edition 3.4GHz processor changed the situation. This particular CPU from Intel is the fastest according to 3DMark 2001.

I would also like to point out that Pentium 4 processors on the new Prescott core are a little faster than their predecessors on Northwood core (working at the same clock frequency), according to this benchmark. However, I cannot state that the new core boasts a significant performance advantage: the performance difference is only 1%. It is definitely too little to outpace the competitors from AMD: according to 3DMark 2001 Athlon 64 defeats Pentium 4 in all weight categories.

Faster model of the Pentium 4 Extreme Edition with a 2MB L3 caches and 3.4GHz clock frequency is an indisputable leader according to CPU Score results of 3DMark03, too. As for the new Prescott core, it again doesn’t manage to speed up Pentium 4 processor, so that they could run any faster than those on Northwood core.

The similar picture can be observed in the 3DMark03 Total Score test. The L3 cache added to the Northwood core makes Pentium 4 Extreme Edition the fastest processors according to this test. As for Prescott, it manages to win just a little bit from Northwood, even though it also boasts larger cache-memory.