Testbed Configuration

All our tests were performed in the following system:

• Mainboard: EVGA X58 SLI LE, rev. 1.0 (LGA1366, Intel X58 Express + ICH10R, BIOS version dated 05/22/2009);
• CPU: Intel Core i7-920 (2.66 GHz, 133 MHz base frequency, 8 MB L3 cache, Bloomfield, rev. C0, 1.225 V Vcore);
• Memory: 3 x 1024 MB DDR3 Kingston HyperX DDR3-1866, KHX14900D3T1K3/3GX, (1866 MHz, 9-9-9-27, 1.65 V voltage);
• Graphics card: ATI Radeon HD 4890 (RV790, 55 nm, 900/3600 MHz, 256-bit GDDR5 1024 MB);
• Storage subsystem: two Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS HDDs (300 GB, SATA II, 10 000 RPM, 16 MB);
• Optical drive: DVD±RW Sony NEC Optiarc AD-7173A;
• CPU cooler: Cooler Master GeminII (120 mm Crown AGE12025F12J fan, PWM, 22000 RPM max.);
• Thermal interface: Zalman CSL 850;
• PSU: OCZ GameXStream OCZGXS700 (700 W) with Zalman ZM-F3 fan;
• Case: Antec Skeleton.

We used Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate Edition x86 operating system with Service Pack 2, a set of chipset drivers version 9.1.0.1012, and ATI Catalyst 9.7 graphics card driver.