Other Settings
Last but not least on the test systems we will be a pair of 2x256MB Corsair TWINX3200LL DualChannel Memory sticks, WindowsXP with service pack 1 installed with all the updates in.
Benchmarks: Aquamark 3
Aquamark 3 is said to be the real world gaming benchmark. For this reason the benchmark utilizes DirectX 7, 8 and 9 components. However, Aquamark is deemed a DirectX 9 benchark. The engine for this benchmark was based upon a real game engine: the krass™-Engine which is being used in AquaNox2. You can download this benchmark here.
Since both video cards are DX9 compatible, as well as both machines are high performance ones, we decided that this benchmark would allow us to see which combination would give us a good idea on how well they would perform under extreme DX9 gaming conditions.
The first test run is just the standard Aquamark 3 test run. At all 3 resolutions (1024x768, 1280x1024, 1600x1200), the system that takes the cake is the P4 running the 5950 Ultra. Falling slightly behind is the system running the 3400+ and the 9800XT. What's interesting to see is that even though with the processor difference, both machines running the 9800XT pull off the relatively the same score at 1600x1200.
However, if we bump everything to the top, that is 4xAA and 8xAF, we see a whole different picture. Seems like the processors don't really matter as the 9800XT machines take the cake. We can barely make out the difference between the A64 3400+ and the P4 3.2GHz in either case. We can clearly see a distinct winner here in video cards, but no clear winner on processors.
