Our testing methods
As ever, we did our best to deliver clean benchmark numbers. All tests were run at least twice, and the results were averaged.

The VP6-based system used the following hardware:

Processor: Intel Pentium III 700MHz (100MHz bus, cb0 stepping)

Motherboard: Abit VP6

Memory: 256MB Micron PC133 CAS 3 SDRAM (single DIMM)

Video: Asus V7100 GeForce2 MX 32MB (Detonator 3 version 6.50 drivers)

Audio: Creative SoundBlaster Live! Value

Storage: Maxtor 20GB 7200RPM ATA/100 hard drive

A single-processor AMD platform was also used for comparative purposes. This system varied only with respect to the CPU and motherboard. The AMD box was built on the following:

Processor: AMD Athlon 1.2GHz (Thunderbird core, 200MHz bus)

Motherboard: Abit KT7-RAID

The AMD system was run at its stock clock speed, while the VP6's PIIIs were cranked up to a 133MHz front side bus, effectively overclocking them to 933MHz. All tests were also run with a single PIII at 933MHz in the system to give you a good idea of how the PIII scales when you add a second processor to the mix.

Both systems were equipped with Windows 2000 SP2 with DirectX 8.0a.

We used the following versions of our test applications:

• SiSoft Sandra Standard 2001.3.7.50
• Compiled binary of C Linpack port from Ace's Hardware
• ZD Media Business Winstone 2001 1.0.1
• ZD Media Content Creation Winstone 2001 1.0.1
• SPECviewperf 6.1.2
• POV-Ray for Windows version 3.1g
• CliBench Mark III
• ps5bench Intermediate (Running under Photoshop 6.0.1)
• 3DMark 2000 v1.1
• Quake III Arena with Team Arena Mission Pack
• ScienceMark 1.0

The test systems' Windows desktop was set at 1024x768 in 32-bit color at a 75Hz screen refresh rate. Vertical refresh sync (vsync) was disabled for all tests.

All the tests and methods we employed are publicly available and reproducible. If you have questions about our methods, hit our forums to talk with us about them.