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 Athlon system was built using:

Processor: AMD Athlon processors - 1.2GHz, 1.33GHz, and 1.4GHz on a 266MHz (DDR) bus

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA7-DX motherboard - AMD 761 North Bridge, Via VT82C686B South Bridge

Memory: 256MB PC2100 DDR SDRAM in two 128MB DIMMs

Video: NVIDIA GeForce 2 Ultra 64MB (Detonator 3 version 6.50 drivers)

Audio: Creative SoundBlaster Live!

Storage: IBM 75GXP 30.5GB 7200RPM ATA/100 hard drive

Our comparison systems varied only with respect to the motherboard, memory, and CPU. The Pentium 4 box looked like this:
Processor: Intel Pentium 4 processors - 1.5GHz and 1.7GHz

Motherboard: Intel D850GB - Intel 850 chipset - 82850 memory controller hub (MCH), 82801BA I/O controller hub (ICH2)

Memory: 256MB PC800 DRDRAM memory in two 128MB RIMMs

Both systems were equipped with Windows 2000 SP1 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
  • LAME 3.70
  • SPECviewperf 6.1.2
  • POV-Ray for Windows version 3.1g (multiple compiles)
  • 3DMark 2001 Build 200
  • Vulpine GLMark 1.1
  • Quake III Arena 1.27g with Team Arena Mission Pack
  • Serious Sam v1.00
  • Expendable Internet demo
  • 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. Most of the 3D gaming tests used the default or "normal" image quality settings, with the exception that the resolution was set to 640x480 in 32-bit color.

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.