Intel DX79SI Review: The Default X79?
by Ian Cutress on November 18, 2011 1:10 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
- Intel
- X79
Aliens vs. Predator Benchmark
Aliens vs. Predator is a DirectX 11 science fiction first-person shooter video game, developed by Rebellion Developments. Available as a standalone benchmark, on default settings the benchmark uses 1920x1080 with high AF settings. Results are reported as the average frame rate across 4 runs.
Using 5850s shows almost no difference for AVP in single GPU mode. In dual GPU mode, the X79 boards have a slight advantage, presumably due to the CPU or the extra GPU bandwidth compared to the A75 platforms.
With GTX580s, we're less limited by the GPU here - bottlenecks more in the PCIe bandwidth and CPU start to show, hence we see the X79s pulling ahead.
Dirt 3
Dirt 3 is a rallying video game and the third in the Dirt series of the Colin McRae Rally series, developed and published by Codemasters. Using the in game benchmark, Dirt 3 is run at 1920x1080 with full graphical settings. Results are reported as the average frame rate across 4 runs.
With 5850s in Dirt3, the dual GPU scenario shows difference between other platforms - up to 10 FPS difference. Despite the difference between the DX79SI and P9X79 Pro results, both are reasonably within statistical variance.
With more powerful GPUs, we again see the X79 pulling ahead slightly in single GPU mode. We see again that the DX79SI falls slightly behind in dual GPU mode.
Metro2033
Metro 2033 is a challenging DX11 benchmark that challenges every system that tries to run it at any high-end settings. Developed by 4A Games and released in March 2010, we use the inbuilt DirectX 11 Frontline benchmark to test the hardware at 1920x1080 with full graphical settings. Results are given as the average frame rate from 10 runs.
The extra bandwidth for the second GPU really shows here, with the X79s having x16/x16, and the P67/Z68s having x8/x8 (except the P8P67 Pro, which had x16/x4).
However, with more powerful GPUs, there isn't much of a difference between the X79 boards here.
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coldfiredragon - Friday, November 18, 2011 - link
Oh ya I have been using them exclusivly since arround 99, with their 440BX board for Pentium 3's. I love them, solid dependible I have never had to RMA one.The0ne - Friday, November 18, 2011 - link
I used them exclusively for work back them. By this I mean I tested and qualify the boards and CPU's for our products. and to deploy in the mfg environment. The key characteristic is, of course, reliability.Not sure why the person above doesn't know this :) Maybe this link can help,
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/futurama-fry-not-sur...
vol7ron - Sunday, November 20, 2011 - link
I've never actually owned the Intel branded boards. I think the primary reason is that I like the potential to overclock and whenever there were articles of this, Intel either locked their settings, or their boards didn't overclock all that well (either through voltage regulation or thermal problems).Any comments regarding this?
Bozo - Saturday, November 19, 2011 - link
I have been using Intel motherboards since the mid 1990's at work. If you want stability and reliability, Intel is the way to go.mino - Sunday, November 20, 2011 - link
Most of the time ... Had a lot of 50 PC's with Intel mobo's go POOF within 2Q after getting our of warranty. ... THoug those were NetBurst times. KInda expected they will "Burst" :).On a serious note, business-class Intel Mobo's are one of the best as far as reliability goes.
Though, over the past 5 years since reliability actually became a marketing term in the mobo business, the gap as it was in the 90's and starting 2000's is no longer there.
acompsys - Wednesday, November 30, 2011 - link
True...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0uXWmlMOgg
Googer - Sunday, November 20, 2011 - link
Intel has been in the motherboard business for about 17-18 years or so. I still have my old Intel Socket 370 FCPGA2 Motherboard from 10 years ago.Googer - Sunday, November 20, 2011 - link
A lot of OEMs use intel as their Board maker. Dell used (or still uses?) a Custom Intel board in their machines, Emachines used a rebadged off the shelf intel board in their cases too.mino - Monday, November 21, 2011 - link
OEM's not so much. Whiteboxers mostly, along with several "wanna-be's", Dell included in its early years.PrezWeezy - Sunday, November 20, 2011 - link
Intel has been making their own motherboards for a very long time. They aren't usually known for being the fastest boards around, but they are damn solid. Very very few failures comparitively, and they run forever. They also tend to be very expensive.