Civilization V

Civilization V is a strategy video game that utilizes a significant number of the latest GPU features and software advances.  Using the in-game benchmark, we run Civilization V at 2560x1440 with full graphical settings, similar to Ryan in his GPU testing functionality.  Results reported by the benchmark are the total number of frames in sixty seconds, which we normalize to frames per second.

Civilization V - One 7970

Civilization V - Two 7970

Civilization V - One 580

Civilization V - Two 580

The Deluxe comes near top in our Civilization V tests.

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 four runs.

Dirt 3 - One 7970

Dirt 3 - Two 7970

Dirt 3 - One 580

Dirt 3 - Two 580

Due to the close proximity of all our Dirt 3 results, it is safe to say that the motherboard is never the bottleneck.

Metro2033

Metro2033 is a 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.

Metro2033 - One 7970

Metro2033 - Two 7970

Metro2033 - One 580

Metro2033 - Two 580

The Deluxe takes advantage of its CPU performance to push into the upper echelons of most of our Metro2033 tests.

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  • maximumGPU - Saturday, May 12, 2012 - link

    i recently build a pc around an Ivy processor, and that's the motherboard i went for.
    Very happy with it, and the software bundle you get with Asus mobos is really useful.

    One annoyance thought is that the cpu temperature reported in Fan Xpert did not seem to match the temperature readings i get from Real Temp or other software, especially under load. And since fan control is tied to that reading it makes it rather pointless.

    Did you encounter that Ian?

    Great review too.
  • Lonyo - Saturday, May 12, 2012 - link

    I've noticed that as well, to the point where the numbers in the Asus software don't seem to update properly OR match the numbers in Realtemp, making the Asus software pretty useless for checking temperatures, and something I'm not entirely comfortable with in terms of controlling fan speeds, since it would be based on temperature readings I'm not comfortable with.
  • webs0r - Saturday, May 12, 2012 - link

    Run AIDA64 alongside fanXpert. You will find that ASUS uses the sensor named "CPU" rather than the individual core temps.
    While it reports lower than the core temps, it moves in line with the CPU temperature, and is a good proxy for fan control.

    I would not worry about this at all.

    So you should put the CPU under various loads and monitor in AIDA where temps get to, and construct your fan profile as you desire to balance the cooling power with noise.

    I'm not sure what realtemp reports, it may not report the overall CPU sensor if it is only reporting each core temp.

    The ASUS software is not useless/pointless at all.
  • maximumGPU - Saturday, May 12, 2012 - link

    under Prime, both Aida and Asus mobo report 33 deg, while real temp shows 50-52 across all cores, which certainly makes more sense than the other reading.

    That makes fan controlling based on the number reported by the deluxe pointless.
  • mdev - Saturday, May 12, 2012 - link

    I'm currently preparing to start building my new Ivy Bridge setup, with the ASUS P8Z77-V Pro motherboard.
    I'm interested to know if this would be the case with the Pro too. Is ASUS aware of this issue?
  • webs0r - Saturday, May 12, 2012 - link

    You are all wrong, it is not pointless!

    Are you using the latest beta version of AIDA? It will show you both the 4 core sensors AND the CPU sensor.

    So on mine (4.4ghz), right now my
    CPU = 22
    Cores = avg 28

    Running IBT
    CPU = 54
    Core = avg 70

    So what does this tell us??

    1) In terms of *absolute temperature readings* they are probably all inaccurate to some degree.

    2) Of course the die temp is going to be higher than the overall CPU sensor die, they are monitoring different places on the CPU.

    3) By looking at the pattern in AIDA, I know that the CPU sensor idles around 25 and scales to 55+ when the cores get HOT (70+). So - I can control the fans with this. It scales in line. It is a proxy for the CPU temp. As good as any. It doesn't matter that it is not equal to the average of the die temps. As long as it goes higher when the CPU gets hotter - you get the same end result? Get it??

    If it went the other way or didn't move while the CPU got hot, then that's a problem.

    So I made a fan ramp that stays at minimum until 25 deg, ramps slowly until 50 deg and ramps a bit faster until 55 deg, then caps out to the loudest I want the fan to be at 55deg. This gives the exact behaviour I want, thus it is not useless.
  • althaz - Saturday, May 12, 2012 - link

    Ian, it's great to see somebody take on board suggestions from their readers and apply them so quickly!

    In the Z77 roundup people asked for stripped and default POST times and here they are in the next review just a couple of days later.

    Fantastic review all-around and I eagerly await the incoming Intel board reviews (so I can decide what to buy :)).
  • BlueReason - Sunday, May 13, 2012 - link

    I believe he said such tests would be included in the future, not in this review. Not sure how that could be confused with a bar chart of test results, but the mind works in mysterious ways.
  • arvee - Saturday, May 12, 2012 - link

    Can you elaborate at all on the thunderbolt support in this? Will an add on card be as good as an integrated solution like on the MSI Z77A-GD80?
  • tyger11 - Saturday, May 12, 2012 - link

    I think I heard somewhere taht the add-in card via the TB header is a single channel, and the future mobos with it onboard will be dual channel. I could be misremembering.

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