Graphics Performance and Encoding

The 3DMark benchmarks, published by FutureMark, are probably the most widely quoted gaming performance benchmarks available. While the benchmarks are based on game sequences written by FutureMark to reveal subtle differences in gaming performance, they still have to be considered synthetic benchmarks. They are useful for broad Graphics comparisons, but they are no substitute for benchmarks with real gaming engines that are currently being played.

3DMark06 was recently introduced and you can find more in-depth information about this new 3DMark at in the AnandTech article Futuremark's Latest Attempt: 3DMark06 Tested.

3DMark03 Performance

3DMark05 Performance

3DMark06 Performance

You would expect the most recent and most feature-rich cards to distance themselves from the competition in the most recent updates of 3DMark. That is exactly what happens. The latest, greatest X1900XT is only about 1500 points ahead in 3DMark03, but it grows to a 30% lead (10657 vs. 7698) in 3DMark05 and a similar 30% lead in the latest 3Dmark06. However, comparing apples to apples (the A8R32MVP running an MSI 7800GTX to NVIDIA boards running a 7800GTX), results were too close to call an advantage for the NVIDIA or ATI chipset boards.

MPEG-4 Encoding Performance - 'Sum of All Fears' Ch. 9

Encoding results should not be affected by the graphics card used during the encoding benchmarks. This is demonstrated again by the archive test results for AutoGK using an AMD 4000+ processor with a wide assortment of video cards. The performance range of those encoding tests is just 48.1 to 48.9 - a difference form high to low of just 0.8 frames. Clearly, the biggest influence on this encoding benchmark is the CPU used for testing.

General Performance Standard Gaming Performance
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  • Beenthere - Monday, February 20, 2006 - link

    No flames at Anandtech. Asus is the mfg. and the one responsible for delivering a proper vcore circuit design, using quality components, etc.

    Don't shoot the messenger for stating the facts. If Asus didn't have design and engineering problems their mobos wouldn't have these confirmed issues reported by numerous hardware review sites.
  • arswihart - Sunday, February 19, 2006 - link

    Do you have to use the same color RAM slots on ASUS boards for dual-channel, as shown in the pic in this review?
  • Shimmishim - Sunday, February 19, 2006 - link

    it's good to see you catch your mistakes from your previous reviews. i hope next time you'll take users comments/emails more seriously than just brushing it off simply as "others can do it..." other than that. this board looks great! its a shame all this good stuff is coming out 1/2 quarters before AM2 is being released.
  • godrod - Friday, February 17, 2006 - link

    I need to know on this board if you only have one video card (x1800XT) can you put it into the upper PCI-E slot closest to the CPU socket or does it have to go into the lower slot like the SD480 boards.
  • Wesley Fink - Friday, February 17, 2006 - link

    A single video card can go into either x16 PCIe slot. We tried both slots and it will work wekk in either.
  • arswihart - Sunday, February 19, 2006 - link

    this looks nice, I haven't moved from AGP yet, this may just make me do it
  • Beenthere - Friday, February 17, 2006 - link

    After Asus's false advertising of the A8R-MVP as being designed for "Serious Overclockers"; After Asus's failure to fix the long list of defects on the A8R-MVP which include 1T memory, Vcore instability, BIOS issues, etc.; After Asus's failure to acknowledge the known problems with the A8R-MVP; After Asus's refusal to even discuss the problems of the A8R-MVP with customers; After Asus's refusal to provide a proper BIOS upgrade to correct the defects in the A8R-MVP; After Asus's denial that the A8R-MVP mobo even existed after people bought it; After Asus's refusal to provide the same BIOS to consumers that they provided to Anandtech...

    there will never be another Asus product purchased by our company. Asus can stick their entire product line where the Sun don't shine. They've burned us for the last time. They may think they got away with defrauding consumers with the defective A8R-MVP mobos but they are in for one big surprise.
  • DanaGoyette - Sunday, February 19, 2006 - link

    Refusal to provide the same BIOS...
    Hey, that gives me an idea! I wonder if Anandtech still has their A8R-MBP -- if they do, they should make a bios backup and post it!
  • matthewfoley - Wednesday, March 1, 2006 - link

    If any of you read the article they offered anyone who emailed them a copy of the same bios that they used. If you really want it I can get it for you.
  • DanaGoyette - Sunday, March 5, 2006 - link

    Oh, I don't even have the board, but shouldn't it be easy to post the BIOS on the site rather than just through e-mail?

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