General Performance

CINEBENCH R10

CINEBENCH places a heavy load on the CPU during the rendering tests, and can utilize a single CPU or multiple cores. The video subsystem has no bearing on the CPU rendering portion of this benchmark. Results from a previous review of the Shuttle SG33G5, configured with a Q6600, are included for reference.


Cinebench
R10

The 3.0 GHz speed of the Ion edges out the 2.66GHz Q6600 in the single-core test, despite having less cache, but the extra two cores are apparent in the multi-CPU test. This is essentially a best-case scenario for multiple cores, as most games and many applications do not yet effectively utilize multiple cores.

PCMark 2005

PCMark 2005 uses a number of applications to simulate real-world system usage and provide a performance measurement. Some of these tests focus solely on the CPU (file compression and decompression, encryption, etc.), while others utilize the video subsystem (e.g. 3D Fill Rate, Pixel Shader).


PCMark
2005

PCMark indicates that performance of the Ion should be very close to the Shuttle system - we'll see if that holds true or not for gaming.

Encoding

We used DVD Shrink 3.2 at default settings to test general encoding performance. We ripped the test file (The Matrix) to the hard drive, with the 2.1 audio tracks removed to improve video quality.


Video
Encoding

Encoding is another area where multiple cores really shine, and the Ion gets smoked by the Q6600 in the Shuttle. Still, just under 7 minutes is a good time for the E4500; the overclock gives it a nice boost.

Now let's see how this gaming machine performs in that role.

Build Quality Gaming/3D Performance
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  • Matt Campbell - Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - link

    Apologies if it was confusing, I probably could have worded it better. Suffice it to say that there's plenty of power left over :)
  • 7Enigma - Wednesday, February 13, 2008 - link

    Not a problem. As I mentioned in my OP, the review was excellent. You guys are just victims of your own high standards, we have little to nit-pick other than wording and occasional typo's! :)
  • HotdogIT - Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - link

    If only you guys could take it one step farther, and do like HardOCP did back in the day... love to see you guys review the customer service. That'd be a hoot. A hoot and a half.

    Then again, it clearly didn't work out too well for Kyle and team...
  • Syran - Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - link

    They used to do Customer Service stuff on AT back in the day on motherboard reviews, and some system builds too. Would definitely like to see that if I'm to think about recommending the possibility of this company to friends; so that I can avoid long-distance support.
  • Uberclok - Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - link

    On the subject of long-distance support, I can assure you that we won't ever out-source our phones overseas. We know how quickly an aggravating customer support experience can lose customers for us, so we will always make sure our phone reps:

    A. know what they're talking about, and
    B. can be easily understood.

    Also, we C. feed them well - a happy rep is a helpful rep.

    - Thomas Glen
    Uberclok
    (877) 211-4235
  • crimson117 - Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - link

    I think by "long distance support" he meant he could recommend you guys as system builders for his friends, rather than him building and supporting custom systems for his friends. Kind of like how system builders will often recommend Dell or someone else for simple systems, purely so they don't have to support it themselves.

    But it's nice to know you guys do feed your reps :) Otherwise they start eating each other, and you often lose your best ones to less technically inclined - but hungrier - reps.
  • CyberHawk - Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - link

    What a backround O_o

    Where could I get one like that?
  • caliche - Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - link

    That's a wallpaper from the PC game Hellgate London.

    http://www.hellgatelondon.com/media/wallpaper">http://www.hellgatelondon.com/media/wallpaper

    I have not played the game so I can't vouch for it, but it does have some very nice "Techno Gothic" style artwork.

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