Abit AW8-MAX i955X Motherboard
Encoding Tests: WME9 and LAME MP3
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We continued testing with another module from World Bench 5, this time based on Windows Media Encoder 9. PC WorldBench 5's Windows Media Encoding test reports encoding times in seconds, and like the tests on the previous page, lower times indicate better performance here.
In this encoding test, we still have the AW8-MAX in the lead, although the margin of difference has dropped to only four seconds. Time and time again we've seen the AW8-MAX outperform the P5WD2, which was one of the earliest boards based on the i955X chipset. It looks like Abit might have had more time to tinker with their board and eke out a little better performance.
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In our custom Lame MP3 encoding tests, we convert a large WAV file to the MP3 format, which is a very popular scenario that many end users work with on a regular basis, to provide portability and storage of their digital audio content. In this test, we chose a large 223MB WAV file (a never-ending Grateful Dead jam) and converted it to the MP3 format. Processing times are recorded below. Once again, shorter times equate to better performance.
Only a single second separated the two systems this time around, with the lower time going once again to the Abit AW8-MAX. It's a much better showing for the Asus P5WD2, and the difference could have easily been written off as an expected variance if we hadn't seen all of the other tests go in Abit's favor.
