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Futuremark 3DMark 11
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Simulated Gaming Performance
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3DMark11
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Although
Futuremark’s 3DMark 11 has been around for several years, it still
provides a good look at a system’s gaming capabilities. It's also handy
tool for benchmarking machines that still run Windows 7. We ran this
benchmark on the Performance preset, at 1280 x 720 resolution. If you
download the free version of this benchmark, make sure you're using the
Performance preset to avoid comparing scores that were run with
different test configurations.
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Futuremark 3DMark CloudGate and Ice Storm Extreme
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Simulated Gaming Performance
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3DMark CloudGate
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The flagship benchmark in Futuremark’s catalog, 3DMark is a popular
choice for testing everything from gaming PCs to mobile devices. Of
course, the technology differences between a game machine and a
smartphone are significant, so 3DMark has a separate test suite for each
device category. The Cloud Gate test is aimed at entry-level PCs and
laptops, and has two subtests: a processor- intensive physics test and
two graphics tests. We run the test suite at its default 1280 x 720
resolution and at default rendering quality settings. Keep in mind that
3DMark Cloud Gate scores aren’t comparable to scores from say, 3DMark
Fire Strike (gaming PCs) or Ice Storm (smartphones and tablets).
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Ubisoft Far Cry 2
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DX10 Gaming Performance
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Far Cry 2
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When
it comes to lush vegetation in a steaming, sinister jungle, no one
pulls it off quite like Ubisoft does in its Far Cry series. Far Cry 2
uses high-quality textures, complex shaders, and dynamic lighting to
create a realistic environment. The game’s built-in benchmark gives us a
good look at a system’s performance with DirectX 10. |
The 3DMark CloudGate and IceStorm Extreme tests paint a clearer picture of performance of the Dell Inspiron 11 3000 and its position between laptops and tablets. With a Pentium processor and fairly tame integrated graphics, the system doesn't compete with beefier laptops or ultrabooks. Versus tablets, however, the Inspiron 11 3000 has serious graphics chops and is well suited to mobile games. If you play games casually, you're better off shopping the Windows Store for titles, rather than downloading a first person shooter.
