Intel Core 2 Duo & Core 2 Extreme Processors, Chipsets And Performance Analysis

Name: Intel Core 2 Duo & Core 2 Extreme Processors, Chipsets And Performance Analysis - Page 12
Brand: Intel

by Marco Chiappetta — Thursday, July 13, 2006, 11:59 AM EDT

In our custom LAME MT MP3 encoding test, we convert a large WAV file to the MP3 format, which is a very popular scenario that many end users work with on a day-to-day basis to provide portability and storage of their digital audio content.

LAME MT MP3 Encoding Test

Converting a Large WAV To MP3

In this test, we created our own 223MB WAV file (a never-ending Grateful Dead jam) and converted it to the MP3 format using the multi-thread capable LAME MT application in single and multi-thread modes. Processing times are recorded below. Once again, shorter times equate to better performance.

Once again, the new Core 2 Duo E6700 and Core 2 Extreme X6800 processors put up some impressive scores. Our custom LAME MT encoding test had the Core 2 Extreme X6800 finishing the encoding process between 10 and 30 seconds faster than the XE965 and either Athlon 64. And the Core 2 Duo E6700 was right behind the X6800, trailing Intel's new flagship by only 5 seconds in either test.

We also found that all of the chipsets we tested offered similar performance in this test. As an additional experiment, we installed Corsair's low-latency 6400C3 kit in the nForce 4 SLIX16 based system, but we didn't see any difference in performance. In fact, with 2GB of CAS2 RAM installed on the nForce 4 SLIX16 board, it finished in exactly the same amount of time.

Tags: Intel, Core 2, Processors, Core, processor, CES, Chipset, Chip, performance, process, Core 2 Duo, chips, SIS, Xtreme, extreme, rf, analysis, RMA, IPS, duo, chipsets, Extreme Pro, XT, pro, SSO, eme, IP, and

Marco Chiappetta

Marco's interest in computing and technology dates all the way back to his early childhood. Even before being exposed to the Commodore P.E.T. and later the Commodore 64 in the early ‘80s, he was interested in electricity and electronics, and he still has the modded AFX cars and shop-worn soldering irons to prove it. Once he got his hands on his own Commodore 64, however, computing became Marco's passion. Throughout his academic and professional lives, Marco has worked with virtually every major platform from the TRS-80 and Amiga, to today's high end, multi-core servers. Over the years, he has worked in many fields related to technology and computing, including system design, assembly and sales, professional quality assurance testing, and technical writing. In addition to being the Managing Editor here at HotHardware for close to 15 years, Marco is also a freelance writer whose work has been published in a number of PC and technology related print publications and he is a regular fixture on HotHardware’s own Two and a Half Geeks webcast. - Contact: marco(at)hothardware(dot)com