Next up, we have 3D graphics testing with 3DMark Cloud Gate. 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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| 3DMark Cloud Gate |
| Synthetic DirectX Gaming And Graphics Testing |
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Again we see Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon and Intel's new Broadwell-U Core i5-5300U chip post top-shelf numbers here versus older utlrabooks. Its neck-and-neck with new Dell's XPS 13 and HP's Spectre X360 of course as well, though honestly, we expected it to beat out these two machines, with it's slightly faster-clocked CPU but identical Intel IGP.
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| Ubisoft Far Cry 2 |
| 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. |
In this test, we're essentially taking an ultralight notebook, that isn't specifically targeted for gaming, and putting it through a mainstream gaming benchmark. Granted, Far Cry 2's engine is a generation behind with DX10 level effects, however, it's no pushover either and still offers relatively impressive visuals and immersive game play as a result. Here, the new ThinkPad X1 Carbon once again goes toe-to-toe with other top ultrabooks but sneaks in just behind the top two Dell and HP machines. Obviously, the delta is quite small, however, and would be completely imperceptible to the user.
