Pentium 4 Extreme Edition 3.46GHz 1066MHz FSB
 |
|
For our last game test, we benchmarked all seven of the test systems using our custom multiplayer Doom 3 timdemo. We cranked the resolution down to 640 x 480 and configured the game to run at its "Low-Quality" graphics setting. Without question, Doom 3 is a graphics card killer of a benchmark, but when we turn down the resolution and all that graphical detail and glitz, the game is significantly more CPU-dependant.
Firstly, the Prescott core Pentium 4 is a bit happier in Doom 3 versus UT2004 and the 3.6GHz chip only drops behind the 3.4GHz P4 EE by a couple of frames. Additionally, once again we netted only about a 3% gain going from an 800MHz FSB to a 1066MHz FSB with the P4 Extreme Edition. Lastly, the Athlon 64s swept in a big "Boston Red Sox" kind of way, with the "Big Papi" Athlon 64 FX-55 blowing by the fastest P4 EE by about 15%. Folks, if you are a gamer, there's no faster desktop processor architecture, at this point in time, than the Athlon 64.
