Low-resolution gaming performance
Moving on to gaming now. We've run each of the systems with a Radeon HD 3870 512MiB card installed in the primary PCIe x16 slot, to minimise platform differences. What we're investigating here is processor-provided throughput when executing gaming code. Higher fps are better, naturally. We've reduced the gaming resolution to 1024x768 to downplay the potential performance-levelling effects caused by a GPU bottleneck.
Phenom 9600 performance pick up with gaming but it's still behind the two comparison CPUs.
We see the same kind of performance deficit when looking at OpenGL-based Quake 4, lagging behind both comparison CPUs, sure, but not by all that much.
And completing this 'bluewash' is the more graphically-intensive Enemy Territory. Here, though, the actual deficit may impact upon playable frame-rates.
