System Setup and Notes
Hardware and Software
Test Platforms
| SavRow Katana 3D-9 Portable Workstation | Intel Pentium 4 System | |
| Processor(s) | Intel Pentium 4 560 3.6GHz, 1MiB L2 200MHz GTL+ |
Intel Pentium 4 560 3.6GHz, 1MiB L2 200MHz GTL+ |
| Mainboard | Clevo D900 | ASUS P5AD2-E Premium |
| Memory | 2 x Corsair PC2-4300 4.0-4-4-11 @ 533MHz |
2 x 512MB Micron PC2-4200 4.0-4-4-11 @ 533MHz |
| BIOS Version | 10th January 2005 | 1st February 2005 |
| Disk Drive | 100GB Seagate Momentus | 74GB Western Digital Raptor |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA Quadro FX Go1400 256MB PEG16X 71.91 ForceWare |
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400 128MB PEG16X 71.91 ForceWare |
| Operating System | Windows XP Professional, SP2 | |
| Mainboard Software | Intel INF Update Utility 6.3.0.1007 | |
Benchmark Software
Canopus ProCoder v1.50
Cinebench 2003
Kribibench v1.1
ScienceMark 2.0 7th Feb 2005 Build
3D Studio Max v6
SPECviewperf v8.01
FutureMark 3DMark05
CPU-Z
Notes
The main aim of our benchmarks was to compare the SavRow's performance with that of a broadly equivalent desktop system - to see if it stands up as a desktop replacement.One of the primary reasons being that if you're a professional needing a notebook with the power of NVIDIA Quadro FX Go1400 - which includes its specialist 3D application qualified device drivers, and technical support - at the time of writing there's no other laptop we know of with the same configuration as the SavRow Katana 3D-9.
Last year however, we did review the MV Ixius 3.6 and this is broadly comparable, though it was equipped with a 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Go graphics unit, not the Quadro FX Go1400 as fitted in the SavRow tested here.
Logically, you'd expect us to include here performance figures for that PC but, trouble is, we've changed our benchmarks for greater accuracy in a 3D workstation environment, which is what the NVIDIA Quadro FX Go1400 based SavRow Katana 3D-9 is targeted for; furthermore it's hard to draw sensible comparisons between old and new. Nonetheless, that review, and the associated comments in our forums will help better put the Katana into context, so do check them out.
The desktop machine I assembled to go head-to-head with the Katana 3D-9 centred on an Intel i925XE-based ASUSTeK mainboard. Memory was clocked at the same speed and timings as the Katana 3D-9, and I fitted a desktop NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400 graphics accelerator.
The clocks of the Quadro FX Go were 330MHz core, 1000MHz memory. The desktop version comes in at a slightly higher 350MHz core speed but significantly slower 600MHz frequency. A range of workstation applications are used to test performance, with a few tests from our usual platform test suite to check out CPU performance. Note that along with much slower video memory the desktop Quadro FX 1400 has half the framebuffer that the mobile Go version does. That should make the Quadro Go a formidable part for mobile workstation users, even compared to its equivalent desktop model which you'd expect to be the more powerful.
Being a Quadro, the driver has specific profiles for various professional applications, including 3D Studio Max and Cinema4D, both of which I used for testing (the Cinema4D renderer powers Cinebench). If a test could benefit from a specific profile, that profile was activated in the driver.
The laptop was tested powered by the mains at all times, barring the battery life test, of course.
System Information and Screen Captures
CPU-Z CPU PropertiesWindow Device Manager Listing
Display Properties Information
Quadro FX Go1400 Frequencies
CPU-Z Mainboard Properties
CPU-Z Memory Properties
CPU-Z Memory Information
Monitor Setup
My Computer Properties
OpenGL Driver Options
