Test Setup
Comparison Configurations |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Model | |||
| Firmware Version | E7C73IMS.123 |
1302 |
|
| Price | £260 |
£430 |
|
| Chipset | Intel Z490 |
AMD X570 |
|
| CPU | Intel Core i9-10900K |
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X |
|
| CPU Cores / Threads | 10 / 20 |
12 / 24 |
|
| CPU Base Clock / Turbo | 3.7GHz / 5.2GHz |
2.9GHz / 4.3GHz |
|
| CPU TDP | 125W |
105W |
|
| Memory | G.Skill Trident Z DDR4-3200 Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-4800 (OC) |
||
| Memory Speed | DDR4-2933 |
DDR4-3200 |
|
| Memory Timings | 14-14-14-34-2T |
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| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti FE (445.87) |
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| Primary Storage Device | Corsair MP600 1TB PCIe 4.0 |
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| Secondary Storage Device | Corsair MP600 2TB PCIe 4.0 |
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| CPU cooling | Noctua NH-D15S single fan |
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| Power Supply | be quiet! Dark Power Pro 10 (1,000W) |
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| Operating System | Windows 10 v1909 (64-bit) |
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Benchmark Suite |
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CPU Benchmarks |
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| HEXUS PiFast | Our number-crunching benchmark stresses a single core by calculating Pi to 10m places | ||||||||||
| Cinebench Release 20 | Using Cinebench's multi-CPU render, this cross-platform benchmark stresses all cores | ||||||||||
| Blender 2.82 | Running the Classroom benchmark | ||||||||||
Storage Benchmarks |
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| CrystalDiskMark | Free-to-use benchmark testing sequential storage performance. | ||||||||||
Memory Benchmarks |
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| AIDA64 | Benchmark that accurately depicts memory bandwidth and latency | ||||||||||
System Benchmarks |
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| 3DMark Time Spy | DX12 graphics benchmark run using the Time Spy test | ||||||||||
| PCMark 10 | System test using the standard preset | ||||||||||
| Civilization VI: Gathering Storm | AI benchmark run at FHD to determine CPU involvement | ||||||||||
Gaming Benchmarks |
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| Civilization VI: Gathering Storm | 1,920x1,080 ultra settings | ||||||||||
| Far Cry New Dawn | 1,920x1,080 ultra settings | ||||||||||
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 1,920x1,080 highest settings | ||||||||||
Miscellaneous Benchmarks |
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| Power Consumption | To emulate real-world usage scenarios, we record system-wide mains power draw when idle, when rendering via Blender and while playing SOTTR | ||||||||||
Notes
For our first review of an Z490 motherboard, we're comparing against an equivalent AMD platform with respect to cost. The Ryzen 9 3900X sports two more cores, four more threads, though a lower peak and sustained frequency. It's also about £100 cheaper than the street price of the Core i9-10900K.
Balancing matters somewhat, we have chosen to go with a more expensive X570 board. Point is, both board and CPU combinations are likely to cost around £800, so it's a fair premium comparison for those looking at the foundations of a throughly decent DIY build.
