Just How Much Faster IS IT?

Shaith · Nov 8, 2002, 07:54 AM

This time, guys and gals, we answer that question on every upgrader's mind:

How much faster IS IT?

This review is definitely for you guys out there running older gear (like I was). Notice that the only pieces changed are the motherboard, the CPU, and memory - everything else is unchanged.

Note that all results are on default, non-overclocked machines running 3dbench 2001.

System Specs (Before)
Abit BH6
Intel P3/550
320 M PC100 (256+64)
Radeon 8500
Soundblaster Live! 5.1 XGamer
Adaptec 2940 U2W
Seagate Cheetah 318203LW LVD
Windows XP Professional SP1

3DBench2001 score: 3403

System Specs (After)
Abit KR7A-RAID
AMD Athlon 2000+ Retail Box (with HSF)
256M PC2700 CAS2
Radeon 8500
Soundblaster Live! 5.1 XGamer
Adaptec 2940 U2W
Seagate Cheetah 318203LW LVD
Windows XP Professional SP1

3DBench2001 score: 8918

While most results were completely as expected, there were indeed a couple of surprises. Fill rates were the biggest surprise of all, increasing by only a small percentage overall.

Impressions
2D performance, particularly doing things like web browsing, is astonishingly quicker. The webpages literally "pop" onto the screen, where before they seemed to "scroll" on from top to bottom, and while always quick before, there's simply no comparison.

3D performance is, as expected, a completely new experience. Games which played in a somewhat mediocre fashion before with most settings turned all the way down can now be played with the settings turned up. Radical differences were seen in games ranging from Hot Wheels VelocityX (oddly addictive) to Max Payne (nice IQ) to more complex games, such as the latest unnamed demo that's so hugely popular at the moment. As alpha software I didn't expect much before with the 550, and I got it, in the form of a 1-2 FPS slideshow. Pretty looking, but totally useless.

Color me blown away, as this evening I watched it rack up a solid 16-30 FPS, all at 1024x768. I'm speechless. If you don't know the demo to which I am referring, I invite you to crawl out from under your rock and enjoy the sunshine!

Total cost for an upgrade of this order, if done through the right channels? Right around $300, a very reasonable figure considering that the performance is nearly tripled.

Note: If your current rig is using an older, lower-wattage power supply, or a non-ATX type, for goodness sakes do yourself a favor and upgrade it too! It may well cost you as much as the processor for a quality 400-watt power supply, but you'll be thankful when your hardware actually runs instead of sitting there taking up space on the bench because it's starved for power.

That's it for this one. Tune in next week for my next review project.

See you then!

Vampyromaniac · Nov 8, 2002, 08:18 AM

Heh, very similar to my upgrade about 8 months ago, though mine wasn't as big.
I did CPU, mobo, RAM, too . . . but also had to do power supply.

Before:
Pentium III 600MHz
Intel 440BX mobo
256MB SDRAM (100MHz)
250W power supply

PCMark2002 score: 3500 total

After:
AthlonXP 1800
SiS 735 mobo
256MB DDR RAM (PC2100)
Antec 400W power supply

PCMark2002 score: 8440 total (up 141%)

Total cost: $300 (heh what a coincidence

)

Shaith · Nov 9, 2002, 07:15 AM

With just a few minor adjustments, and zero overclocking:

9167!

Nov 8, 2002, 07:54 AM	#1
Shaith HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 916 Rep Power: 0	Just How Much Faster IS IT? This time, guys and gals, we answer that question on every upgrader's mind: How much faster IS IT? This review is definitely for you guys out there running older gear (like I was). Notice that the only pieces changed are the motherboard, the CPU, and memory - everything else is unchanged. Note that all results are on default, non-overclocked machines running 3dbench 2001. System Specs (Before) Abit BH6 Intel P3/550 320 M PC100 (256+64) Radeon 8500 Soundblaster Live! 5.1 XGamer Adaptec 2940 U2W Seagate Cheetah 318203LW LVD Windows XP Professional SP1 3DBench2001 score: 3403 System Specs (After) Abit KR7A-RAID AMD Athlon 2000+ Retail Box (with HSF) 256M PC2700 CAS2 Radeon 8500 Soundblaster Live! 5.1 XGamer Adaptec 2940 U2W Seagate Cheetah 318203LW LVD Windows XP Professional SP1 3DBench2001 score: 8918 While most results were completely as expected, there were indeed a couple of surprises. Fill rates were the biggest surprise of all, increasing by only a small percentage overall. Impressions 2D performance, particularly doing things like web browsing, is astonishingly quicker. The webpages literally "pop" onto the screen, where before they seemed to "scroll" on from top to bottom, and while always quick before, there's simply no comparison. 3D performance is, as expected, a completely new experience. Games which played in a somewhat mediocre fashion before with most settings turned all the way down can now be played with the settings turned up. Radical differences were seen in games ranging from Hot Wheels VelocityX (oddly addictive) to Max Payne (nice IQ) to more complex games, such as the latest unnamed demo that's so hugely popular at the moment. As alpha software I didn't expect much before with the 550, and I got it, in the form of a 1-2 FPS slideshow. Pretty looking, but totally useless. Color me blown away, as this evening I watched it rack up a solid 16-30 FPS, all at 1024x768. I'm speechless. If you don't know the demo to which I am referring, I invite you to crawl out from under your rock and enjoy the sunshine! Total cost for an upgrade of this order, if done through the right channels? Right around $300, a very reasonable figure considering that the performance is nearly tripled. Note: If your current rig is using an older, lower-wattage power supply, or a non-ATX type, for goodness sakes do yourself a favor and upgrade it too! It may well cost you as much as the processor for a quality 400-watt power supply, but you'll be thankful when your hardware actually runs instead of sitting there taking up space on the bench because it's starved for power. That's it for this one. Tune in next week for my next review project. See you then!

Nov 8, 2002, 08:18 AM	#2
Vampyromaniac confutatis maledictis Join Date: May 2002 Location: somewhere dark Posts: 5,974 Rep Power: 77 System Specs	Heh, very similar to my upgrade about 8 months ago, though mine wasn't as big. I did CPU, mobo, RAM, too . . . but also had to do power supply. Before: Pentium III 600MHz Intel 440BX mobo 256MB SDRAM (100MHz) 250W power supply PCMark2002 score: 3500 total After: AthlonXP 1800 SiS 735 mobo 256MB DDR RAM (PC2100) Antec 400W power supply PCMark2002 score: 8440 total (up 141%) Total cost: $300 (heh what a coincidence ) __________________ *Digitalis 3.3* Athlon 64 3000 // ASUS K8V SE Deluxe // 1024MB PC3200 (2-2-2-10 1T) ATI All-In-Wonder 9700 Pro // 20" Dell 2005FPW (DVI) M-Audio Revo 7.1 + Philips Acoustic Edge // Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 320/16 Western Digital WD3200KS + 120/8 Seagate 7200.7 NEC ND-3550A 16x DVD±RW + Lite-On 52x24x CD-RW Antec Sonata case // 480W Antec TruePower personal bests \|\| Aq'3: 46796 \| 3D'01: 20461 \| 3D'03: 6336 \| 3D'05: 2677 \| PC'04: 4605 \| PC'02: 7691,9092,1250

Nov 9, 2002, 07:15 AM	Thread Starter #3
Shaith HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 916 Rep Power: 0	UPDATE - New scores! With just a few minor adjustments, and zero overclocking: 9167!