Video Perspective: AMD A10-4600M vs Core i7-3720QM on Diablo III
Subject: Graphics Cards, Processors, Mobile | June 1, 2012 - 10:52 AM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: video, trinity, Ivy Bridge, Intel, i7-3720QM, diablo iii, APU, amd, a10-4600m
So, apparently PC gamers are big fans of Diablo III, to the tune of 3.5 million copies sold in the first 24 hours. That means there are a lot of people out there looking for information about the performance they can expect on various harware configurations with Diablo III. Since we happened to have the two newest mobile processors and platforms on-hand, and because many people seemed to assume that "just about anything" would be able to play D3, we decided to put it to the test.
In our previous reviews of the AMD Trinity and Intel Ivy Bridge reference systems, the general consensus was that the CPU portion of the chip was better on Intel's side while the GPU portion was still weighted towards the AMD Trinity APU. Both of these CPUs, the A10-4600M and the Core i7-3720QM, are the highest end mobile solutions from both AMD and Intel.
The specifications weren't identical, but again, for a mobile platform, this was the best we could do. With the AMD system only having 4GB of memory compared to the Ivy Bridge system with 8GB, that is one lone "stand out" spec. The Intel HD 4000 graphics offer a noticeable upgrade from the HD 3000 on the Sandy Bridge platform but AMD's new HD 7660G (based on Cayman) also sees performance increase.
We ran our tests at 1366x768 with "high" image quality settings and ran through a section of the early part of the game a few times with FRAPs to get our performance results. We did also run some tests to an external monitor at 1920x1080 with "low" presets and AA disabled - both are reported in the video below. Enjoy!
Introduction, Product Specifications And Line-Up
Earlier this year I penned an editorial about ultrabooks. It wasn’t all that nice. I pointed out that they are slow, that they require design sacrifices that not everyone will enjoy and that ultraportables often provide a better experience at the same price or lower.
Since then I’ve also discovered, through various reviews, that ultrabooks so far have not shown any battery life advantage over ultraportables. The advantage of a low-voltage processor is consistently negated by the smaller batteries squeezed into Intel’s thin form-factor.
I’m not on the bandwagon. This, however, should not come as a surprise. It’s exceedingly rare for a company, even of Intel’s size, to knock a new product out of the park on its first try. The models that released so far were decent products in some ways, but they were also the hardware equivalent of a beta. Intel and laptop manufacturers are now responding to what they’ve discovered.
This brings us to Ivy Bridge. As I noted in my Ivy Bridge for mobile review, Intel’s architectural update seems to be more exciting for laptops than for desktops. The Core i7-3720QM we received in our Ivy Bridge reference laptop was a beast, easily defeating all previous processor benchmarks and also posting surprisingly good results in gaming tests. Despite this, battery life seemed to at least remain the same.
Continue reading our review of the Intel Ivy Bridge Core i5-3427U for Ultrabooks!!
Gigabyte Breaks Ivy Bridge and DDR3 Overclocking World Records
Subject: Motherboards | May 30, 2012 - 04:12 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: motherboard, gigabyte, Ivy Bridge, Gigabyte Z77X-UD3H
Who doesn’t love some good ‘ole fashioned overclocking? Professional overclocker HiCookie employed liquid nitrogen cooling to push an Intel Ivy Bridge Core i7 3770K processor to 7.03 GHz, breaking the previous world record. In addition, he managed to push four DIMMs of G.Skill Trident X DDR3 memory to an amazing 3.28 GHz!
Popular motherboard manufacturer Gigabyte announced today that its motherboards have been used to shatter the previous Ivy Bridge CPU and DDR3 RAM world records. Using liquid nitrogen and a Gigabyte Z77X-UD3H motherboard, the overclocker pushed the i7 3770K to 7.03 GHz. The overclock is only running on a single core (two threads), but it does show that at least some Ivy Bridge processors are capable of high overclocks despite the issues some CPUs are having. The CPUz validation and HWBot submission are available here: CPUz, HWBot.
The Z77-UD3H motherboard used to take Ivy Bridge to 7.03 GHz.
As far as memory overclocking, the company used it’s GA-Z77X-UD5H motherboard and four G.Skill Trident X DDR3 DIMMs rated for 2800 MHz to achieve 3,280 MHz speeds under heavy overclocking. Gigabyte claims that the feat was due in part to their memory tuning capabilities and motherboard engineering. It seems crazy to think that only a few years ago, people were running 800 MHz memory–and this overclocked RAM is currently running faster than my i7 860 processor!
Deputy Director of Motherboard Marketing Tim Handley stated in the press release that "these new world records highlight our belief that top notch quality and design deliver truly world-class, record breaking performance.” They also hinted that a new series of motherboards that will be released at Computex 2012 are showing even better overclocking abilities.
It will be interesting to see how long it takes for Gigabyte’s new world record to be broken. I hope that whoever does break it manages to do it with more than one core as well. The full press release is available here.
Dell Reimagines the All-in-One Computer for Consumers
Subject: Systems | May 29, 2012 - 02:46 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: all-in-one, XPS One 27, xps, Ivy Bridge, Inspiron One 23, Inspiron One 20, inspiron, dell
The quick breakdown of Dell's new lineup is ...
The XPS One 27 all in one PC starts at price of $1,399 has a high end Ivy Bridge i5 or i7 with an optional GT640M, an impressive 27" 2560x1440 display, up to 16GB of DDR3 and ships with up to a 2TB HDD with an optional 32GB SSD for Intel SRT.
The Inspiron One 23 is $749 and will mostly contain mid-range i5s and i3s (an i7 is an option), an optional Radeon HD7650A, a 23" 1080p monitor, up to 8GB of RAM and up to a 2TB HDD, no SSD option on this one though.
Lastly the Inspiron One 20 has a low cost of $529 and will get you running with a SandyBride based Pentium G620T or an Ivy Bridge i3-2120T, the 20" 1600x900 will be powered by Intel's onboard graphics, 6GB of DDR3 and up to a 1TB HDD.
Read on for the full details
Dell is reimagining the all-in-one computer, with a new portfolio of solutions for consumers who desire beautifully designed systems for multimedia creation and entertainment. The new computers include the XPS One 27, Dell’s largest ever all-in-one and part of the premium XPS performance family, and the Inspiron One 23 and Inspiron One 20 all-in-one computers for families. The three desktop computers are slim and stylish and reflect Dell’s design aesthetic that places a premium on unique materials, form factors and experiences.
XPS One 27: Powerful Simplicity, Powerful Creativity
The XPS One 27 delivers a big-screen experience – from the diagonal to the resolution – with one of the most vibrant displays Dell has offered. The XPS One 27 is 27-inches of stunning 2560x1440 Full Quad HD clarity and color. The wide format 16:9 WLED display makes digital work, movies, games and photos appear crisp, colors vivid. It delivers optional high-performance graphics from NVIDIA and entertainment features such as Waves MaxxAudio 4 and Infinity-branded speakers, an optional slot load Blu-ray disc drive, and optional internal TV tuner, making it an entertainment and multimedia powerhouse.The gorgeous design extends beyond the all-in-one PC’s vibrant display. The combination of a slim, space-saving metallic silver color housing, “clutter-free” one-cord design, and wireless keyboard and mouse, ensures the XPS One 27 is a beautiful addition from any angle to any room.
On the inside, Dell packs 3rd Generation Intel Quad Core processors with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, balancing quad core processing with efficient power use – even while running multiple programs at once. With an optional mSATA SSD drive and Intel Smart Response Technology, and four USB 3.0 ports, the XPS One 27 delivers a noticeable speed boost on start-up, resume and data transfer.
Inspiron One 23 and Inspiron One 20: Big Value, Minimal Space
Featuring a simple, single cord set-up, the new space-saving Inspiron all-in-one computers make life easy and deliver powerful entertainment for the whole family. The latest Intel processors and optional powerful discrete graphics allow parents and kids to stay connected to each other and to enjoy the things they love, such as music, movies and casual gaming.A result of direct customer feedback, the Inspiron One 23 now features a new sleek pedestal stand that supports a Full HD 1080p WLED 23-inch display. With an optional Blu-ray disc drive and optional internal TV tuner, as well as ample storage for music, movies and photos, the Inspiron One 23 is an attractive addition to the family living room.
The Inspiron One 20 delivers everyday connectivity and computing in a clean and simple design, making it a smart investment at a competitive price. The all-in-one PC provides a clutter-free work area with full desktop-equivalent performance, allowing customers to stay organized and efficient and keep up with family and friends.
“As part of the reimagining of our entire XPS and Inspiron portfolio, we are likewise reimagining our all-in-ones as stunning systems that are the centerpiece of any room. They deliver a captivating user experience that will inspire our customers to create their best work and consume all the content they love,” said Sam Burd, vice president and general manager of product development for Dell. “The XPS One 27, Inspiron One 23 and Inspiron One 20 deliver phenomenal value and offer our customers compelling choices that meet their unique needs.”
Pricing and Availability: The XPS One 27 (starting at $1,399), Inspiron One 23 (starting at $749) and Inspiron One 20 (starting at $529) all-in-one computers are available today in select countries in Asia and will be available in the United States and additional countries in the coming weeks.
Click for the full list of specs ...
The best valued model of the ASUS P8Z77 family of motherboards
Subject: Motherboards | May 28, 2012 - 02:58 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: P8Z77-V, lga1155, Ivy Bridge, asus
At $185, the ASUS P8Z77-V is technically a value board for Ivy Bridge as motherboards with this chipset tend to carry a high price. There are lower priced boards but they are missing some of the features which make this board stand out among its competition. While it does support CrossFire and SLI, with only three PCIe slots in total you will only get 8x speeds when you are using two graphics cards, although testing has shown there is little difference between that and a full 16x. ASUS also included legacy PCI slots for those of you with old cards that you simply cannot live without. [H]ard|OCP gave this board a Gold Award thanks to the decent feature set included in a sub-$200 board as well as the rock solid performance it displayed during their testing.
"The ASUS P8Z77-V is among the latest entries into the ASUS motherboard Intel Z77 Express Chipset series. The P8Z77-V is poised as a more value oriented solution, potentially representing a great bang for your buck option if a Z77 chipset motherboard and Ivy Bridge processor get you excited."
Here are some more Motherboard articles from around the web:
- ASRock Z77E-ITX Motherboard @ Hardware Secrets
- Gigabyte GA-Z77MX-D3H Review – Z77 and MicroATX @ AnandTech
- ASUS Maximus V Gene @ Bjorn3D
- Asus Z77 Roundup @ LanOC Reviews
- Gigabyte G1.Sniper M3 @ eTeknix
- Gigabyte G1.Sniper M3 Motherboard @ Hardware Secrets
- ASRock Fatal1ty Z77 Professional Review - IDE and Floppy on Z77 @ AnandTech
- ECS Elitegroup Z77H2-AX Golden Board (Z77) Motherboard Review @ eTeknix
- ASUS P8 Z68-V/GEN3 @ LanOC Reviews
- GIGABYTE G1.Assassin 2 Motherboard Review @ Techgage
- Sapphire Pure Platinum Z77K Review @ OCC
- ASUS Maximus V GENE @ Tweaktown
- 16 Intel X79 Socket 2011 motherboards round-up @ Hardware.Info
- BIOS Option Of The Week - Asynclat @ TechARP
- Motherboard Sizing @ LanOC Reviews
AMD and Intel both need to improve their Linux support
Subject: General Tech | May 28, 2012 - 01:00 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: linux, Intel, amd, Ivy Bridge, llano, opencl
Two different stories today focus on how both major CPU vendors have allowed their support for the new features present in their architectures to fall behind for Linux OSes. From The Inquirer we hear about the how poor OpenCL support from AMD is leaving APU accelerated computing for Linux to lag behind Windows development. This goes far beyond purely graphical tasks and the complaints we have heard from gamers as OpenCL is a computing language that can handle far more than just pushing pixels. The two most common OpenCL applications that people are familiar with are the GPU clients for BOINC and Folding@Home, which enable you to chug work units on your graphics card or the graphics cores on your CPU. AMD's Neal Robinson who is the current senior director of Consumer Developer Support has taken up the challenge of promoting Linux OpenCL support from within AMD, so keep your eyes peeled for news from his team.
Intel's Ivy Bridge is no better according to Phoronix, as testing shows very little improvement on the default Ubuntu Unity desktop with Compiz. That is what allows Ubuntu users to show the iconic Desktop Cube on the Gnome desktop environment and using it shows negative effects on the general performance of the system. Switching to KDE and OpenGL generally resulted in better performance as did Xfce. Phoronix does not hold out much hope for the improvement of Compiz on Ivy Bridge processors or Intel's open source drivers for the near future, either for graphics or GPU accelerated computation.
"For AMD flaky Linux support isn't just a matter of gamers complaining, but now with its APUs, standard applications are simply not making use of the compute power that AMD needs to compete with Intel."
Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
- Crazy Texans dunk servers in DEEP FRYERS @ The Register
- Reading RFID cards from afar easily @ Hack a Day
- 450mbps routers reviewed: 14 of the fastest models @ Hardware.Info
- The New x264 HD Benchmark 5.0 Is Here @ TechARP
- Weekly Gaming Giveaway #3: Waveform @ eTeknix
Another look at ASUS' reference Ivy Bridge notebook, the N56VM
Subject: Mobile | May 24, 2012 - 03:40 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: n56, mobile, laptop review, laptop, Ivy Bridge, asus
You are likely already familiar with the ASUS N56VM from Matt's review, if not you really should check it out. He was not the only one to receive this laptop to test out though, as The Tech Report also recently published a look at this powerful notebook. The new Core i7-3720QM really stands out and tops the performance charts, while the Nvidia GeForce GT 630M helps this notebook stand out for moderate gaming duties. They were disappointed with the battery life as it is not noticeably improved from the previous generation, however it will get a lot more done in the time that it has a charge to run on.
"Join us as we take a 15.6" notebook with a quad-core Ivy Bridge CPU and discrete GeForce 600M graphics through our mobile test suite."
Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:
- Samsung Series 7 (NP700G7C-S01US) Review @ TechReviewSource
- ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 Android Tablet Review @ HardwareHeaven
- Asus G75VW-DS71 Review @ TechReviewSource
- ASUS Zenbook Prime (UX21A) Review: The First of the 2nd Gen Ultrabooks @ AnandTech
- Lenovo IdeaPad Y480 Review @ TechReviewSource
- Mobile CPU Comparison Guide @ TechARP
- The Archos G9 Tablet Reviews: Fast Enough @ AnandTech
- Genius Ring Presenter Wireless Device @ Pro-Clockers
- Cooler Master ARC Macbook and iPad Stand @ Benchmark Reviews
- WiMAX vs. LTE: Should You Switch? @ TechReviewSource
- HTC One X Android Smartphone Review @ HardwareHeaven
- Android to the Maxx, DROID Razr Maxx @ LanOC Reviews
- Blackberry Curve 9320 @ The Inquirer
- HTC One V @ The Inquirer
Podcast #203 - ASUS N56VM notebook, XFX 7850s and 7870s, Thunderbolt on Windows and more!
Subject: General Tech | May 24, 2012 - 02:59 PM | Ken Addison
Tagged: video, xfx, thunderbolt, podcast, msi, Ivy Bridge, Intel, asus, amd, 7870, 7850, 680
PC Perspective Podcast #203 - 05/24/2012
Join us this week as we talk about the ASUS N56VM notebook, XFX 7850s and 7870s, Thunderbolt on Windows and more!
You can subscribe to us through iTunes and you can still
The URL for the podcast is: http://pcper.com/podcast - Share with your friends!
- iTunes - Subscribe to the podcast directly through the iTunes Store
- RSS - Subscribe through your regular
RSS reader - MP3 - Direct download link to the MP3 file
Hosts: Ryan Shrout, Jeremy Hellstrom, Josh Walrath, and Allyn Malvantano
Program Schedule:
- Introduction
- 1-888-38-PCPER or podcast@pcper.com
- http://pcper.com/podcast
- http://twitter.com/ryanshrout and http://twitter.com/pcper
- 0:02:00 You talked about all the cool stuff last week!
- 0:13:30 Antec High Current Pro Platinum 1000 watt PSU
- 0:16:20 ASUS N56VM Ivy Bridge Notebook - our reference system
- 0:17:30 XFX HD 7870 and HD 7850 Black Edition
- 0:28:25 Unreal Engine 4 Screenshots
- 0:31:00 AMD to stop making "needlessly powerful" CPUs
- 0:42:00 NVIDIA is not recalling Kepler
- 0:45:00 Thunderbolt for Windows from ASUS and MSI announced
- 0:48:30 Josh's Banana Phone - VIA $49 Android PC
- 0:51:30 Seagate to purchase LaCie
- 0:56:30 The discrete graphics card is not dead
- 1:02:00 Hardware / Software Pick of the Week
- Ryan: Pegasus R4 Thunderbolt External Storage
- Jeremy: DeLorean Hovercraft or levitating bed? Or I could go old school.
- Josh: Some Thieving Goodies from Way Back
- Allyn: Paragon Hard Disk Manager 12 - alignment for SSDs integral with partition moves / resizes / etc
- 1-888-38-PCPER or podcast@pcper.com
- http://pcper.com/podcast
- http://twitter.com/ryanshrout and http://twitter.com/pcper
- Closing
Introduction, Design, User Interface
When Ivy Bridge was released Ryan did a deep-dive and desktop review while I worked on a review of the mobile processor. My mobile review was based on a reference laptop known as the ASUS N56VM. Although considered a “reference platform,” the laptop is really a production product and successor to the outgoing ASUS N55. We held off on a full review to provide coverage of the new G75, but now it’s time to revisit the N56.
This is an important product for ASUS. The 15.6” laptop remains a sales leader and the N56 will likely be the company’s flagship in this arena for the coming year. This means it won’t be a high-volume model, but it serve as a “halo product” – an example of what ASUS is capable of. If the company follows its usually modus operandi we’ll see this same chassis used as the basis for a number of variations at different price points with different hardware.
As you may remember from our Ivy Bridge for mobile review, the model we received is equipped with a Core i7-3720QM processor. It’s hard to say if this is a mid-range quad given the limited number of Ivy Bridge products available so far, but it probably will end up in that role. What about the rest of the system? Well, take a look.
Continue reading our review of the ASUS N56VM Ivy Bridge Notebook!!
Podcast #201 - GTX 690 review, ASUS G75V Ivy Bridge Notebook review, a Vertex 4 update and more!
Subject: Editorial | May 10, 2012 - 03:56 PM | Ken Addison
Tagged: Vertex 4, podcast, nvidia, Ivy Bridge, Intel, gtx690, g75v, amd, 690
PC Perspective Podcast #201 - 05/10/2012
Join us this week as we talk about our GTX 690 review, ASUS G75V Ivy Bridge Notebook review, a Vertex 4 update and more!
You can subscribe to us through iTunes and you can still
The URL for the podcast is: http://pcper.com/podcast - Share with your friends!
- iTunes - Subscribe to the podcast directly through the iTunes Store
- RSS - Subscribe through your regular
RSS reader - MP3 - Direct download link to the MP3 file
Hosts: Ryan Shrout, Jeremy Hellstrom, Josh Walrath, and Allyn Malvantano
Program Schedule:
- Introduction
- 1-888-38-PCPER or podcast@pcper.com
- http://pcper.com/podcast
- http://twitter.com/ryanshrout and http://twitter.com/pcper
- Win a Netgear R6300 802.11ac router!!
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 Review - Dual GK104 Kepler Greatness
- ASUS G75V Review: Gaming Goes Ivy
- Greater than 20 Percent of Malware Articles Miss the Point
- Trinity Improvements Include Updated Piledriver Cores and VLIW4 GPUs
- More Leaks Emerge on NVIDIA’s Kepler Based GTX 670 GPU
- Ready for Diablo III? Not with Catalyst 12.4 you're not.
- Corsair Launches Air Series of High Airflow and High Static Pressure Fans
- Steam Allows Remote Installation of Games
- OCZ Updates Vertex 4 Enthusiasts to 1.4 Release Candidate Firmware
- Windows Media Center To Be A Pro Only Feature In Windows 8
- Good news from TSMC for NVIDIA and you
- Hardware / Software Pick of the Week
- Ryan: ASUS N66U Dual-band Router
- Jeremy: Wave your hands like an idiot for free
- Josh: Not exactly mine, but good.
- Allyn: pqi U819V 3cm USB3
- 1-888-38-PCPER or podcast@pcper.com
- http://pcper.com/podcast
- http://twitter.com/ryanshrout and http://twitter.com/pcper
- Closing
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