HD3870+e8400=10102 3DMark06 Score?

[tanooki]

WTF? I just did a fresh install of Vista because I thought my last install was what was giving me issues...it apparently was not. I have nothing overclocked when I run the default test and I still barely break 10000. Ever since I got this card(I had a 3850 beforehand) I have been having major stuttering issues on the last 2 test's and I'm pretty sure that's what's killing my score. I am cureently running the latest ATI 8.1 drivers and the most current 3DMark06 with the patch applied. Could this be a sign of something wrong with my card? I ran FRAPS earlier and got these results:

2008-02-13 00:36:28 - Crysis
Frames: 3675 - Time: 109306ms - Avg: 33.621 - Min: 23 - Max: 53 dx9 all high 720p

2008-02-13 00:44:06 - Crysis
Frames: 481 - Time: 34242ms - Avg: 14.047 - Min: 5 - Max: 25 dx10 very high 720p

2008-02-13 00:45:27 - Crysis
Frames: 2821 - Time: 110071ms - Avg: 25.628 - Min: 7 - Max: 49 dx10 all high 720p

2008-02-13 00:57:08 - Bioshock
Frames: 9103 - Time: 175081ms - Avg: 51.993 - Min: 6 - Max: 104 maxed no "vs" 1080p

That seems pretty OK for my card but I'm not sure. I know benchmarks and FPS don't really mean anything as long as you are satisfied but I can't get past the fact that some people are getting better scores with the 3850 and the same proc as me... Any input?

[vixro]

Overclocked video card makes a big difference. Also, when it comes to points only, Vista kills the score by about 200-500 depending on if you have the service pack or not compared to XP. Like you said, its just scores and if you are satisfied with how its going, then it shouldn't matter. My 12k score only happened in XP, with a 3.6Ghz OC and 877/1233 OC on the video card.

Although you should NOT see any stuttering while you are viewing benchmark, perhaps a little slowdown here and there but not shaking or stuttering. This can definitely be a sign of a problem which can range from MANY different factors like:

1) Drivers.
2) Driver settings.
3) DirectX updates.
4) Your OS.
5) Ram.
6) Background processes.
7) Hard drive spinning while benching.
8) Software issues.
9) Power supply.
10) Bad OC.
11) Other faulty hardware.


It's hard to find out exactly what it is without trying a lot of different things.

[tanooki]

Overclocked video card makes a big difference. Also, when it comes to points only, Vista kills the score by about 200-500 depending on if you have the service pack or not compared to XP. Like you said, its just scores and if you are satisfied with how its going, then it shouldn't matter. My 12k score only happened in XP, with a 3.6Ghz OC and 877/1233 OC on the video card.

Although you should NOT see any stuttering while you are viewing benchmark, perhaps a little slowdown here and there but not shaking or stuttering. This can definitely be a sign of a problem which can range from MANY different factors like:

1) Drivers. 8.1
2) Driver settings. Default
3) DirectX updates. Up to date
4) Your OS. Vista Home Premium
5) Ram. 2 GB Corsair XMSII PC6400
6) Background processes. I shut most of them down(maybe 30?)
7) Hard drive spinning while benching. ?
8) Software issues. Fresh install
9) Power supply. Corsair vx550
10) Bad OC. NO OC
11) Other faulty hardware. That one I have no answer for...my mobo was "open box" but other than that I buy all new hardware and have no issues other than 3dmark06.


It's hard to find out exactly what it is without trying a lot of different things.

[Hipcrostino]

dude, that looks like a perfectly good score for you system at STOCK

i get < 14000 with a 4ghz E8400 and overclocked 8800GT. and thats in XP!

[TTP]

what were your 3dmark06 settings and what were your CCC settings? Put all CCC settings on performance and rerun 3dmark06 (without AA/AF).

[Albuquerque]

I don't think that's a correct score, but let's ask a few more questions...

First, disregard the tons of warnings you hear about Vista sucking down your 3DMark06 score. I was once one of the same people who said the same thing; however I have since proven myself wrong. I have XP32 and Vista64 both on the rig in my signature, and Vista64 scores within ~30 points of XP. It's not going to make THAT kind of difference.

Second, just for sanity sake, make sure you don't have any settings in your control panel set to anything other than "App preference". Yes, I know, this is typically a no-brainer. But I've done this to myself at least once, where I set up 4xAA in the control panel for a particular game, only to later forget and then wonder why my performance is sucking canal water. Always worth a double check :)

Third, if you're getting stuttering, it might be two things: One, are you having any heat issues? Might be worth using ATI Tool or something to monitor your GPU temps while benching. Same goes for clockspeed too. Two, what are the timings on your memory?

And finally, can you post up your individual score breakout? Like:

SM2: 4140
HDR: 3990
CPU: 2180

I made those up entirely, but 3DMark's online browser will show you what those three were. Post them up, and we'll be able to more accurately tell you where it might all be missing.

[jason4207]

Is your PCIe link width at 16x?

[tanooki]

PCIe is at 16x according to CPUZ. I just upgraded to the latest 8.2 Cat drivers,set all CCC settings to performance and cranked my fan up to 100% via Rivatuner(I usually keep it at 55%). I ran 3dMark06 again,first killing all unneeded processes and now my score is actually lower...

Operating system Microsoft Windows Vista
System type 32-bit
Motherboard manufacturer ASUSTeK Computer INC.
Motherboard model P5K
Hard drive model WDC WD7500AAKS-00RBA0 ATA Device
Memory 2048 MB
Slot 1 1024 MB
Slot 2 Empty
Slot 3 1024 MB
Slot 4 Empty
Processor information
Processor Intel Core 2
Processor clock 3005 MHz
Physical and logical processors 1 / 2
Multicore 2 Processor Cores
FSB 333 MHz
Display information
Graphics card ATI Radeon HD 3870
Graphics card vendor ATI Technologies
Graphics memory 512.0
Core clock 391.0
Memory clock 564.0
Driver name ATI Radeon HD 3870
Driver version 8.453.0.0
Driver status WHQL - Not FM Approved
Linked display adapters No
Result details
Benchmark settings
Program Version 3DMark06 Revision 1 Build 0
Resolution 1280x1024
Full Screen Anti-Aliasing None
Texture Filtering Optimal
Vertex Shader Profile 3_0
Pixel Shader Profile 3_0
Force Full Precision No
Disable Post-processing No
Force Software Vertex Shaders No
Force Software FP Filtering No
Disable Harware Shadow Mapping No
Colour Mipmaps No
Repeat Count Off
Fixed Framerate Off
Main test results
3DMark Score 9947 3DMarks
SM 2.0 Score 4567
SM 3.0 Score 4438
CPU Score 2398
Test Results
Graphics Tests
1 - Return to Proxycon 34.94 FPS
2 - Firefly Forest 41.18 FPS
CPU Tests
CPU1 - Red Valley 0.77 FPS
CPU2 - Red Valley 1.2 FPS
HDR Tests
1 - Canyon Flight (SM 3.0) 39.32 FPS
2 - Deep Freeze (SM 3.0) 49.44 FPS

[tanooki]

Ok. I went ahead and got the full version of 3DMark06 just to play around with it. I found out after running all the tests seperately and multiple times that I only experience the stuttering if I run the CPU tests beforehand. My card never gets above 65c so I'm pretty sure the problem is with the motherboard maybe? I had the same problem before upgrading from an e2160 so I don't think it's the proc.

[Albuquerque]

Your SM2 and SM3 scores look approximately right for a single stock-speed card, give or take. Looks like your CPU is having problems, either due to heat throttling or your motherboard acting wierd.

And I suppose for all-stock speeds, that score isn't too far off from what I'd expect. I was comparing your score against my single-card score, but I was also comparing your 3Ghz E8400 to my 4.3Ghz E8400 -- quite a bit of difference :)

[PhysX]

yeah the cpu should have no problemn,s maybe its hot thoiugh since the oc ?. oc the card you will see a higher score.

[tanooki]

OK. I know Vista scores are worthless as well but If I recall correctly ,I was getting a 5.9 with my e2160@2.7 and I'm only getting 5.6 on the e8400@stock and 5.8@3.6 O/C...that doesn't seem right,is it? Nothing overheating to my knowledge but as I stated in another thread,I am getting very inconsistent readings from the new chip(6c-Speedfan/38c-Core Temp)at idle stock speeds.I bought the mobo as "open box" from Micro Center and another odd issue I've always had with it is sometimes when I turn the PC on it powers up for a second,powers back down foe a sec or two then starts back up fine(happens maybe 20% of the time I turn it on). Mobo problems?

[Charr]

WEI jumps all over the place. At 3.15 I got a 5.2, at 3.36 I got a 5.9, and at 3.5 I get a 5.8.

[jason4207]

What are the individual WEI scores? If you don't have RAID0 the HDD score can hold you back.

...sometimes when I turn the PC on it powers up for a second,powers back down foe a sec or two then starts back up fine(happens maybe 20% of the time I turn it on). Mobo problems?

That's a double-boot, and a lot of boards do it. Sometimes a new BIOS (or old BIOS) will fix it...sometimes you just have to live w/ it. Whenever I unplug my PC, change a piece of hardware, or just take something out like a RAM stick and put it back in, my Mobo does it, but otherwise it's fine.

[Albuquerque]

Do you want help optimizing Windows Experience Index, or 3DMark06 scores?

Whichever is more important to you, throw those individual numbers up. Last I recall, you started this thread with the intention of discussing 3DMark06 scores. Which means, we still need to see the individual SMx / HDR / CPU scores to help you any further.

[tanooki]

Do you want help optimizing Windows Experience Index, or 3DMark06 scores?

Whichever is more important to you, throw those individual numbers up. Last I recall, you started this thread with the intention of discussing 3DMark06 scores. Which means, we still need to see the individual SMx / HDR / CPU scores to help you any further.

I'm just trying to determine the weakest link in my setup that's affecting my benchmark scores,that's all. I checked Asus last month for all up to date drivers and such but totally missed the newest Bios,I flashed that last night(temps for my cpu have changed now though,33c idle?) and here are my most recent scores with a 3.6 oc on the proc..everything else at stock or auto.

[vixro]

Without an OC on the video card those scores are right on the money. I see no issues. What's holding you back now is the lack of a video card OC. These 3870s SHINE with an overclock.

[Albuquerque]

Mine individually score higher, but they came stock-clocked at 800/2400 so they perform a bit faster than "stock" 3870. Overall you're pretty close to where you should be with default speeds.

I believe mine came in somewhere around 11,500 at 800/2400 with the CPU at 3.85Ghz. Perhaps I'll run it again tonight or tomorrow and post up some single-card scores again just for comparison purposes.

[tanooki]

Mine individually score higher, but they came stock-clocked at 800/2400 so they perform a bit faster than "stock" 3870. Overall you're pretty close to where you should be with default speeds.

I believe mine came in somewhere around 11,500 at 800/2400 with the CPU at 3.85Ghz. Perhaps I'll run it again tonight or tomorrow and post up some single-card scores again just for comparison purposes.

I just broke 12k w/a 3.6 O/C and 855/1221 on the card...I think I'm alright now.I installed a new aftermarket HSF,I think the stock wasn't doing me justice.Thanks for all the help/replies.

[vixro]

Congrats, that score is right on the money.