3dMark06 = 4890??? on 8600GT + Q6600

[Burninate]

Actually they're still below the norm

I have an e2140 @ 3.2Ghz and a 8600GT. I get over 5000 even with the 8600 at stock, and just below 5900 with it overclocked.

Your Quad should trounce my CPU even at the higher clock in the CPU section, so it still seems a bit low in all honesty.

I'm not positive, but 3dmark may not utilize the quad core much, if at all. If that's the case and it doesn't utilize over 1M of cache, then that would explain the similar 3dmark06 scores assuming the bottleneck lies in the GPU and not the CPU.

I'm not saying that the 8600 GT is or will ever be better than any 8800 series card. I was just saying that for under $100, it does offer some pretty good performance. If it does what the OP needs it to do, then spending $260+ on another card that won't do what he does any better would be a waste of money. On my laptop, I really only run IE and Office apps and it has integrated graphics. I didn't get the 7900 or any other dedicated graphics because it would have added extra cost and performance (not to mention reduced battery life, more heat, and extra weight) that I would have never really used.

 

[PMental]

I'm not positive, but 3dmark may not utilize the quad core much, if at all. If that's the case and it doesn't utilize over 1M of cache, then that would explain the similar 3dmark06 scores assuming the bottleneck lies in the GPU and not the CPU.

I'm not saying that the 8600 GT is or will ever be better than any 8800 series card. I was just saying that for under $100, it does offer some pretty good performance.

I think it does actually, but that's easily checked, I get about 2800 points in the CPU test (just above, 2811 or so), he can just compare with his.

I upgraded (new MB, CPU, memory and GFX) to be able to play Bioshock in full glory and boy it works great. I play at 1280x960 with everything maxed out. I played for 5 hours without a hickup yesterday and afterwards realized I hadn't even loaded my OC profile in RivaTuner so I as playing at stock speeds. Now I just need Vista so I can get that extra DX10 candy and it's all good.

I'll get a better card eventually, but this will last me until the next generation DX10 cards (DX10.1 whatever). Rainbow Six Vegas looks and works great too, and that's much more demanding than Bioshock somehow.

 

[freeagent]

I'm not positive, but 3dmark may not utilize the quad core much, if at all.

oh yeah, it does my gts320 was running at 648/918 in that run ( i think.. it couldve been 621/936, but i doubt it)

 

[PMental]

CPU Score of 5390 vs my 2811 pretty much answers that question

That means it still looks like his 8600GT is underperforming even for a 8600GT.

I'm going to run a benchmark with my card on stock speeds when I get home and see what score I get.