Benchmarks II
The memory-intensive SETI benchmark, one that takes multiple hours to complete, should separate the field a little further.
The 0 rating attributed to the MAX3 running with 267MHz memory highlights the unstable nature of that setup. The board could run at 267MHz (DDR534) without a problem, but the memory would often fail within 20 minutes or so. Raising its voltage didn't seem to cure the problem. Again, the tuned, stock MAX3 heads the pack. The difficulty with the tuned setup is obtaining memory that can withstand the assault imposed by the settings .
A new addition to the benchmarking suite is Realstorm Raytracing. Raytracing puts the entire load on the CPU and memory subsystem, and it also calls for masses of FPU power, something that the Barton XP3200+ is rather good at. The different IC7-MAX3 configurations all benchmark within 0.5FPS of one another. However, having said that, differences in memory efficiency or bandwidth always produces a higher result.