Test Setup And Benchmarks

Test System Configuration
CPU	Intel Core i7-3960X (Sandy Bridge-E): 3.60 GHz, 15 MB Shared L3 Cache, LGA 2011
CPU Cooler	Swiftech Apogee GTX, MCP 655b, Triple-Fan Radiator Kit
RAM	G.Skill F3-17600CL9Q-16GBXLD 16 GB (4 x 4 GB) DDR3-2200, Benchmarked at DDR3-1600 CAS 9 defaults
Graphics	Nvidia GeForce GTX 580: 772 MHz GPU, GDDR5-4008
Hard Drive	Samsung 470 Series MZ5PA256HMDR, 256 GB SSD
Sound	Integrated HD Audio
Network	Integrated Gigabit Networking
Power	Seasonic X760 SS-760KM: ATX12V v2.3, EPS12V, 80 PLUS Gold
Software
OS	Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
Graphics	Nvidia GeForce 296.10
Chipset	Intel INF 9.2.3.1020

Benchmark Configuration
3D Games
DiRT 3	V1.01, Run with -benchmark example_benchmark.xml Test Set 1: High Quality Preset, No AA Test Set 2: Ultra Quality Preset, 8x AA
Metro 2033	Full Game, Built-In Benchmark, "Frontline" Scene Test Set 1: DX11, High, AAA, 4x AF, No PhysX, No DoF Test Set 2: DX11, Very High, 4x AA, 16x AF, No PhysX, DoF On
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim	Update 1.4.27, Celedon Aethirborn Level 6, 25 Seconds Fraps Test Set 1: DX11, High Details Defaults (8x AA, 8x AF) Test Set 2: DX11, Ultra Details Defaults (8x AA, 16x AF)
Audio/Video Encoding
iTunes	Version 10.4.1.10 x64: Audio CD (Terminator II SE), 53 minutes, default AAC format
Lame MP3	Version 3.98.3: Audio CD "Terminator II SE", 53 min, convert WAV to MP3 audio format, Command: -b 160 --nores (160 Kb/s)
HandBrake CLI	Version 0.95: "Big Buck Bunny" (720x480, 23.972 FPS) 5 Minutes, Audio: Dolby Digital, 48 000 Hz, Six-Channel, English, to Video: AVC Audio: AC3 Audio2: AAC (High Profile)
MainConcept Reference	Version: 2.2.0.5440: MPEG-2 to H.264, MainConcept H.264/AVC Codec, 28 sec HDTV 1920x1080 (MPEG-2), Audio: MPEG-2 (44.1 kHz, 2 Channel, 16-Bit, 224 Kb/s), Codec: H.264 Pro, Mode: PAL 50i (25 FPS), Profile: H.264 BD HDMV
Productivity
Adobe Photoshop CS5	Version 12.1 x64: Filter 15.7 MB TIF Image: Radial Blur, Shape Blur, Median, Polar Coordinates
Autodesk 3ds Max 2012	Version 14.0 x64: Space Flyby Mentalray, 248 Frames, 1440x1080
WinZip	Version 15.5 Pro: THG-Workload (464 MB) to ZIP, command line switches "-a -ez -p -r"
WinRAR	Version 4.1: THG-Workload (464 MB) to RAR, command line switches "winrar a -r -m3"
7-Zip	Version 9.22: THG-Workload (464 MB) to .7z, command line switches "a -t7z -r -m0=LZMA2 -mx=5"
ABBYY FineReader	Version 10.0.102.82: Read PDF save to Doc, Source: Political Economy (J. Broadhurst 1842) 111 Pages
Synthetic Benchmarks and Settings
SiSoftware Sandra 2011	Version 2011.10.17.80, CPU Test = CPU Arithmetic / MultiMedia, Memory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark