Microsoft Excel 2007

Excel can be a very powerful mathematical tool. In this benchmark we're running a Monte Carlo simulation on a very large spreadsheet of stock pricing data.

Microsoft Excel 2007 SP1 - Monte Carlo Simulation

The Excel test is peculiar in its results. It must be one of the few situations where Bloomfield's memory bandwidth advantage is seen as even the Core i7 870 can't outperform the i7 920. The Core 2 Quad Q9650 does well thanks to its large 12MB L2 cache, as does the Q6600 with a beefy 8MB cache.

Sony Vegas Pro 8: Blu-ray Disc Creation

Although technically a test simulating the creation of a Blu-ray disc, the majority of the time in our Sony Vegas Pro benchmark is spend encoding the 25Mbps MPEG-2 video stream and not actually creating the Blu-ray disc itself.

Sony Vegas Pro 8 - Blu-ray Disc Image Creation (25Mbps MPEG-2)

Hyper Threading is good for about 4% here, giving the 920 the slight edge over the Core i5 750.

Sorenson Squeeze: FLV Creation

Another video related benchmark, we're using Sorenson Squeeze to convert regular videos into Flash videos for use on websites.

Sorenson Squeeze Pro 5 - Flash Video Creation

The i5 750 pays the HT penalty, taking another 20 seconds to render our test video than the i7 920. It is still faster than the Phenom II X4 965 BE at a much lower cost. The Core i7 870 comes close but can't beat the i7 975.

3D Rendering Performance Archiving Performance
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  • JonnyDough - Tuesday, September 8, 2009 - link

    Anyone who buys a $1000 CPU has more money than brains. If you wait six months you can buy a newer budget processor for about 1/15 of the cost, overclock it and obtain the same result. I would think that $925 would be more valuable to someone with sense than bragging rights for six months. I was taught that when people brag they are vain morons. A person's value should not be estimated by the stuff they have, but by the choices they make. We all get a lot in life, it's what you do with it that sets you apart. Unfortunately our society is ruled by greed and capitalism. I choose to speak against that. If you have a problem with that, I suggest you take it up with the greedy capitalist complaint department. They don't care either.
  • max347 - Wednesday, September 9, 2009 - link

    Hmm, it would seem to me that someone who has $1k to spend on a cpu probably has "alot of brains", hence the better-than-average financial position, enabling the purchase in the first place.

    Also, you equate greed to capitalism. This is clearly false. People get what they work for in a capitalist society. I am not saying it is perfect, though what would be a better alternative? People are not going to be financially equal, as some work harder than others. To dispute this would demonstrate a lack of experience...to say the least.

    Someone chooses to get the best. It's their money, their choice. But you're right, you should probably call them a greedy capitalist.
  • fullcooler - Wednesday, September 9, 2009 - link

    wow, you said that way calmer than I would have. very classy reply to a young leftist. perhaps when obama passes the "free $1000 cpu's for lazy punk leftists" plan, you and I can pay for his cpu,and he wont be a sellout to the man by working for it.
  • imaheadcase - Tuesday, September 8, 2009 - link

    I hate people who used that phrase "Has more money than brains". Doesn't it stand to reason, they have brains..if they have more money than you to buy the CPU... lol
  • JNo - Tuesday, September 8, 2009 - link

    Not necessarily - they might have inherited the money for example.

    Maybe you have more money than brains too...
  • JonnyDough - Tuesday, September 8, 2009 - link

    Yep. These people sound like they have no idea how to be frugal with money. It's ok though, a fool and his money are soon parted.
  • lyeoh - Thursday, September 10, 2009 - link

    Stop doing that ok?

    If you discourage too many rich/stupid people from buying the bleeding edge stuff it just makes it harder for the rest of us.

    Poor folks like me need those rich guys to rush out and buy the expensive CPUs (and GPUs etc) and work all the bugs out, get the production line ramped up etc.

    Then 6-12 months later we have good and cheap stuff to buy.

    The best CPU costs way less than an expensive house anyway, so it's not like he's going to cause some sort of nation wide or global financial crisis.
  • VaultDweller - Tuesday, September 8, 2009 - link

    Maybe they don't know how to be frugal with money.

    Maybe they don't NEED to be frugal with money.

    Sure, a fool and his money are soon parted - but so is a brilliant rich man who has more money than he needs.
  • niva - Tuesday, September 8, 2009 - link

    I disagree with your first statement. There are people who simply want the best/fastest and will pay the money for it. Only in the last 3 or 4 years has top of the line performance become relevant only for gaming. A few years ago all sorts of pros needed the fastest they can get their hands on and purchases like $1k per CPU were actually justified.

    Now just because you can't afford a 1k CPU and never have been, doesn't mean people who buy such things are morons. Same goes for buying a Ferrari by the way. Quit being a jealous putz, thanks!
  • JonnyDough - Tuesday, September 8, 2009 - link

    When you compare value ratios, yes. A $1000 CPU is soon worth about $75. A Ferrari sold as parts is worth about 1/15 of the price also. I didn't think I'd have to spell it out for you.

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