3D Mark 06 released

[Varsity]

Futuremark have released a new version of their ubiquitous benchmark tool, 3D Mark 06 (http://www.futuremark.com/products/3dmark06/), including seperate multiple-core CPU and GPU tests. 3DM06 covers HDR, Dx9, SM 2.0 and 3.0 and a lot more stuff that, frankly, I don't understand.

Download (http://www.futuremark.com/download/?3dmark06.shtml) (comment if you find a good mirror)
Homepage (http://www.futuremark.com/products/3dmark06/)

[fitbabits]

Computers everywhere just let out a collective groan.

[StoneGut]

GameSpot (http://www.gamespot.com/promos/2006/3dmark06/index.html) has a link but it only seems to be availiable to subscribers for now... for now.

[StANTo]

www.gamershell.com has several mirrors I'm grabbing it at the moment.

http://www.gamershell.com/download_12243.shtml

[Syrinx]

Fileshack has it available as well

[Rirath]

2001SE was somewhat of the definitive version for me, and also the last time it mattered. Made it easy to tell if a change helped or hurt performance. Now, there's just too many scores across too many versions, all trying to tell me I should be upgrading.

Benchmarking software would be more useful to me if it gave me real world performance for real world titles, something that should be much less than a guessing game. (Using "recommended settings" treats you like a slow child, setting things way lower than need be.)

[Borys]

600 MB, only one new test, one big fucking 'meh'.

I mean one new test?

Give me a break.

Looks very, very pretty though.

[Morratut]

I've never ran 3dmark on any of my PC's. If the real world game is smooth thats good enough for me :D

[Noiz]

Bit of a derail but does anyone else remember when these guys (and a bunch of peeps from Remedy) were the Future Crew? I remember watching Second Reality for the first time and just being blown away by it. Brings a nostalgic tear to my eye whenever I think of that epic piece of coding.

/derail

[fitbabits]

I've never ran 3dmark on any of my PC's. If the real world game is smooth thats good enough for me :D
I ran a couple until I realized it was all about bragging rights. As you rightly say, if the games I'm playing are working fine within the parameters I've set, then that's more than okay with me.

[Spiffae]

remember when 3dmark wasn't completely neutered for the free version? this isn't even a free version, it's a preview. sure, it gives you a number, but that's about it. 3dmarks have gone from being one of the first things i put on a new box to something i download, run once, and trash.

too bad.

[mos]

Until one of these benchmarking programs can tell me why I got a low score on that particular pass, or that every time it started rendering over n polys I would lose 15fps, they're just not that useful.

Let me know that it's my bus speed that's holding me back, or the fact that I've got a slower generation of RAM or something.

Otherwise, my computer runs all my games quite well, thank you. (Although I'm a bit worried about Oblivion. :) )

[Taco]

Yay for worthless software owned and managed by asshole scumbags!!!

Yeah, I hold a grudge.

[Borys]

Yay for fucking douchebags that complain about FREE stuff!!!

600 MB, only one new test, one big fucking 'meh'.

I mean one new test?

Give me a break.

Looks very, very pretty though.

Oh wait...

[AniAko]

I built a computer that was able to top 3dMark 03 last year. I doubt it would run any of the demos off of 2006 :o ;)

[AntB]

Until one of these benchmarking programs can tell me why I got a low score on that particular pass, or that every time it started rendering over n polys I would lose 15fps, they're just not that useful.

Let me know that it's my bus speed that's holding me back, or the fact that I've got a slower generation of RAM or something.

Otherwise, my computer runs all my games quite well, thank you. (Although I'm a bit worried about Oblivion. :) )


I'm with this dude on this one.

[kokyunage]

I don't really care about their scores, but my new computer parts are coming in this week and I need some torture test software. This will do nicely...

[Knite]

I'm kinda with kokyunage. I don't use it for the benchmarks. I use it for the pretty demonstration and stress testing of my hardware to check for stability.
I love the WWII beginning of 03..

[StANTo]

The software's pretty useless. The settings are locked until you (presumably) buy the 'pro' version which allows you to change anything that matters. Such as the resolution it's rendered at and antialiasing/anisotropy for starters.

As mos said; for a benchmark piece of software, this is nothing but a pretty 'tech' demo'; the likes of which got old and boring on the Amiga with their 'crack' intro's on the start of pirated games. (Don't try to tell me you haven't seen them).

3DMark has become a poor shadow of what it was. To permit free benchmarking that appeared to matter and was held on a stagnant basis to compare with your mate. Now it seems you're forced to endure a 1fps demo without any idea as to how you could improve your system without throwing money at it.

This's easy enough to pick up by most; but 'MadOnion' as they once were need to change their act. They're certainly not getting my coffers for this as it stands without some evidence as to what I'd be buying.

The ability to change screen resolution? in a tick box? More features; less belittling please.

[mixuk]

Taco,

What grudge?

[Taco]

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=18946

Note that "false and unjustified claims' was Kyle stating the obvious. 3D Mark is a worthless benchmarking tool that sucks.

[Taco]

And the followup.

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=18971

[Lunar Blue]

There are two uses for 3dMark: (1 enlarging your virtual boner (2 seeing superior graphics running realtime. I dl them only for the latter, since my 9800 will get slaughtered :P

[Sensei-X]

I'll get it just to see what they've done new in this one, but really couldn't care less about the performance numbers it outputs. After the whole ATI/nVidia driver tweaks to provide improved results fiasco I don't think anyone trust the numbers they give you.

[noxa]

Sad thing is that without paying, you can't see the new test - the only thing you can do is see the 2 old tests from 05 and then a cpu test that was so slow and ugly it was pointless. I'd never buy pro (because I just plain don't care), but with the crippleware crap this release is I won't even bother downloading the next one to check it out. Maybe that's their plan? Weed out the casual users? Seems like bad business...

[Schnoogs]

Sad thing is that without paying, you can't see the new test - the only thing you can do is see the 2 old tests from 05 and then a cpu test that was so slow and ugly it was pointless. I'd never buy pro (because I just plain don't care), but with the crippleware crap this release is I won't even bother downloading the next one to check it out. Maybe that's their plan? Weed out the casual users? Seems like bad business...

The arctic test is new

I got a 2349. Pretty bad!!