9. 64 Bit And 32 Bit Performance Test v6 On Windows XP Pro X64

PTv6 performs a set of thirty-two CPU, 2D and 3D graphics, memory, hard disk drive and CD drive tests. It can also do advanced tests with settable parameters involving hard disk drives, CD/DVD drives, 3D graphics, networking, memory and multitasking.

For this article, time allowed only running of the set of 32 tests. I frankly can't wait to run the advanced tests and will try to do so soon and add my findings to the results reported here.

When you see the charts for the thirty-two tests, what most of them are about should be pretty obvious. The 3D tests need a bit of explanation. There are three of them. All use DirectX 9. Each runs in a window of a specific size. The first two windows take up only part of the screen; the last uses the entire screen. The simplest test involves a set of moving balls; it runs in a window that is 640 x 480 with a color depth of 16 bits. The moderately complex test has a jet airplane flying around a somewhat highly textured environment; it runs in an 800 x 600 window with 16 bit color depth; 4X multi sampling is used. The most complex 3D graphics test has a number of planes flying around; it runs in an 800 x 600 window with 32 bit color depth and 4X multi sampling.

For the record, 2D graphics tests use the Windows Graphics Device Interface (GDI) API.

Here is the chart for the 64 bit version of Performance Test v6 running under XP Pro X64 and the 32 bit version of Performance Test v6 running in XP Pro X64's WOW64 32 bit emulator. I'll discuss the chart with you after you take some time soaking it in.