Weird Quake 3 Benchmarks

viking · July 30, 2002 2:20AM

I just got a Powerbook 667mhz DVI and I ran some Quake 3 timedemo tests in the same configurations as those seen on xlr8yourmac.com and barefeats.com and my scores were even better than the 800mhz powerbook tested at xlr8yourmac and only a few fps off the 800mhz at barefeats. Any thoughts? Did Apple energize the latest batch of 667's?

zapchud · July 30, 2002 3:08AM

The difference is the configs used when benchmarking. Without using the same config, a benchmark in Q3 (or anything) is waste of effort. The config specifies the options, like resolution, texture detail, sound volume, and key bindings, and can be tweaked for maximum performance or maximum visuals.

For example, on my G4 466 with GeForce 2 MX i get 117 fps on average using the standard four.dm_67 demo and my utterly tweaked config. A PC-using mate gets 105 fps with Dual PentiumIII 1000 and GeForce 3Ti500. The difference is the config.

viking · July 30, 2002 10:46AM

Thanks fot the info. I did not know that. I'll check it out.

viking · July 30, 2002 12:56PM

I checked the config file and they are exactly the same as the ones recorded on (untweaked config files.) I ran tests again this morning and I got the same results. This morning I got 4 fps more than the recorded 800mhz.

blizaine · July 30, 2002 1:04PM

check you system profile. Maybe apple accedently sent you the 800Mhz one!

wouldn't that be cool!

cyko95 · July 30, 2002 1:08PM

What fps are you getting? Just curious.

eric reid · July 30, 2002 2:08PM

4 frames per second is not much of a difference, especially if it's really high to begin with. Taking that into account, you could assume the 800mhz and the 667mhz machines are running the tests and getting equal results. How is this possible? It doesn't all come down to clock speed, remember. There are other bottlenecks that exist in the system. It could be the graphics card, the bus, the ram speed, HD, etc, all of which are identical on the 2 machines. If the system bus or anything else can't get the data to the processor fast enough, then it doesn't matter how fast the chip is.

zapchud · July 30, 2002 2:56PM

[quote]Originally posted by viking:

I checked the config file and they are exactly the same as the ones recorded on (untweaked config files.) I ran tests again this morning and I got the same results. This morning I got 4 fps more than the recorded 800mhz.<hr></blockquote>

Can you post this config here? (in a linked .txt file please)

And, did you run the same version of Q3 as the 800? This IS weird.

viking · July 30, 2002 6:51PM

Here are my results:

Quake3 1.31b5 tests in OS X

High quality

32 bit mode

No tweaked config file

1024x768

Xlr8yourmacs' 800mhz powerbook: 69.3 fps

My 667 DVI mhz: 74.6 fps (just ran today again)

Same as above but with 640 x 480

Xlr8yourmacs' 800mhz: 72.5 fps

My 667 DVI: 78.7 fps (just ran today again)

Someone on xl8yourmac.com wrote in on the bottom of the page comparing an Imac to the 667mhz. I tried his settings too.

"I compared my new PowerBook 667 to my 700 Mhz Flat panel iMac in Quake 3:

I used the following settings:"

Texture quality: 32bit

max Texture detail

Color Depth: 32bit

Lightmap

Trinilinear Texture filter

Geometric Detail: High

1024x768:

PB: 53.2 FPS

iMac: 39 FPS

My 667mhz: 58.2

800x600:

PB: 57.3 FPS

iMac: 48.5 FPS

My 667mhz: 62.5 FPS

640x480:

PB: 58.7 FPS

iMac: 50.2 FPS

My 667mhz: 62.7 FPS

I guess a few frames per second is nothing much but its nice to know that benchmarks can be different from computer to computer. I'll take whatever I can get.

sizzle chest · July 30, 2002 6:59PM

Maybe somebody snuck into your house and overclocked your machine while you were sleeping?

viking · July 30, 2002 7:13PM

lol. I wish Macs could be overclocked today like the way they were in the good ole days. I just bought the computer so maybe it has to with newer ATI extensions? I should check that. I'll let you know.

zapchud · July 31, 2002 2:45AM

What demo did you use when timedemoing?

You did use the standard four.dm_67, didnt't your?

powerdoc · August 1, 2002 3:00PM

The latest version of the powerbook 667 have a 1 MB L3 Cache at the contrary of the previous version. If you compare the new version with the old one there will be a difference.

I must add that the new version has the radeon 7500 and the old one just the normal radeon chip mobility.

So new powerbook G4 667 : L3 cache and new video card. If XLR8MAC was benchmarking the old version ; it's normal.

zapchud · August 1, 2002 4:07PM

powerdoc, what he is saying is that his new 667 performs better than the new 800 in Q3 supposedly with the same config (which I doubt even I'm aware of the above statements).

So the only advantage is processor clock speed, which goes in the loser-of-the-bench's favor.

powerdoc · August 2, 2002 12:43AM

[quote]Originally posted by r-0X#Zapchud:

powerdoc, what he is saying is that his new 667 performs better than the new 800 in Q3 supposedly with the same config (which I doubt even I'm aware of the above statements).

So the only advantage is processor clock speed, which goes in the loser-of-the-bench's favor.<hr></blockquote>

Well if it is the case, there is no explanation possible ...except bad benchmarking

viking · August 2, 2002 1:20AM

Sorry, but I've been busy lately so I haven't had time to respond. I'm not sure really how to repond. I am not tweaking the config file. Maybe someone else should run some Quake 3 tests and let me know what they get.

I'm not trying to say that I have some amazing powerbook. I just wanted to see if anyone had answers as to why I am getting these scores?

zapchud · August 5, 2002 3:56PM

will you ever post the config used in your system? It's kinda difficult to reason things, when I don't know whats going on.

and, for more benchmarks visit<a href="http://www.barefeats.com"; target="_blank">Barefeats</a>!

warpd · August 5, 2002 4:36PM

[quote] check you system profile. Maybe apple accedently sent you the 800Mhz one!

wouldn't that be cool! <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />

<hr></blockquote>

Back a few years ago, I sprung and bought a Powerbook G3/300. It was the bad ass, top of the line 12gig, first machine with DVD (god I would sit in the airport, and NOBODY had ever seen DVD on a laptop)... Anyway, Just the machine, and an extra battery was $5500, I shit you not!

I got the machine, and all is well, about 2 weeks later, I get an e-mail from Apple saying, "we have shipped your mac, you will have it in a couple of days"

Ok, I'm thinking, they made a mistake...whatever.

2 days later at work, UPS guy comes in, AND BRINGS ME ANOTHER ONE!!!! THE SCREWED UP AND SENT ME 2! So, you see, the moral of the story is, sometimes, just sometimes, dreams do come true. <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />

[ 08-05-2002: Message edited by: warpd ]

crusader · August 5, 2002 7:23PM

So did you do the "good" thing and tell Apple, or did you keep it as your dirty little secret? If you kept it see below:

Do you still have that extra PB? Need someone to take it off your hands? (Please?)

cyko95 · August 6, 2002 11:24AM

Hey Crusader...thanks for letting warpd know I wanted the extra PowerBook!

[ 08-06-2002: Message edited by: cyko95 ]

warpd · August 6, 2002 12:34PM

Sorry guys, I kept it unopened in my closet for 3 months, figuring that they would call and say "we made a mistake..." and I would give it back, but they never did. I figured I would be a fool to call them, so I gave it to my dad! To this day, the only "lucky" thing that ever happened to me!

[ 08-06-2002: Message edited by: warpd ]

Weird Quake 3 Benchmarks

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