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Is Windows 7 M3 Build 6801 Really "Vista R2?"

Mark Edward Soper — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:56:08 -0600

InfoWorld's Randall C. Kennedy has put Windows 7's Milestone 3 pre-beta build 6801, a freebie from last month's Microsoft Professional Developer's Conference, through a variety of benchmark tests, and isn't all that impressed:

As I reported on my Enterprise Desktop blog, the more I dug into Windows 7, the more I saw an OS that looked and felt like a slightly tweaked version of Windows Vista.

At his blog, Kennedy complains that Windows 7 is:

Just as slow as Vista...Just as consumer-focused as Vista...Just as confusing as Vista...

Kennedy cites these similarities:

The number of execution threads in key subsystems is almost the same in Windows 7 as in Vista
Benchmarks of Windows 7 and Vista Ultimate SP1 using the DMS Clarity Studio tools suite show almost identical results
Similar amounts of RAM are used by Windows 7 and Windows Vista

From these facts and visual similarities between Windows 7 and Vista, Kennedy concludes:

Bottom line: So far, Windows 7 looks and behaves almost exactly like Windows Vista. It performs almost exactly like Vista. And it breaks all sorts of things that used to work just fine under Vista. In other words, Microsoft's follow-up to its most unpopular OS release since Windows Me threatens to deliver zero measurable performance benefits while introducing new and potentially crippling compatibility issues.

Is Kennedy right, or is he missing a big difference between Windows 7 and its predecessor? For my take, join me after the break.

PCMark Memory Benchmark Favors GenuineIntel over AuthenticAMD

Paul Lilly — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:21:00 -0500

By now, everyone's aware that Intel has the fastest chips on the market, and with Nehalem getting closer to release, the chip maker's position doesn't look to change anytime soon. But what you don't know is that Intel also has the faster name. Confused? You're not the only one.

Before clarifying, let's first look at how manufacturers label their processors. Each chip contains a processor-specific character string detailing the manufacturer, make, model, and available features. The two common ones you're probably familiar with include GenuineIntel and AuthenticAMD, neither of which can be changed. That's not the case with VIA's Nano processor (CentaurHauls) and it's here where things get interesting.

Hit the jump to see what happens in PCMark05 just by changing a processor's CPUID.

No BS Podcast #55: The "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" Edition

The Maximum PC Staff — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:31:37 -0600

This week, Dave, Gordon, and Andy talk tons about Maximum PC's self-created storage benchmark of complete awesomeness. We also preview all the sweet Game Developers Conference announcements (and rumors) for next week, and light the funeral pyre for HD-DVD. We hardly knew thee.

Subscribe: http://feeds.feedburner.com/maximumpc/1337

How To: Benchmark Your PC without Breaking the Bank

David Murphy — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:12:56 -0600

We run benchmarks at Maximum PC because we have to; there’s no other way to determine the minute differences between systems without a repeatable standard of comparison. But you don’t have to be a reviewer to run a benchmark; in fact, regular benchmarking can give you valuable insight into the status of your system. For example, benchmarks are the best way to decipher whether the various performance-enhancing applications you’re running on your PC actually do anything or whether that latest batch of drivers hurt your gaming performance more than it helped.

Click Read More for more.

PC Building Guide FAQ: Part 2

One4yu2c — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 03:13:17 -0500

Part 1 of Paul Lilly's PC Building Guide FAQ focused on common pre-build questions, and today's followup attacks post build issues.

Benchmark Bonanza!

Paul Lilly — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 15:59:21 -0500

You did your research, spec'd our your parts, placed the order and assembled your rig, and now what? Benchmark it, of course!

'Cause Breaking Stuff is Hard to Do

<a href="/david_murphy">David Murphy</a> — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 14:39:34 -0500

Yet another accident with yet another motherboard forces Maximum PC's resident cooling expert to rethink his benchmarking process.

Lost Planet DX9 vs DX10

Norman Chan — Wed, 16 May 2007 16:32:59 -0500

Side by side comparisons between the two versions. Can you tell the difference?