CPU Charts 2007

Tom's Interactive CPU Charts offer the most comprehensive x86 processor comparison on the Internet. The 2007 edition includes as many as 91 AMD and Intel desktop processors, which we tested across 35 individual benchmarks under Windows Vista. The benchmarks include industry standard software as well as popular workloads across multiple application categories, allowing you to find the CPU that meets your requirements (see benchmark details below the charts).

The Charts are also a valuable tool if you want to check how your computer stacks up against current hardware. The 2007 charts include three different processor generations, starting with AMD's Socket 939 Athlons and Semprons, and including all Pentium 4 and Pentium D processors that were released for Socket 775. If you're interested in comparing older processors, make sure you check out earlier Interactive CPU Charts from 2006, 2005 or 2004.

The CPU market has shifted its focus from sheer performance to a balance between performance and power efficiency. The latest AMD Athlon 64 X2 and Intel Core 2 Duo processors provide a maximum of performance at constant or decreased energy requirements when compared to older Athlon 64 or Pentium 4 processors. We've added a price/performance index to the Interactive Charts: It will help you to find the best performance for your buck or what your next technology investment should be. The price/performance index is updated daily with the latest product prices from TG Stores.

The benchmark lineup includes the synthetic benchmarks Futuremark PCMark05 and SiSoftware Sandra 2007, which measure low-level performance such as memory throughput and elementary processor performance. Professional applications such as 3DSMax 9 or Cinema 4D discover a processor's potential to render complex 3D scenes.

We apply several complex image filters under Photoshop CS3, which simulates sophisticated image processing. Pinnacle Studio 11 Plus and Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0 were used to analyze video editing performance.

Then we convert raw or MPEG2 video formats into h.264, DivX or XviD formats and determine application performance by creating a huge PDF file out of Microsoft Powerpoint using Adobe's Acrobat 7, by having AVG Antivirus 7.5 scan files for infections, by compressing multiple files with WinRAR 3.7 and by checking the 1080p HDTV playback capabilities.

Finally, Deep Fritz 10 is a demanding chess software, which requires a lot of processing power and we use the game titles Prey, Quake IV, Serious Sam 2, Unreal Tournament 2004 and Warhammer - Mark of Chaos to analyze game performance.

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Desktop VGA Charts 2007

This is the ultimate battle ground between the graphics gods! We put the best product offerings from Ati and Nvidia up against each other for you. This is the ultimate graphics resource tool for hardcore gamers and power users. We run each card through a battery of eight intensive tests including 7 real world gaming applications and one synthetic benchmark.
Battlefield 2142
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic
Doom 3
Microsoft Flight Simulator X
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Prey
Warhammer: Mark of Chaos
3DMark06

Our charts are interactive and regularly updated to enable you to make informed buying decisions. By clicking on a particular graphics card's performance bar you will see the test configuration. These charts are the answer to what a user needs: the best video card available for a particular price and application!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      3.5" Hard Drive Charts 2007

Tom's Interactive 3.5" Hard Drive Charts compare low-level as well as application performance of more than 40 popular hard drive models. The charts include all popular 3.5" desktop drive manufacturers such as Hitachi, Samsung, Seagate and Western Digital.

They list UltraATA and Serial ATA interfaces, 7,200 and 10,000 RPM drives, and capacities between 36 GB and 1000 GB. 15 individual benchmark categories analyze read and write throughput, interface performance, average access time, Windows startup performance and several I/O access patterns that are imperative for server and workstation scenarios.

Two comparison features make our Hard Drive Charts unique on the Internet: The Cost per Gigabyte calculation and the Price/Performance Index, which relates performance, capacity and cost. Prices are updated daily using the latest price information provided by TG Stores.