3DMark06

3DMark06

Notes:

3DMark06 is optimized for threading, so Intel’s Core 2 Duo E8500 hits the stage with an inherent disadvantage. Nevertheless, it puts up a reasonable battle against AMD’s faster Phenom X4 9850 Black Edition and Intel’s aging Core 2 Quad Q6600.

When it’s cranked up to 4.17 GHz, the E8500 slides into a first place finish in the Overall score.

At 3.16 GHz, the Core 2 Duo E8500 takes a last place finish in the raw CPU benchmark. Cranked up to an overclocked 4.17 GHz, however, the dual-core contender takes a commanding lead.

If you’re willing to overclock, the E8500 is quite the scrappy CPU in this stacked synthetic test. Let’s see how it performs in a more balanced real-world situation.