Benchmark Testing

Synthetic Benchmark Testing

SiSoft Sandra 2012

The Sandra benchmarks are a fast and easy to determine how well the system's CPU and memory are functioning. When compared with the other systems, the Z87 XPower performs exactly as expected. This clearly illustrates optimal working order of its CPU and memory subsystems.

LinX

LinX is a graphical interface for CPU-based testing using the Intel Linpack benchmarks. It serves as a good indicator of proper system CPU functioning and is considered one of the most intensive CPU benchmarks currently available. LinX was run with Memory set to All and for a total of 3 runs. This test was repeated three times with the highest repeatable GFlops (Giga-Floating Point Operations Per Second) score recorded.

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This CPU torture test is a proven determiner for the design of the CPU to motherboard interface. In the case of the Z87 XPower, this is a non-issue. The board performs spectacularly, easily meeting the performance expectations set by the other Intel Z87-based systems.

Multimedia and System Benchmark Testing

Handbrake

Handbrake was used to convert an uncompressed version of the Iron Man Blu-ray movie in MKV format to a compressed 720P MP4 format. The Iron Man MKV file was ripped from the Blu-ray disc in the past with the file size for the uncompressed media coming in at 26 GB. Handbrake was run with default settings enforced with the exception of Anamorphic set to Loose and Video width set to 1280. This test was repeated three times with the lowest repeatable conversion time recorded.

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Video encoding is one of the more system intensive operations with good performance in the benchmark indicative of similar board performance. Once again, we see the Z87 XPower performing brilliantly with no performance-related issues encountered during the test.

Maxon Cinebench 11.5

Maxon’s Cinebench 11.5 benchmark can be used determine a system's ability to render 3D content based on their Cinema 4D animation software. The CPU benchmark test was run three times, with the highest reproducible Cinebench points score recorded.

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The Z87 XPower again proves its worth against the competing Intel Z87-based boards.

PCMark 7 Professional

Future Mark Corporation’s PCMark 7 can be used to reliably ascertain a given system’s performance in a Windows 7-based non-gaming type use environment. The professional version of the benchmark test was run three times, with the highest reproducible PCMark scores recorded.

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With performance results similar to the other benchmarks, the Z87 XPower comes through this test on a high note. Its performance easily matches or exceeds that of its competitors.

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