The analysis aimed to compare new AMD and Nvidia AIBs with existing options, considering factors like price, performance, memory capacity, power efficiency, and intended use. As games increasingly require more memory, newer AIBs are expected to offer higher capacities. Power efficiency is also important due to rising energy demands. The Jon Peddie Research PMark metric was developed to help users compare AIBs based on performance, price, and power. Tests were conducted on seven AIBs using 26 games at two resolutions, resulting in 600 tests, including Vulkan and DLSS 4 tests. The PMark and average frames per second (fps) scores help users assess AIB performance in specific games.
We just finished a massive benchmark run of seven AIBs across 26 games.
Here in our Mt. Tiburon Testing Lab (MTTL), we launched into this mind-numbing massive data processing task because we wanted to see how the new AMD and Nvidia AIBs stacked up against the incumbent herd of great AIBs available. Not in a long time have gamers had such a terrific variety of graphics boards to choose from. That can be good news and bad—how do you choose? The simplest decider is price or raw performance, and we know people who stop at one or the other and make a decision. But what about future-proofing? Memory loadout is critical to graphics performance, and going forward, newer AIBs will have more and more memory, and the games will use every bit of it. Also, despite what some climate-denying politicians say, we’re living in a world that is eating itself with heat from power consumption. Choosing an AIB that is more power efficient, maybe at the expense of an fps or two, is a more responsible thing to do. And last but not least, what are you going to use the AIB for? What games will you run on it? So all that propelled us to dive in and get as much information as possible and then present it in (we hope) as easy as possible way to consume it.
The PMark is a filter you can use to narrow your search.
We tested at two resolutions, 3840 × 2160 and 2560 × 1440, which resulted in 600 tests overall. We actually ran more than that because we did a Vulkan test and separate DLSS 4 tests.
Next, we took the DirectX 12 tests and found the average fps for each test and resolution. We then used that to calculate the PMark, which compares performance, price, and power (hence the P).
One can use the PMark, or the average fps score, to focus on the AIB of interest, and then scroll through the dataset to see how that AIB performs in a game or games that interest you.
The benchmarking is heavily weighted toward maximum settings and with ray tracing enabled, as befits expensive high-end AIBs that can play at 4K and also those with high refresh rate 1440p displays. These AIBs appeal to those who have already purchased previous generations’ expensive flagship cards and may be seeking to upgrade.
We tested those AIBs on 23 DirectX 12 games:
We also ran Red Dead Redemption, a Vulkan game, and two DirectX 11 games, Total War: Pharoah Dynasties and Total War: Warhammer III.
Here is the summary table used to calculate the PMark.
We also ran eight synthetic benchmarks plus five workstation benchmarks.
The system specifications were:
The system software was Windows 11 Professional 64-bit 2024 24H2, and 3DMark Professional.
You can find the massive spreadsheet of test data here and download it at no charge.
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