De benchmarktools van Futuremark volgens elkaar steeds sneller op. Na 3D Mark 1999, 2001, 2003 en 2005 is versie 2006 alweer verschenen op het web. Met deze software (580MB!!) zou de videokaart gebruik maken van zoveel mogelijk nieuwe features die de high-end videokaarten zouden kunnen ondersteunen. Dit houdt onder andere de HDR technologie in welke sindskort gebruikt wordt in games als Counter-Strike: Source. Na alle zware tests zal er een score uitrollen die weer te vergelijken is met andere scores online, de systeemeisen zijn vrij hoog en een videokaart die gebruik kan maken van Pixel Shader 2.0 wordt vereist.
3DMark06 highlights:
– Two HDR/SM3.0 graphics tests, requiring DirectX 9 hardware with support for SM3.0, 16 bit floating point textures and 16 bit floating point blending.
– Two SM2.0 graphics tests, requiring DirectX 9 hardware with full SM2.0 support.
– Two completely new CPU tests, both supporting threading and multiprocessors, requiring DirectX 9 hardware with SM2.0 support.
– Feature tests focusing on key characteristics of graphics performance.
– The 3DMark06 demo the ultimate display of real-time 3D graphics featuring an original sound track.
– A wide range of benchmark settings and professional tools for image quality inspection, texture filtering quality testing, automated batch runs and a lot more.
– A mini-game based on the CPU test for users to run the game-engine used in the CPU test.
Note: The results and final score of 3DMark06 are not comparable with any previous version of 3DMark.
Minimum System Recommendations:
– Intel or AMD compatible processor 2.5GHz or higher
– DirectX 9 compatible graphics adapter with Pixel Shader 2.0 support or later, and graphics memory of 256 MB minimum
– 1GB of system RAM or more – 1.5GB of free hard disk space
– Windows XP operating system with latest Service Packs and updates installed
– DirectX 9.0c December 2005 or later
– Microsoft Excel 2000, 2003 or XP for some 3DMark functionality
– Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 for some 3DMark functionality
* To run the HDR/SM3.0 graphics tests, a DirectX 9 compatible graphics adapter with support for Pixel Shader 3.0, 16 bit floating point textures and 16 bit floating point blending is required.
