3D Mark 06 Available 18 Jan 2006

**Ruslan74** · 17th January 2006

check it out here!

time to upgrade again?

I suppose i will download the basic edition overnight... wonder if TG will read this...

**doobiwan** · 17th January 2006

Yay, a new slideshow for my new video card!

stoke · 17th January 2006

Na - this will just depress me.
I recon that this 3D Mark product sells more video cards than all the games combined.

**Ruslan74** · 17th January 2006

so i suppose by the weekend we'll be comparing our 3 digit scores in the Basic version of 3D Mark 06...

**rainy** · 17th January 2006

No use for me. My overclocked system gives me about 300 points in 3DMark05...

So no 3 digit scores for me with this one...

Seriously, 3DMark is overrated. It' become a vehicle to create demands for high-end hardware. I go back to 3DMark2000, and that one was closer to an actual benchmark than anything after that. It ran decently even on low to midrange PCs, so you could actually get an idea of your PC's performance.

But the main problem is that 3DMark is a synthetic benchmark. The only thing the late editions are good for is to tell how your box will perform with certain special effects, like pixel shaders etc. Other than that, they basically just give you the finger if your system is not high-end.

**doobiwan** · 17th January 2006

But isn't that exactly the point? Each 3dm is design for the NEXT 2 years, not the last. it's to give you an idea of how your rig will perform using effects that designers aren't ready to put in games.

**rainy** · 17th January 2006

And which gaming PC that you buy today survives the next 2 years without any upgrades?

Pointless, I say. The best benchmark is the game you want to play. If your box doesn't perform with it, you are in need of an upgrade. It doesn't get simpler.

**doobiwan** · 17th January 2006

I haven't seen 06 scores, but guys that bought X800's and 6800's a year and change ago, based on the '05 score sure don't need to upgrade yet.

But anyone who bought a video card based on the playability of UT2004 would be crying now. (experience . . .

)