BAPco SYSmark 2007 1.05	Source: Bapco

SYSmark 2007 is an application-based benchmark that reflects usage patterns of business users in the areas of Video creation, E-learning, 3D Modeling and Office Productivity. This new release includes a robust and refreshed set of applications. The new release also incorporates numerous new features and enhancements such as an improved GUI allowing streamlined start-up and run along with a heads-up-display (HUD) and automated error reporting.

Higher results are better.

SYSMark 2007 Preview 1.05 Overall: Points Ranking Intel Core i7 920 167 Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 159 Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 146 AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 144 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR2) 138 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR3) 135 AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition 145 AMD Athlon II X2 250 127 E-Learning: Points Ranking Intel Core i7 920 167 Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 174 Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 175 AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 155 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR2) 144 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR3) 147 AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition 157 AMD Athlon II X2 250 133 Videocreation: Points Ranking Intel Core i7 920 166 Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 149 Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 117 AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 113 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR2) 128 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR3) 106 AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition 138 AMD Athlon II X2 250 137 Productivity: Points Ranking Intel Core i7 920 148 Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 139 Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 135 AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 141 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR2) 132 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR3) 138 AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition 139 AMD Athlon II X2 250 103 3D: Points Ranking Intel Core i7 920 191 Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 178 Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 163 AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 175 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR2) 152 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR3) 151 AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition 148 AMD Athlon II X2 250 140

Sysmark shows that the Core i7 920 in real-world applications. Sysmark uses a variety of everyday applications to measure overall system performance, and the fact of the matter is that a lot of these won't take advantage of more than two cores. In situations like this the extra cores and HyperThreading simply get in the way..

Futuremark PCMark Vantage 1.0.0.0	Source: FutureMark

PCMark Vantage is the first objective hardware performance benchmark for PCs running 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows Vista. PCMark Vantage is perfectly suited for benchmarking any type of Windows Vista PC from multi media home entertainment systems and laptops to dedicated workstations and hi-end gaming rigs. Regardless of whether the benchmarker is an artist or an IT Professional, PCMark Vantage shows the user where their system soars or falls flat, and how to get the most performance possible out of their hardware. PCMark Vantage is easy enough for even the most casual enthusiast to use yet supports in-depth, professional industry grade testing.

Higher scores are best.

Futuremark PCMark Vantage 1.0.0.0 Overall: Points Ranking Intel Core i7 920 6173 Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 4849 Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 4641 AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 6153 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR2) 5150 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR3) 5146 AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition 4740 AMD Athlon II X2 250 4658 Memory: Points Ranking Intel Core i7 920 4432 Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 4581 Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 4131 AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 4915 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR2) 3848 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR3) 3833 AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition 4188 AMD Athlon II X2 250 3981 TV and Movies: Points Ranking Intel Core i7 920 4412 Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 3617 Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3488 AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 4329 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR2) 3394 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR3) 3521 AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition 3323 AMD Athlon II X2 250 3227 Gaming: Points Ranking Intel Core i7 920 7056 Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 5305 Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 5192 AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 6094 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR2) 5170 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR3) 5195 AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition 4867 AMD Athlon II X2 250 4675 Music: Points Ranking Intel Core i7 920 5286 Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 4996 Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 4923 AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 5743 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR2) 5043 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR3) 5122 AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition 4797 AMD Athlon II X2 250 4632 Communications: Points Ranking Intel Core i7 920 5080 Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 4442 Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 4618 AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 5158 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR2) 4567 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR3) 4559 AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition 4141 AMD Athlon II X2 250 4002 Productivity: Points Ranking Intel Core i7 920 5282 Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 4441 Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 4441 AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 5792 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR2) 5261 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR3) 5296 AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition 4413 AMD Athlon II X2 250 4131 HDD: Points Ranking Intel Core i7 920 4154 Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 4280 Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 4273 AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition 4162 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR2) 4030 AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition (DDR3) 3896 AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition 4101 AMD Athlon II X2 250 3997

Futuremark's synthetic benchmarks are designed to take advantage of multiple cores, and as soon as that's the case the Core i7 920 steps into the spotlight. The less-expensive Phenom II 955 Black Edition manages a very close second here.