Test System Specs:
Computer System No.1:	Intel Pentium 4 1.7GHz processor Intel D850GB P4 Motherboard VisonTek Geforce 3 256MB Samsung PC800 RDRAM 60GB Samsung HDD, 5400RPM
Computer System No.2:	Intel Pentium 4 1.7GHz processor MSI 850Pro2 P4 Motherboard VisonTek Geforce 3 256MB Samsung PC800 RDRAM 60GB Samsung HDD, 5400RPM
Software:	Windows 2000, SP1 DirectX 8.1 Beta Detonator 12.90
Benchmarks:	SiSoft Sandra 2001 SE e-Testinglabs Benchmark Suites 3DMark 2001

Driver installation was relatively easy. Intel supplies all the necessary updates on a CD-ROM that essentially installs itself. Called "Express Installer," the program restarted the machine a half dozen times as it progressed down a list of utilities available for installation.

Anyhow, with the machine setup our first round of benchmarks will start with MadOnion's 3DWinMark 2001, and then SiSoft's Sandra.

This is the benchmark we've all been waiting for, and the P4 doesn't disappoint - at least against itself :-) With the 1.7GHz P4 operating at default clock speed it comes in at 3376 it/s for ALU, slightly above that of the 85Pro2. Overall the increase in performance over the MSI wasn't something we were expecting to see.

Sisoft Sandra: Multimedia Benchmark
Motherboard:	Setting:	Integer:	Floating point SSE2:
MSI 850Pro2	17 x 100 MHz	6795 it/s	8307 it/s
Intel D850GB	17 x 100MHz	6768 it/s	8276 it/s

Sisoft Sandra: Memory Bandwidth Benchmark
Motherboard:	Setting:	Int ALU:	Float FPU:
MSI 850Pro2	17 x 100 MHz	1541 MB/s	1564 MB/s
Intel D850GB	17 x 100 MHz	1542 MB/s	1558 MB/s

Memory bandwidths stays pretty much constant across the two platforms as you would expect. Next up, benchmarks from e-Testinglabs to test out productivity.