NEWS / Endlich online - Futuremark´s 3D Mark 2003

Nach längerer Zeit der Spekulationen, mehrerer Screenshots und einem kleinen Teaser, ist es nun endlich da - 3D Mark 2003! Der Nachfolger des bekannten und erfolgreichen 3D Mark 2001 SE, soll aktuellen Grafikchips, Prozessoren bzw. den kompletten System richtig auf den Zahn fühlen. Unter anderem wird auch DirectX 9.0 voll unterstützt. Wir arbeiten momentan an einem Mirror, da Futuremark bzw. die dort gelinkten Mirros total überlastet sind (171 MB). Hier die Pressemitteilung (Englisch)...

"Saratoga, California USA - February 11th, 2003 - Futuremark Corporation (formerly known as MadOnion.com), a leading provider of PC performance analysis software and services, today released 3DMark®03, a major enhancement to its popular 3DMark® suite of benchmark solutions originally launched in 1998.

3DMark03 sets the new standard for easily and objectively measuring and comparing modern PCs´ 3D graphics performance. It supports the latest Microsoft® DirectX®9.0 and contains four new mind blowing real-time 3D game tests as well as advanced DirectX®9.0 feature tests. An integrated online comparison service provides the user with an unprecedented insight into her PC´s performance and bottlenecks by enabling detailed test result comparisons with a community of hundreds of thousands of users.

3DMark03 incorporates many ground breaking new features and technologies, as prompted by feedback from the industry´s key players and community of millions of end-users worldwide. It runs a wide range of tests to measure both overall 3D performance and individual tests, such as 3D audio performance test, CPU performance test, frame based rendering and image quality inspection tool. "Futuremark is regarded as the catalyst which pushes the industry to raise the bar with respect to graphics performance and features," said Dr. Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie and Associates, the leading market research firm in multimedia and graphics. "The 3DMark03 benchmark software continues in that tradition, delivering the kind of performance analysis which power users are now demanding from graphics and PC vendors".

3DMark03 is integrated with the world´s largest PC performance information service at Futuremark´s web site. Due to its popularity amongst users, the online functionality was further developed to allow multiple simultaneous comparisons and advanced result management. The Online Result Browser service, ORB, enables an accurate analysis of how the PC´s performance stacks up against other similar configurations, and how much it could be increased by upgrading components or by just updating drivers. The performance database currently encompasses more than 5 million detailed PC performance profiles.

As with all Futuremark´s benchmarks, 3DMark03 has been created in cooperation with the major PC industry players to provide users with the best possible and most reliable set of diagnostic tools.

"We applaud Futuremark´s continued support of Microsoft DirectX 9.0 API as it provides our partners and the industry with a robust and time-tested benchmarking tool," said Dean Lester, General Manager of Graphics and Gaming Technologies, Microsoft Corporation. "As DirectX 9.0 strives to make game development on the Windows platform more advanced and efficient, 3DMark03 provides additional benefits for mainstream applications by providing users with their latest set of diagnostic tools."

"High-end 3D effects are no longer the sole domain of serious gamers, but are becoming ubiquitous in mainstream applications. Since the release of the first version of 3DMark in 1998, we´ve been continually striving to improve our benchmarks to help users maximize their experience and PC performance," said Tero Sarkkinen, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Futuremark. "3DMark03 meets this goal by supporting DirectX® 9 and providing detailed 3D performance measurements for existing systems, while offering challenging, new tests for current, cutting-edge hardware and technologies yet to be released."