System Cost versus Performancet

Please note, we did not feel the need to unify the clock speeds on the test systems - instead testing the fast, dual core CPUs at their default clock speed. This is because the CPU architectures - and therefore IGPs - cannot be directly compared clock for clock.


So, on a media benchmark baseline, it's clear that the total performance is unaffected by the addition of a graphics card, despite removing the competitive demand for memory access the IGP causes. The eight point difference is within a second or so experimental error between the three benchmarks: GIMP image edting, h.264 encoding and multitasking. As such, the Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition system with HD 5450 does not benefit, dropping the AMD system's cost:performance factor well below that of the Core i3 530 and original AMD 785G system.


On the plus side however, adding a Radeon HD 5450 512MB still costs less than Core i5-661 and almost the same as a Core i3-530 system! OK, so it doesn't benefit your general productivity, but what about the Radeon HD 5450's primary designation: games and Blu-ray playback?