By Allen Dodd Aka Rumple

• Download Detonator drivers

In the past few months we have had a lot of request from users about the performance in/decrease of the new Detonator drivers that are leaking constantly. This alone is reason enough to start a database in which we will benchmark the latest released or leaked drivers on performance.

These results were obtained using the following system and whilst meticulous care was taken to ensure the consistency of each test, the reader should bear in mind that they are purely indicative of just one particular system.

In-Line System

Motherboard - Asus  A7M266
Memory - 512Mb Crucial PC2100 DDR SDRAM
CPU - AMD Athlon 1.333GHz
Graphics Card - Gainward Geforce 2 Ultra 500
Hard drive – 60Gb Maxtor Diamond 7200rpm
Sound Card – Soundblaster Live Platinum 5.1 
Monitor - 19” Samsung Samtron 95P plus
PSU - Macron MPT-301 300W AMD approved
Case - Coolercase Tornado with 6x80mmYs
Tech fans moving 282CFM of air
CD-RW - Plextor 24x10x40
DVD-ROM - Pioneer 106 Region Free
Rodent - Logitech Mouseman Cordless Optical
Keyboard - Logitech Classic
Printer - Epson Stylus Color 880
Scanner - Epson Perfection 610
Games Pad - Saitek P1500 Rumble Pad
Speakers - Cambridge Soundworks FPS1500 4.1 Surround
USB Hub -  Belkin 4-port
Modem - Ham Ambient
Op. System - Win 98 SE

Settings/Tweaks - There are some that would say that altering or tweaking standard settings, whether it be to the operating system, the videocard, the BIOS or the registry, etc, is a form of overclocking. I accept that as a valid statement, but one to be discussed at a future date. The important criteria when multiple benchmarking, is that the system, by which I mean the computer system, remains identically set up for each set of tests. Failure to do so renders the whole thing meaningless, as basically what you are trying to achieve is a comparability study in performance of one specific component. In this particular instance it is video or graphics card drivers. Therefore it is only the drivers that should change between one set of tests and the next.

Obviously, if you benchmark just for yourself, it maybe quite some time between tests and during that time a number of changes both intentional and unintentional, may have taken place within your system. It is important to remember or note your individual settings and reset them each time so that is only one component that is being compared. What follows immediately are the settings or tweaks that I have used in my own system to obtain the results shown.  Some settings, such as the BIOS, registry and Windows alterations are permanent, whilst others, like the individual driver settings have to be reset each time.