OK, I was just discussing what might be the most trusted hardware site on the web.
The point of this post is to share with you guys who I think is the most trusted hardware site on the web, and why I think so. I'll be commentating on each data point presented, to show why I think what I do. I realize that there are a ton of hardware sites on the web. The truth is I do not have the resources to analyze them all. What I can do is analyze some of them, which includes the following...
I'll be looking at.....
THG
Anandtech
Techreport
LostCircuits
To minimize data points I'll only be looking at the views expressed on AMD's current top line chip, and Intel's current top line chip. I realize that this may not be a fair analysis, due to the limited nature of the data being collected, This should privide a fair look at the data points collected. So without further delay.... Let us begin.
Let's just hop right into it. First I was unable to find a single standalon review for --either-- FX-62, or for Core2 6800XE. What I was able to find was a comparison of the two
THG Tuning Test: Core 2 Extreme vs. Athlon 64 FX-62
This article has several things to note right away. 1: They dont seem to have any independant analysis of these two products. 2: They jump right into an overclocking comparison. 3: The benchmarks they run are almost entirely canned. And the variety of benchmarks are very narrow.
Ok lets elaberate on the variety of benchmarks used.we've got...
Games
Video
Audeo
Multitasking
Synthetics
Hmmm Seems that there is quite a bit of usage scenarios that are being ignored. Here is the short list of what I think seems to be missing, that I do pretty much every single day.
Graphics rendering.
File Encryption and Compression
Compiling (gcc MSc Intelc)
Sci (F@H, science mark, etc)
Again their are right away several things that jump right out at ya! 1: They dont have an independant review of FX62. The newest they have is FX60. 2: They have more articles about Intel products then they do AMD by almost 3-1 3: The variety of benchmarks are very narrow, and in no way reflect actual real world usage.
Lets look at the benchmarks.
Games
Video
Audio
File Compression
Multitasking
Synthetics
Still a little on the slim side. Slightly better then THG, but still very much lacking. Here is what I think is still missing.
Graphics rendering
File Encryption
Compiling
Sci
Once again their are a few things that jump out at you
1: No Overclocking! Yay! Finally I actually get to see what I'm buying and not waht someone else is capable of doing with his hand picked golden sample. 2: They have a wider selection of beches, tho still not complete.3: They have about a 1:1 ratio of Intel, and AMD articles.
Lets take a look at benches that were run
Games
Video
Audio
File Compression
Image editing
Sci
Power consumption
Still a few things missing, but better then the rest so far Still I'd like to see.
File encryption
Graphics rendering
Compiling
This one here is a bit harder to analyze. They seem to have some very fair subject matter, but the site itself is a bit difficult to navigate. But still their are some very interesting observations to be made. 1: They seem to have a fair mix of AMD, and Intel content. 2: They have independant reviews!! Thank you! No more having to wade through the FUD to find the real useful data. 3: They dont have a good mix of benches, They got a long way to go before they can consider themselves inclusive.
The benches they do cover include
Synthetics
Graphics rendering
Games
Seems like they dont have coverage for
Audio
Video
File encryption and compression
Sci
Multitasking
Compiling.
I think these guys try to be fair, and they certainly dont seem to be biased in any way, But I'd like to see a much broader mix of benches included....
So that is it.. I've made very simple comparisons with 4 of the top hardware review sites on the web. What I think of them each. I've found things that I like about all of them, and I've found things that I dont like about all of them. But the question remains which do I trust the most?
Not easy to answer I tell ya
However I think the one site there with the best intentions is Lost Circuits. However due to the very limited nature of there bench suite it is almost impossible to get a clear picture of what is actually going on. THG? Well let's just say they haven't been exactly trutworthy in many years. What about the famous Anantech? I think in the last two years Anantech has lost every single last shred of respect they once commanded. That leaves only the TechReport. I think that of these sites I've looked at here today they have been the only one that has fit most of the criteria for "trust" They do lack in the variety of benches they run, but they make up for it in the quality of data they present.
So what is your favorite hardwrae site? (excluding [H]
)
The point of this post is to share with you guys who I think is the most trusted hardware site on the web, and why I think so. I'll be commentating on each data point presented, to show why I think what I do. I realize that there are a ton of hardware sites on the web. The truth is I do not have the resources to analyze them all. What I can do is analyze some of them, which includes the following...
I'll be looking at.....
THG
Anandtech
Techreport
LostCircuits
To minimize data points I'll only be looking at the views expressed on AMD's current top line chip, and Intel's current top line chip. I realize that this may not be a fair analysis, due to the limited nature of the data being collected, This should privide a fair look at the data points collected. So without further delay.... Let us begin.
THG
Let's just hop right into it. First I was unable to find a single standalon review for --either-- FX-62, or for Core2 6800XE. What I was able to find was a comparison of the two
THG Tuning Test: Core 2 Extreme vs. Athlon 64 FX-62
This article has several things to note right away. 1: They dont seem to have any independant analysis of these two products. 2: They jump right into an overclocking comparison. 3: The benchmarks they run are almost entirely canned. And the variety of benchmarks are very narrow.
Ok lets elaberate on the variety of benchmarks used.we've got...
Games
Video
Audeo
Multitasking
Synthetics
Hmmm Seems that there is quite a bit of usage scenarios that are being ignored. Here is the short list of what I think seems to be missing, that I do pretty much every single day.
Graphics rendering.
File Encryption and Compression
Compiling (gcc MSc Intelc)
Sci (F@H, science mark, etc)
AnandTech
Again their are right away several things that jump right out at ya! 1: They dont have an independant review of FX62. The newest they have is FX60. 2: They have more articles about Intel products then they do AMD by almost 3-1 3: The variety of benchmarks are very narrow, and in no way reflect actual real world usage.
Lets look at the benchmarks.
Games
Video
Audio
File Compression
Multitasking
Synthetics
Still a little on the slim side. Slightly better then THG, but still very much lacking. Here is what I think is still missing.
Graphics rendering
File Encryption
Compiling
Sci
TechReport
Once again their are a few things that jump out at you
Lets take a look at benches that were run
Games
Video
Audio
File Compression
Image editing
Sci
Power consumption
Still a few things missing, but better then the rest so far Still I'd like to see.
File encryption
Graphics rendering
Compiling
Lost Circuits
This one here is a bit harder to analyze. They seem to have some very fair subject matter, but the site itself is a bit difficult to navigate. But still their are some very interesting observations to be made. 1: They seem to have a fair mix of AMD, and Intel content. 2: They have independant reviews!! Thank you! No more having to wade through the FUD to find the real useful data. 3: They dont have a good mix of benches, They got a long way to go before they can consider themselves inclusive.
The benches they do cover include
Synthetics
Graphics rendering
Games
Seems like they dont have coverage for
Audio
Video
File encryption and compression
Sci
Multitasking
Compiling.
I think these guys try to be fair, and they certainly dont seem to be biased in any way, But I'd like to see a much broader mix of benches included....
So that is it.. I've made very simple comparisons with 4 of the top hardware review sites on the web. What I think of them each. I've found things that I like about all of them, and I've found things that I dont like about all of them. But the question remains which do I trust the most?
Not easy to answer I tell ya
So what is your favorite hardwrae site? (excluding [H]