EVGA X99 Classified Review

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Over the last few years we have had the distinct pleasure of reviewing several of EVGA's Classified series of products - from graphics cards to motherboards - and they have always left a positive impression upon us. With this mind, we are pleased to bring you our review of the new EVGA X99 Classified, which is the company's flagship model for the brand new X99 LGA2011-3 platform.

The X99 Classified is categorized by EVGA as having an Extended ATX form factor, but truthfully it is just a tiny bit wider than a standard ATX motherboard and nowhere near the full EATX dimensions. As you will see in the coming pages, EVGA have made good use of the extra space by packing in a bunch of functionality.

The Classified certainly ticks almost every box needed to be compete with other flagship X99 motherboards. We say 'almost' because it mysteriously doesn't have a SATA Express port. Nevertheless, there are five physical PCI-E x16 slots, one PCI-E x4 slots, two M.2 slots, ten SATA 6Gb/s port, ten USB 2.0/3.0 ports, two Intel-powered Gigabit LAN ports, a Thunderbolt header, the triple BIOS chips, and the dedicated Creative Sound Core3D quad-core audio processor. This last feature in particular should excite the gaming crowd, and is a real differentiating factor when compared to the endless sea of Realtek based onboard audio solutions on the market right now.

Overclockers and serious benchmarkers should be well served by the digital 10-phase CPU VRM design, the pair of 8-pin CPU power connectors that can deliver up to 600W to the CPU, the PCI-E slot disabling switches, the voltage read points, the unique dual purpose LED display with debug and CPU temperature monitoring capabilities, and the plethora of onboard buttons and switches and diagnostic LEDs.

Five years ago, in our review of the X58 3X SLI Classified we said in the conclusion that it was "The best motherboard money can buy, but also the most money you can spend on a motherboard". The latter part is not true in the case of the X99 Classified - there are far pricier models on the market - but we are very interested to see if it truly is the best motherboard money can buy right now. Keep reading to find out!

 

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Specifications & Features

Specifications & Features

Before we get up-close and personal with this new EVGA X99 Classified through pictures and tests in the following pages, here is quick and dirty rundown of this motherboard's specifications as per EVGA's website.

As you would expect, this motherboard has quite a few noteworthy features, and we will be examining some of them in-depth in the coming pages, especially the intriguing Creative-sourced onboard audio and the overclocker-friendly voltage read points.

 

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The X99 Platform; Enthusiasts Rejoice

The X99 Platform; Enthusiasts Rejoice

One of the main critiques leveled at Intel’s X79 was its similarity to the old-as-the-hills X58. As a matter of fact, from a specifications standpoint, that’s exactly what it was: an X58 chipset with a new coat of paint in the form of PCI-E 3.0 support. Since it didn’t feature current technologies like native USB 3.0 and only had two SATA 6Gbps ports, motherboards required third party controllers to attain those functions, and support wasn’t the greatest especially for key features like RAID and high speed USB throughput. That caused a serious problem for a so-called enthusiast platform when Intel’s own Z87 incorporated those elements into boards that often cost hundreds less than their X79 cousins.

X99 changes this equation in a big way towards compatibility that many thought should have been incorporated into X79 in the first place. Nonetheless, we are now (finally!) going to see native support for USB 3.0, SATA Express, and Thunderbolt 2 on Intel’s enthusiast motherboards.

Starting with the most obvious thing first: X99 chipsets will still use the LGA2011 socket but it has been updated for Haswell-E compatibility. This not only means new microcode but also support for the processors’ fine grain power distribution needs and higher current capability. In short, older LGA2011 boards will not be forwards compatible with these new processors, nor will this so-called LGA2011-v3 socket be backwards compatible with Ivy Bridge-E CPUs.

The X99 platform is of course headlined by the Haswell-E CPU which provides up to 40 PCI-E 3.0 lanes (the i7-5820K will only come with 28 lanes enabled) which can be distributed via up to three integrated slots. This means a x16 / x16 / x8 setup is possible as is a 5x8 setup via third party controllers should motherboard vendors decide to go that route. The processor also houses the quad channel DDR4 memory controller.

As with all Intel platforms, the PCH is where all the I/O fun happens and it is connected to the processor via a x4 DMI interface providing up to 4GB/s of aggregate upstream / downstream bandwidth. In this case the X99 supports up to 14 USB ports spread across six USB 3.0 and 8 USB 2.0 along with ten native SATA 6Gbps ports. Through the use of Intel’s refreshed architecture these can be paired with additional PCIe 2.0 lanes for SATA Express or 4x M.2 compatibility without needing to resort to a so-called “FlexIO” interface. Naturally, those lanes can also be used for additional controllers as well which typically provide Bluetooth, secondary LAN and WiFi features.

Past the obvious continuity of an integrated Intel LAN, all of the SATA 6Gbps ports are backstopped by Intel’s RST 13.1 infrastructure should a motherboard vendor choose to include it (most will be). Extreme Tuning Utility compatibility is also a requirement here whereas on Z97 it’s considered an optional feature.

Since this is considered Intel’s high end platform, motherboard manufacturers are pulling out all the stops when it comes to board design. Take the EVGA X99 Classified for example; it features a laundry list of must-have features for enthusiasts like 4-way SLI / Crossfire, two x4 M.2 storage slots, a high end sound solution with Nichicon Muse caps, etc.

X99 boards are supposed to be the best around and the Classified’s $400 USD / $450 CDN price reflects exactly that. However, when the cost of DDR4 memory is also factored into the equation, upgrading to Haswell-E may be rewarding but it won’t be an inexpensive proposition.

 

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Packaging & Accessories

Packaging & Accessories

Now that we have gone over the X99 Classified features and specifications, it is time to examine the new packaging and then crack open the box to take a look at the numerous bundled accessories. Let's check it out:

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Big and bold has always been a defining characteristic of EVGA's motherboard packaging, particularly with their flagship Classified models, and that holds true in this case. When you take a look at this box you know immediately what motherboard model it contains.

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Once you remove the outside packaging, you are greeted with an inner box that is separated by a tray. The top half holds all of the individually sealed accessories and documentation, while the bottom half contains the motherboard itself. When all laid out the accessories bundle really is quite impressive, and it definitely helps solidify the Classified's position as a flagship part.

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First and foremost having all the accessories individually sealed in a special foil packaging that you don't get with any other company is pretty cool, and lends a nice feel of exclusivity to this motherboard. The accessories bundle starts off with six straight SATA 6Gb/s cables, a shiny I/O shield, and a USB 3.0 expansion bracket that provides two extra ports. These are some of the more common accessories, so now let's take a look at the unique ones.

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Since this motherboard supports it, EVGA have included a 4-way SLI connector, a 3-way SLI connector, and a flexible 2-way SLI connector. There are four GPU Link cables, which are used to connect supported video cards to the motherboard, in order to have full voltage control from within the UEFI BIOS. Next up is the EZ voltage read point cables, which is connected to the motherboard via the appropriate header above the memory slots. Last but not least is the I/O cover, which is used to provide some cover for the I/O area, but is arguably mainly there just for aesthetic purposes. It needs to be screwed into case standoffs, so if you have the motherboard just lying on a desk or something, you won't be able to attach it.

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One of the things that impressed us the most about this motherboard was how well it was packaged. We aren't sure if this is intentional or not, but the anti-static bag that the motherboard was wrapped in was filled with air. Enough air that it acted like a protective barrier against any physical impacts. It's a nice touch.

Likewise, this is the only motherboard in recent memory that we have seen come wrapped in a piece of protective foam. This serves not only to protect the PCB traces and any small rear mounted components, but also those countless sharp protruding solder points.

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Last but not least is the preponderance of useful warning stickers in key areas. The one on the CPU socket is actually a little booklet that should be helpful for true novices.


From the individually sealed accessories, to the air filled anti-static bag, to the protective foam, to the helpful warning stickers, EVGA's packaging and presentation for this Classified model are the best that we have ever seen and truly industry leading. That first impression when you unbox a new product is important, and this motherboard definitely does not disappoint.

 

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A Closer Look at the X99 Classified

A Closer Look at the X99 Classified

The X99 Classified features a non-standard form factor that is 20 millimeters or about 0.8 inches wider than the reference ATX dimensions. As a result, EVGA is classifying it as an Extended ATX (EATX) model even though a true EATX motherboard is a full 66 millimeters / 2.6 inches wider than ATX. The positive news is that this motherboard should fit in most standard ATX cases. Despite these fairly regular PCB dimensions, EVGA have managed to fit a huge assortment of expansions slots and headers, while maintaining a clean and user-friendly layout. We are pleased that the ATX power connector, two 8-pin CPU power connectors, ten SATA ports, USB headers, and wide variety of buttons are all conveniently placed at the edge of the motherboard. Having said that, the CPU socket is very close to the first PCI-E x16 slot, so make sure to check out our Installation Section to see what issues that causes.

Aesthetics wise, EVGA seems to be continuing their slow move away from red accents. Aside from the obvious huge red logo on the chipset heatsink and a touch of grey on the MOSFET heatsink, every other part of this motherboard is black. With the ASUS Republic of Gamers series having a mindshare stranglehold on the red & black theme, this move to a mostly black design is good choice in our opinion.

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At first glance, this motherboard seems to have a clean and clear CPU socket area. The MOSFET heatsink and memory slots do not pose any clearance issues whatsoever, which usually would ensure compatibility with any cooling option you could possibly want. However, as you will see in the Installation Section, the first PCI-E x16 slot is actually too close to the CPU socket, and a result there are definitely compatibility problems with larger air coolers.

Speaking of the CPU socket, in our review of the ASUS X99 Deluxe we discussed its use of a proprietary "OC Socket", which is touted as offering superior CPU and DDR4 overclocking. EVGA doesn't directly make any such claims for its socket, but they do state that their LGA2011-3 socket features a 150% increase in gold content, which should help improve power transfer via lower electrical inductance.

The X99 Classified is geared towards hardcore overclockers, specifically those that are more likely to subject their new Haswell-E to liquid nitrogen and thus achieve truly high clock speeds. As a result, this model features a pair of 8-pin CPU power connectors capable of funneling up to 600W to the processor. Handling this heavy load is an efficient and extremely capable 10-phase digital VRM design based on 60 amp Dr.MOS IOR 3550M MOSFETs and a International Rectifier 3563B controller.

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In the first two images, you get a little side view of the optional I/O cover, as well as a look at the three chokes and three 40-amp IOR 3553M MOSFETs that make up the three-phase DDR4 power design for the left bank of memory slots. Thanks to the quad-channel memory architecture of this flagship platform, this motherboard features eight DDR4 memory slots and supports up to 128GB of system memory. EVGA have validated the Classified for memory frequencies up to DDR4-3000, which is something that we will be testing in the Overclocking Section. Above the right bank of memory slots is the header for the EZ voltage read points accessory, which will allow overclocks to keep an eye on system voltage with the help of a voltmeter.

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In the top-right corner of the motherboard are the CMOS Reset button, a 1-amp capable PWM CPU fan header, and the large backlit Reset and Power buttons. To the left of those buttons are the MCU Turbo switch, which loads a very low clock speed profile suitable for booting up during extreme overclocking and sub-ambient temperatures. Next to that is the GPU Link header, into which you can plug the four GPU Link cables, which are used to connect supported video cards to the motherboard, in order to have full voltage control over the graphics card(s) from within the UEFI BIOS. Last but not least is the dual purpose LED display, which is not only useful to debug during boot up but also serves as a CPU temperature monitor when you're in the OS.

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Something that EVGA have been doing for a new of years that wins them a bunch of brownie points with this reviewer is the angled 24-pin power connector. A right angled power connector gives you improved front-to-back (or vice-versa) airflow in your case, optimized cable management, and it looks awesome. Kudos to EVGA for being the only one to dare implementing this type of connector.

Next up we have the BIOS selector switch, which lets users select between one of the three BIOS chips, one of which is removable. The plastic covered dipswitches can be used to disable PCI-E slots, useful for trouble shooting during extreme multi-GPU overclocking runs. To the left of the dipswitches, you can see (part of) one of the angled system fan headers, another rarity that we have never seen on any other motherboard.

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The large passive X99 chipset cooler is a hefty heatsink with a sizeable heatpipe that it shares with the MOSFET cooler. With its irregular shape and distinctive EVGA logo, it is a pretty attractive design element. Although SATA Express is mysteriously absent on this motherboard - a weird exclusion for such a high-end model - it features an impressive ten SATA 6Gb/s ports, all of which are supplied by the X99 PCH. There are four AHCI ports, and six RAID ports that support RAID 0/1/5/10/JBOD plus Intel Rapid Storage Technology.

One of the main benefits of this motherboard is that it supports the M.2 NGFF (Next Generation Form Factor) interface in all of its PCI-E 3.0 x4 glory, which means a theoretical maximum bandwidth of 32Gbps (4GB/s). The Classified features one M.2 Type 3 "M Key" slot that supports 80mm long Type 2280 SSDs, and seemingly nothing else since it lacks the screw mounting hole for shorter modules. Having said that, the M.2 Type 2 "E Key" slot is intended for connectivity (WLAN, Bluetooth, GPS, etc) instead of storage, and thus supports shorter Type 2230 modules. It should be noted that enabling the M.2 Type 3/Socket 3 slot will disable the PCI-E slot #5, while enabling the M.2 Type 2/Socket 1 slot will disable the USB 3.0 Port 3.

 

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A Closer Look at the X99 Classified pt.2

A Closer Look at the X99 Classified pt.2

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The lower half of this motherboard is replete with headers. There are three angled system fan headers, front panel header, USB 3.0 header, USB 2.0 header, Thunderbolt GPIO connector, PC speaker, EVGauge header, MCU Firmware Update header, front panel audio header. There is also a 6-pin PCI-E supplemental power connector in order to ensure that the PCI-E slots get all the power that they require for power-hungry triple or quad graphics card configurations.

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The X99 Classified features five mechanical PCI-E x16 slots, and it makes full use of the enhanced PCI-Express capabilities of the Haswell-E processors. In fact, EVGA has certified this motherboard for up to 4-way CrossFireX and 4-Way SLI operation. This is all done without the use of a PLX chip since EVGA isn't syphoning PCI-E lanes away from the CPU towards various storage controllers, and therefore all 40 PCI-E 3.0 lanes are being directed towards the five PCI-E x16 slots. Obviously, in a simple dual graphics card configuration, you will get full speed x16/x16 PCI-E 3.0 transfer rates. When three graphics cards are installed, the first and second card will run at x16 2.0, while the third operates at x8 2.0 (x16/x16/x8). When four graphics cards are installed, the slots will operate in PCI-E 3.0 x8/x8/x8/x8 configuration. Technically speaking, even five graphics cards can be used at the same time. The PCI-E 2.0 x4 slots is courtesy of the X99 PCH, since that is where its four PCI-E lanes are coming from. It features an open-ended design permitting the use of expansion cards with longer x8 or x16 PCI-E interfaces.

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At the heart of the X99 Classified's onboard audio solution is the Creative Core3D CA0132 quad-core audio processor. This is a 6-channel (5.1) High Definition audio chip that not only promises top-notch audio quality but access to Creative's suite of excellent gaming-related features and software. Furthermore, thanks to dedicated hardware sound acceleration, you are offloading cycles from the processor while maintaining the best audio quality. This is a valuable and unique addition since the overwhelming majority of current high-end motherboards features a simple Realtek ALC1150 CODEC. Power filtering is done by a relatively small bank of Nichicon solid polymer capacitors, and although there is a dedicated headphone jack we can't find any dedicated headphone amplifier. Regrettably, EVGA did not outfit the Creative processor with an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield, nor does it seem like they have implemented any PCB-level isolation of the audio section of the motherboard. We will have to see what effect if any that has on our audio quality testing.

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The rear I/O area is a little more sparse than we are accustomed to seeing on X99 motherboards, but starting from left to right, we have two USB 2.0 ports, a CMOS Reset button, four additional USB 2.0 ports, one high performance Intel I217V-powered Gigabit LAN port and one widely compatible Intel I210AT-powered Gigabit LAN port, four USB 3.0 ports, five analog audio jacks - the dark green one is a dedicated headphone output - and a digital optical S/PDIF output. Regarding connectivity, there are only four USB 3.0 ports on the rear I/O shield, which is much less than we are used to seeing on X99 motherboards. This is likely due to the fact that EVGA did not want to use any third-party controllers that would require their own PCI-E lanes, so they are instead relying on the native capabilities of the X99 PCH.

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Aside from a few electrical components, there is nothing particularly remarkable on the back of this motherboard, all the heatsinks and the I/O Cover are attached with metal screws, which is what we expect from a high-end motherboard like this one.

 

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Hardware Installation

Hardware Installation

In the Hardware Installation section we examine how major components fit on the motherboard, and whether there are any serious issues that may affect installation and general functionality. Specifically, we are interested in determining whether there is adequate clearance in all critical areas.

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When installed in the East-West or North-South orientation, our Prolimatech Mega Shadow had no issues physically clearing the MOSFET heatsinks. We wish that we could say that we don't foresee any obstacles with even the largest of coolers, but as we mentioned in the Closer Look section, the first PCI-E x16 slot is actually too close to the CPU socket. As a result there is definitely a risk of larger CPU coolers coming into contact with the back of the graphics card. Check below to get a closer look at this issue.

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In the traditional North-South orientation, we surprisingly did not have any showstopping clearance issues when it came to the memory modules. Our cooler's fan clips did make contact with the nearest memory module, but it did not prevent installation or removal of the RAM. Those using a heatsink that is wider than 122mm or memory modules that are taller than 40mm will want to be careful, assuming a similar fan clip setup.

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There really isn't much of a gap between the back of the graphics card and the memory slots, so those with fat fingers might have some issues accessing the memory clips. The 24-pin ATX power connector and the 8-pin CPU power connector are both ideally placed, so that makes assembling and disassembling the system just a tad easier. The unique right-angle 24-pin ATX power connector shouldn't cause a problem with most cases that allow for routing of the cable behind the mounting plate, but an extension might be useful or even needed in some cases.

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This board will hold two or three dual-slot graphics cards without issue. The cards overhang the motherboard, but the edge-mounted SATA connectors and various headers are still easily accessible. As on all motherboard, if you install a dual-slot expansion card in the bottom PCI-E x16 slot it will block the headers at the very bottom of the motherboards and make access to the various buttons difficult if not impossible.

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The six right-angle SATA ports are obviously accessible no matter how many graphics cards are installed, as are the two SATA Express port (and their four SATA ports).

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Like on all LGA2011 motherboards past and present, this model comes with its own CPU backplate, so there is really nothing to worry about back there.

 

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BIOS Rundown

BIOS Rundown

Although first unveiled on their Z87 models, EVGA's latest UEFI makes great strides in the functionality and ease of use departments. It may not be as effective, user-friendly, or as powerful as alternatives from MSI, ASUS, or Gigabyte, but it is markedly better than the BIOS which accompanied the past EVGA models. More importantly it is highly responsive and overall there is not much to complain about.

The largest and most obvious difference from past generations of EVGA BIOS interfaces is the look. This new UEFI does not look like an early 90s DOS page. Gone is the black background with plain white lettering and in its places is a very aesthetically pleasing layout which emulates a modern website. Like a website with horizontal page navigation this new UEFI has been broken up into two main sections. The top section gives a brief overview of your system as well as offering quick access to the five subsections. Also like a website's navigation bar, this section is static and does not change but the information it displays is updated in real time. For instance it will give you detailed information about the RAM and CPU installed alongside what CPU and power subsystems temperatures are. It can even indicate what type of card is installed in the PCI-E slot (ie PCI-E 3.0, 2.0, etc compliant).

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The first of the five subsections is the Overclock area, which is where most enthusiasts will spend the majority of their time as it features the usual grab bag of nearly everything related to overclocking. By the same token, if you are used to the fine grain control ASUS or MSI offer in their comparable sections, there will be some initial disappointment with the lack of advanced features. For example, there is an almost complete lack of fine grain control over the VRM configuration.

On the positive side all the basics and even most of the advanced voltage adjustments necessary for a long term stable overclock are here, including a very decent subsection aptly labeled CPU Configuration. To be fair our slight disappointment with these BIOS options is more a case of EVGA simply not going the extra mile like we have grown accustomed to with enthusiast grade motherboards.

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Unlike the Overclocking section, the Memory section is very well appointed. While you will not find pages upon pages of minutia that you can tweak, the level of options EVGA has included is nearly perfect and well above average once you take into consideration the Memory Training and Memory Debug areas. All but the most hardcore of RAM overclocking enthusiasts will be more than pleased with this BIOS' abilities as EVGA has ticked all the right boxes and included a fine list of adjustments which range from the very basic to the very advanced.

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The Advanced tab is where you can enable or disable all the CPU-specific features like the Thermal Monitor, Hyper-Threading, Virtualization, Enhanced SpeedStep, Turbo Mode, C-States, etc. It is also where you can enable/disable or just find all the various settings and options for all the onboard devices like the audio, LAN, USB 3.0, SATA ports, etc. In the numerous sub-sections you will find options for everything from turning on and off the onboard LEDS – via the so-called Dark Mode - to configuring aggressive Link Power Management to hardware monitoring and CPU Smart Fan configurations. There also isn’t a way to create a custom 'favorites’ list to quickly change any sections without first digging down manually through the sections.

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The Boot section is fairly straightforward and contain all the usual features one would find in any modern UEFI BIOS. This includes saving and loading of custom profiles and permanently or temporarily changing boot order.

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Although previous EVGA BIOS iterations lacked the crucial ability to flash the BIOS from within the BIOS, that serious shortcoming has been fixed. Do note that flashing the board with a new UEFI version will flash all three integrated BIOSes, which is something that we would like to have control over. Sometimes you want to test a new BETA bios while having the confidence that if things go wrong you can fall back to an bug-free earlier version.

Overall, it's clear that EVGA are trying based on the clear advancements that they have made in the BIOS department. This new BIOS is much more modern and significantly better than what we’ve seen from them in the past just one year ago. However it still does not come anywhere near the features and capabilities of competing UEFI's from the other major motherboard manufacturers.

 

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Included Software

Included Software

While we hesitate to use words like “suite” in the same sentence as the EVGA X99 Classified, the included software suite consists of three main programs, of which two are the generic stock applications which accompany any motherboard equipped with Creative’s Core3D audio chipset. Those are slim pickings considering the epic list of add-ons ASUS has included with their boards.

Naturally, the SoundBlaster Pro Studio application has been included. This app boasts features like a full-band equalizer, noise reduction capabilities, and allows for the tweaking of individual channel volume levels. It’s certainly not unique but still welcome.

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Creative’s excellent Scout Mode has also been rolled into this Core3D iteration. This enhances the soundstage for improved positional auditory cues in games. While a poor substitute for a multi-speaker surround sound configuration, when used in conjunction with a pair of good headphones it has the capability to provide a noticeable advantage that you would not normally get from ‘onboard’ sound solutions.

As the blurb on the main screen of the Creative Alchemy application suggests, the it restores hardware accelerated audio so that you can enjoy EAX and 3D audio effects while playing DirectSound3D games. Unlike the SoundBlaster Pro Studio this application will not merit much attention as it can radically change the audio of certain games - sometimes for the worse. However if you wish to hear your games in a 'different' way you may want to explore this simple program in greater detail.

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EVGA’s E-LEET Tuning Utility X is usually the centerpiece of their software offerings, but in the case of the X99 LGA2011-3 platform it is still in BETA form. As a result, most of the familiar tabs and tweaking capabilities are completely missing. It currently doesn't even recognize memory timings, and it incorrectly reads the Uncore frequency. Basically, at the moment anyways, it is a poor man's CPU-Z with a tiny bit of CPU multiplier tweaking throw in.

 

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Test Setup & Methodology

Test Setup & Methodology

For this review, we are going to be testing the performance of the EVGA X99 Classified in three configurations: default settings, automatic overclock settings, and manual overclock settings. The components and software are the same across all three, and aside from manually selecting the frequencies, timings, and voltages in the manual overclock configuration, every option in the BIOS was at its default setting.

Intel Core i7 LGA2011-v3 Haswell-E Test Setup​

For all of the benchmarks, appropriate lengths are taken to ensure an equal comparison through methodical setup, installation, and testing. The following outlines our testing methodology:

A) Windows is installed using a full format.

B) Chipset drivers and accessory hardware drivers (audio, network, GPU) are installed.

C)To ensure consistent results, a few tweaks are applied to Windows 7 and the NVIDIA control panel:

• UAC – Disabled
• Indexing – Disabled
• Superfetch – Disabled
• System Protection/Restore – Disabled
• Problem & Error Reporting – Disabled
• Remote Desktop/Assistance - Disabled
• Windows Security Center Alerts – Disabled
• Windows Defender – Disabled
• Screensaver – Disabled
• Power Plan – High Performance
• V-Sync – Off

D) All available Windows updates are then installed.

E) All programs are installed and then updated, followed by a defragment.

F) Benchmarks are each run three to eight times, and unless otherwise stated, the results are then averaged.

Here is a full list of the applications that we utilized in our benchmarking suite:

• 3DMark Vantage Professional Edition v1.1.0
• 3DMark11 Professional Edition v1.0.132.0
• 3DMark 2013 Professional Edition v1.2.362
• AIDA64 Extreme Edition v3.00.2536 Beta
• Cinebench R11.529 64-bit
• SuperPi Mod v1.9 WP
• MaxxMEM² - PreView v2.01
• Sisoft Sandra 2014.SP3 20.28
• Valve Particle Simulation Benchmark v1.0.0.0
• wPRIME version v2.10
• X3: Terran Conflict Demo v1.0

That is about all you need to know methodology wise, so let's get to the good stuff!