Xvid Encoding:

We tested video encoding performance using VirtualDub-MPEG version 1.6.15 and a multi-threaded version of the Xvid codec, along with the LAME MT MP3 encoder for encoding audio. We did a two-pass encode of a 15-minute 276MB digital TV recording with a target file size of 100MB.


There isn't that much between them all, although the 1,500MHz memory does afford a slightly better performance by some 10-20 seconds. The times are actually reversed between the Premium with its slightly faster low latency 1,066MHz score and faster Deluxe at 1,333MHz.

MP3 Encoding:

We used LAME MT for our audio encoding test - it's the multi-threaded version of the popular LAME MP3 encoder. We ran tests with both Intel's and Microsoft's compilers - naturally, the Intel compiler resulted in some performance increases on Intel's processors. We converted all 18 tracks from Moby's popular Play album to a 192kbps variable bit-rate MP3.



Across the board memory bandwidth or latency seems to make very little difference on MP3 encoding times.

MP3 Decoding

Decoding times are a bit more random, with the Premium coming out more or less better over all, however the 1,333MHz memory score on both boards goes from slowest to fastest between Intel and Microsoft compiled LAME's respectively. The results are all averaged from three scores, so the effect of Vista's background services should be smoothed out. Decoding is more a product of hard drive write speed, too, though the boards seemed to have similar figures for that - but either way, the memory is unlikely the reason for the behaviour.