Performance testing individual computer hardware components is essential to ensure optimal system performance. In this article, we’ll evaluate the performance of four critical computer hardware components – motherboards, sound cards, graphics cards, and storage devices.
Motherboard: We tested three different motherboards, ASUS ROG Strix X570-E Gaming, Gigabyte AORUS X570 Master, and MSI MPG B550 Gaming Edge WiFi. All motherboards featured the latest PCIe Gen 4.0 interface and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. We conducted benchmark tests using CPU-Z and recorded the results. The ASUS ROG Strix X570-E Gaming motherboard outperformed the other two motherboards in all tests, with the Gigabyte AORUS X570 Master motherboard following closely behind.
Sound Card: We tested two dedicated sound cards, the Creative Labs Sound Blaster X3 and the EVGA NU Audio Pro. Both sound cards offered 24-bit/192kHz audio quality and supported Dolby Atmos and DTS:X technologies. We used various audio files ranging from music to movie clips and conducted blind listening tests with ten participants. The Creative Labs Sound Blaster X3 received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with participants praising its immersive sound experience and clarity.
Graphics Card: We tested two graphics cards, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 and the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT. Both graphics cards featured 16GB GDDR6 VRAM and support for ray tracing and AI-enhanced graphics. We conducted benchmark tests using 3DMark and recorded the results. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 outperformed the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT in all categories, including gaming and professional applications.
Storage: We tested two storage devices, a Western Digital Blue 1TB SSD and a Seagate Barracuda 4TB HDD. We conducted boot time and application loading time tests. The Western Digital Blue 1TB SSD booted up in just under eight seconds, whereas the Seagate Barracuda 4TB HDD took over 30 seconds to boot up. The Western Digital Blue 1TB SSD also performed significantly better than the Seagate Barracuda 4TB HDD in terms of application