Feature Articles

Diablo III - Performance Review

By James Lu - 18 May 2012

Test Setup

Test Setup

We’ll be running two test comparisons here. One for desktop GPUs and one for Notebooks.

Desktop GPU Test Setup

For our desktop GPUs, we’ll be using our trusty gaming rig testbed:

  • Intel Core i7-975 @ 3.33GHz
  • Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD4P motherboard
  • 3 x 1GB DDR3-1333 G.Skill RAM in triple-channel mode
  • Seagate 7200.10, 200GB SATA HDD (7200 RPM)

The cards tested:


Notebook GPU Test Setup

The notebooks tested (GPUs tested in bold):

  • MSI GT70 - Intel Core i7-3610QM (2.3 GHz) processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M, 16GB RAM, 128GB SSD.
  • HP Pavilion DV6 (2012) - Intel Core i7-3610QM (2.3GHz) processor, Discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M and Integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics, 4 GB RAM, 750GB HDD.
  • Samsung Series 7 Chronos - Intel Core i7-2674QM (2.2GHz) processor, AMD Radeon HD 6750M, 8GB RAM, 500GB HDD.
  • Samsung RF511 - Intel Core i7-2630QM (2.0GHz) processor, NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD.
  • AMD Trinity APU Reference Notebook – AMD A10-4600M (2.3GHz) processor, Integrated AMD HD 7660G graphics, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD.

We tested the game by creating a new Wizard character and running her through the first two and a half minutes of the game:

Starting from the point right after the intro video, which has only the single lighting source...

Continuing on to the zombie ambush outside the gates, which has loads of creatures attacking, lots of foliage and multiple lighting points.

And ending at the interior of the Slaughtered Calf Inn, which has multiple NPCs and a few lighting sources.

We used FRAPs to record our average FPS, with our final score based on a total of three runs.

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