Encoding Performance

Using HandBrake we converted a 560MB mkv file to the mp4 format and measured the frame rate each processor was able to achieve. Processors with multiple cores will have a natural advantage in this test as we've found HandBrake can take advantage of up to six cores.

The Core i7 2600K rendered 83.3fps and the Core i5 2500K was not far behind managing 82.3fps. This made the Core i7 2600K roughly 13% faster than the Intel Core i7 975 EE. The Core i5 2500K was also 36% faster than the Core i5 750.

The x264 HD Benchmark 3.0 is used to measure the performance of a 2-pass 1280x720 encoding, displaying the results in a frame per second format.

The Intel Core i7 2600K and Core i5 2500K again hit new heights rendering 88fps. This made them 14% faster than the Core i7 975 Extreme Edition and 28% faster than the Core i5 750. Furthermore they were also 18% faster than the six-core Phenom II X6 1100T.

Using TMPGEnc 4.0 Xpress we converted a 715MB avi file to the mpg format and measured the time it took for each processor to complete this task.

Again the Intel Core i7 2600K and Core i5 2500K were by far the fastest processors tested. Here the Core i7 2600K beat the Core i7 975 Extreme Edition by a 16% margin, while the Core i5 2500K was 25% faster than the Core i5 750.