It's almost upon us folks, the next big step in benchmarking technology with the use of a fully blown directx 9 based code that'll push your 6800u/x800 xt (should you be so fortunate) to it's absolute limits. As promised, the NDA's about to be lifted, meaning previews with eye candy and info galore. But best of all? You'll be able to grab the 283mb installer from a nice fast file server and crank up FutureMark's 3DMark05 for yourselves. I'll update the list below as coverage makes it's way far and wide across the web, with Driver Heaven already risking an early heads start.

 

Update: FutureMark have since made the official announcement of their 3DMark05 release today, you can read it on their website here.

 

Saratoga, California USA - September 29th, 2004 - Futuremark Corporation today announced 3DMark05, the world's most demanding graphics application for PCs. 3DMark05 is the fifth generation of the product line, which boasts a distribution of over 50 million copies. 3DMark05 sets the standard for accurate and objective measurement of graphics performance of DirectX 9 in running next generation of 3D games.

 

3DMark05 enables objective cross-platform performance comparisons and incorporates many groundbreaking new features and technologies. The all-new engine and tests were developed within Futuremark's Benchmark Development Program whose members include: 3DLabs, AMD, ATI, Dell, Gateway, Imagination Technologies (PowerVR), Innovision, Intel, Microsoft, NVIDIA, S3, and XGI.

 

- Driver Heaven
- TweakTown
- Tech Report
- ATI-News
- 3D Velocity
- Accelnation
- Hexus
- Bit-Tech
- XBit Labs
- Bjorn3D
- EliteBastards
- Hardware.fr (Translated)

 

Below I will also include a listing of file servers you can download the installer from as they come to be folks. I intend to update the list as more emerge. Most likely these will all be quite slow for a while, and if you're lucky / patient enough, you'll get this page to load over at FutureMark's website, providing you with a full listing of download links from various sites across the globe.

 

- Guru3D
- Games Fusion
- Major Geeks
- HardwareLuxx
- TheCENTER
- TweakUp
- NVISION
- Gamestar Online
- Adrenaline
- MyDrivers
- Planet Mirror
- Hardware Hell