Windows Experience Index

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signz

95 posts

Master Geek

#110236 12-Feb-2008 22:04

freitasm: It looks like you have a memory and graphic card impacting on this index.

In real life this is an indicator. It is not absolute. It won't stop your machine dead on its tracks if you want to perform a CPU intensive application. But it will slow down if you run a graphics intensive program or one that does have lots of information being moved in memory.

Does it make sense?

SOMETHING will always be the bottle neck. As discussed, I bought to a price point and am happy with the box and price.

I am just not happy with the benchmark.

What surprised me was how little discussion of WEI there is out there on the 'net or in the retail world.

Are PCs at Noel Leeming pastered with a WEI figure? I doubt it.

DS

chakkaradeep

799 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#110259 12-Feb-2008 22:55

signz:
What surprised me was how little discussion of WEI there is out there on the 'net or in the retail world.

Very simple, No one is used to it prior to Vista and I am sure if you ask someone who is not a full time Computer User, he would ask back to you "What the hell is this !"

Regards,
Chaks

Desktop : Intel Quad Core Q9400 2.66GHz - 8GB RAM - 500 GB + 500 GB HDD - NVidia GeForce 9800GT - LG246WH Flatron Display - Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise with Hyper-V
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Laptop: HP dv7-3004TX Entertainment Notebook PC | HP Touchsmart tx2 1119au - Windows 7 Ultimate x64
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chakkaradeep

799 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#110260 12-Feb-2008 22:57

signz:
Are PCs at Noel Leeming pastered with a WEI figure? I doubt it.

If PCs are sold by the WEI, I think people would go only for specific index and all those low cost laptops (especially Acer) will be down! One way its good

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79316 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

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Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#110279 12-Feb-2008 23:36

signz:
I just bought a new PC. Not top of the line but I went from running Vista on a 2.4GHz Celeron, 1GB RAM to a new Qaud core 2.4GHz with 4GB RAM. Faster disk, faster graphics, better motherboard. Should fly by comparison with what I throw at it.

You say "it should fly by comparison". Doesn't it?

signz:
So ... Vista tells me that my Windows Experience Index has increased with my new machine ... from 3.6 to 4.5,

You are kidding me, aren't you?

The current machine works OK but this one should be able to handle at least 3 times the workload.

Here is the problem. The Windows Experience Index does not measure performance. It is an indicator of what features or functions you could expect .

If you read this blog entry it explains it very well and I quote:

Base Score Level
Applications and Scenarios
Description
1.0 – 1.9
Basic performance. Productivity applications, IM, web, email, simple games - like Solitaire, educational games.
Minimum specification needed to run Windows Vista™.
2.0 – 2.9
Improved responsiveness. Same applications as a base score of 1.0 – 1.9.
PCs will run Windows Vista but in most cases will not be Aero capable.
3.0-3.9
Aero graphics, Media Center with standard definition TV, basic graphical games, basic performance while running high-end graphical games.
Minimum specification needed to run Windows Vista Premium features, including the new Aero user interface.
4.0 – 4.9
Snappy performance, high definition video, high resolution monitors, dual monitors.
Very good performing PCs.
5.0 – 5.9
Fast moving games with amazingly rich graphics, 3D modeling, high-end multimedia and high performance applications.
Top end of the PC market for the Vista time frame.

Then you can find more here:

Base score What can you expect from Windows Vista and your computer? What can you effectively use your computer to do?
1.0 to 1.9
You can expect basic performance. The computer meets Windows Vista minimum requirements.
Work with productivity programs, web browsers, and e‑mail and instant-messaging programs. Play simple games.

2.0 to 2.9
You might begin to experience enhanced performance capabilities of Windows Vista, such as Windows Aero.
Run the same programs as the previous level but with better performance.

3.0 to 3.9
Windows Aero will typically be enabled automatically on the computer.
Run all programs from previous levels as well as some graphics-intensive games and most features of Windows Media Center.

4.0 to 4.9
The computer should perform well with high-resolution monitors and multiple monitors.
Run all programs from previous levels with excellent performance. Run Windows Media Center with high-definition video.

5.0 to 5.9
You can expect the highest performance level available.
Run all items from previous levels, games with ultra-rich graphics, three-dimensional modeling programs, and high-end video and multimedia programs.

Base score	What can you expect from Windows Vista and your computer?	What can you effectively use your computer to do?
1.0 to 1.9	You can expect basic performance. The computer meets Windows Vista minimum requirements.	Work with productivity programs, web browsers, and e‑mail and instant-messaging programs. Play simple games.
2.0 to 2.9	You might begin to experience enhanced performance capabilities of Windows Vista, such as Windows Aero.	Run the same programs as the previous level but with better performance.
3.0 to 3.9	Windows Aero will typically be enabled automatically on the computer.	Run all programs from previous levels as well as some graphics-intensive games and most features of Windows Media Center.
4.0 to 4.9	The computer should perform well with high-resolution monitors and multiple monitors.	Run all programs from previous levels with excellent performance. Run Windows Media Center with high-definition video.
5.0 to 5.9	You can expect the highest performance level available.	Run all items from previous levels, games with ultra-rich graphics, three-dimensional modeling programs, and high-end video and multimedia programs.

So it's obvious this is not a workload index but an experience index (as the name suggests).

The tables show exactly what to expect in terms of experience. It does not show what you should expect in terms of computational performance. For this you should use other tests - whetstones and dhrystones for example. Or TPC for transactional models.

signz

95 posts

Master Geek

#110993 16-Feb-2008 17:42

freitasm:
signz:
I just bought a new PC. Not top of the line but I went from running Vista on a 2.4GHz Celeron, 1GB RAM to a new Qaud core 2.4GHz with 4GB RAM. Faster disk, faster graphics, better motherboard. Should fly by comparison with what I throw at it.

You say "it should fly by comparison". Doesn't it?

It took a few days to it setup with everything required to get me through a workday.

Yes, the result is that it does acheive a lot more than the box it is replacing. Most of the tasks I throw at are not CPU intensive but there are usually a LOT of things running. So, yes - much faster.

Here is the problem. The Windows Experience Index does not measure performance. It is an indicator of what features or functions you could expect .

From the first screen where it shows the score.

"Rate and improve your computer's performance"

Yes, I agree that in reality this number does not reflect overall system performance but instead is an indicator of whether the base Vista OS will work. As I said, it's lucky that this number is NOT used by the industry.

DS

dnb4life

312 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#111028 16-Feb-2008 20:51

i completely disagree with that. i think it would be great if the industry picked this up. in fact i would encourage mac to do the same.
if there's anything the average pc consumer needs it is index that tells them exactly what they can achieve with the system they're looking at.
i believe a lot of the consumers tend to lean towards machines due to brand, price or popularity as opposed to performance and if anything this could help dramatically in the customers understanding of what they're paying for.

it is for performance, but specifically in windows vista and is not intended for benchmarking individual components such as ram in your case and your computers ability to multitask.

also saying stuff like "my computer is 30% better" just simply cannot be applied to the WEI because as stated it is non-linear and it takes the lowest score of any component hence why your cpu can be a quad core and be 10 times better than your old cpu but another component could hold your score back, to the point where it stays the same even if 90% of your computer is top of the line.

pando

235 posts

Master Geek

#112886 25-Feb-2008 11:47

Ran the index yesterday and had I read that 5.9 was the highest i'd have been a LOT happier, I was thinking 10 was the top!

No screenshot but:

Processer AMD X2 5600+ 5.3
RAM Crucial Ballistix 5.9
Graphics 8800GTS 5.9
Gaming gfx 5.9
Primary HDD 2xWD in Raid 0 5.9
= 5.3

Will most likely upgrade the CPU to a newer Phenom Q3-Q4 depending on reviews

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Base Score Level	Applications and Scenarios	Description
1.0 – 1.9	Basic performance. Productivity applications, IM, web, email, simple games - like Solitaire, educational games.	Minimum specification needed to run Windows Vista™.
2.0 – 2.9	Improved responsiveness. Same applications as a base score of 1.0 – 1.9.	PCs will run Windows Vista but in most cases will not be Aero capable.
3.0-3.9	Aero graphics, Media Center with standard definition TV, basic graphical games, basic performance while running high-end graphical games.	Minimum specification needed to run Windows Vista Premium features, including the new Aero user interface.
4.0 – 4.9	Snappy performance, high definition video, high resolution monitors, dual monitors.	Very good performing PCs.
5.0 – 5.9	Fast moving games with amazingly rich graphics, 3D modeling, high-end multimedia and high performance applications.	Top end of the PC market for the Vista time frame.