Finally, a short description of the system that was used for conducting the tests:

• OS: Vista Ultimate 64-bit
• CPU: Intel Core2 Extreme QX9650 clocked at 3.6GHz (9x400)
• Motherboard: Abit IX38 QuadGT with bios version 12 (final)
• RAM:8GB DDR2 800 5-5-5-15 timings
• HDD: Samsung SP2504C and Samsung HD501LJ
• PSU: Sirtec Rocksolid HPC-1200-G14C 1200W
• GPU: 2 HIS HD3870X2 with Catalyst 8.471.1.1, build date 26.03.2008 (latest hotfix drivers available here)
• SOUND: Realtek ALC888 HD Audio with R1.90 drivers

All other drivers were used in their latest available incarnations.

Since AC doesn't have an inbuilt test, we'll be using FRAPS 2.9.4, with the same average of three 3 minute runs method that we used in our main review of the 3870X2. The run consists of going from the portcullis of Al Mualim's tower through Masyaf out the gates to where the horses are placed.

There's also an issue with the drivers used: they currently don't have a Crossfire profile for AC. This means that by default no scaling is experienced. Since this is a sneak-peek, we'll make an exception from our rules and make use of renaming the game's executable. After testing, we've found that renaming AssassinsCreed_Dx10.exe to COJ_DX10.exe produces the best results for the DX10 pathway, whilst for the DX9 one you should rename AssassinsCreed_Dx9.exe to fear.exe. Probably, by the time we test AC as part of our benchmarking suite, ATi will have released updated drivers that contain proper profiles.