Wednesday, September 10th 2008
Phenom X2 Churns out Roughly 15% Increments with Super Pi
Phenom X2 is intended to be the latest dual-core processor from AMD. It is based on the newer K10 architecture. The 65nm Kuma core is what sits inside the first to release models of the Phenom X2. Although based on K10 architecture and Kuma core, the initial batch being 65nm, AMD for some reason chooses to call it Athlon X2 saving the Phenom brand name perhaps for the 45nm batches? At least the sample Expreview got had the Athlon X2 etching on it. The chip carried the "AD6500" label and came with a 2.30 GHz clock speed.
Here's something to ponder: 6500 isn't a performance rating, it is just a model number. The Athlon 64 X2 6400+ had a 3.20 GHz clock speed. As performance evaluations will soon show, the Phenom/Athlon 6500 isn't anywhere close to the performance of the X2 6400+. However, architectural improvements meant that Kuma outperforms Brisbane (K8, 65nm) on a clock to clock basis. To ascertain this, Expreview used a Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Black Edition (Brisbane) that was underclocked to 2.30 GHz, the clock speed which AD6500 comes with. Super Pi 1M benchmark was run. While the Brisbane chip crunched it in 39.374 s, Kuma did it in 33.43 s indicating a performance increment of roughly 15%. The test-bed consisted of a NVIDIA nForce 750a SLI motherboard and GEIL 1GB DDR2-800 memory. Kuma AD6500 comes with a shared L3 cache of 2 MB apart from dedicated L2 caches of 512 KB per core. It uses a broader HyperTransport 3.0 system interface at 3600 MT/s. It supports DDR2-1066.
Source:
Expreview
Here's something to ponder: 6500 isn't a performance rating, it is just a model number. The Athlon 64 X2 6400+ had a 3.20 GHz clock speed. As performance evaluations will soon show, the Phenom/Athlon 6500 isn't anywhere close to the performance of the X2 6400+. However, architectural improvements meant that Kuma outperforms Brisbane (K8, 65nm) on a clock to clock basis. To ascertain this, Expreview used a Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Black Edition (Brisbane) that was underclocked to 2.30 GHz, the clock speed which AD6500 comes with. Super Pi 1M benchmark was run. While the Brisbane chip crunched it in 39.374 s, Kuma did it in 33.43 s indicating a performance increment of roughly 15%. The test-bed consisted of a NVIDIA nForce 750a SLI motherboard and GEIL 1GB DDR2-800 memory. Kuma AD6500 comes with a shared L3 cache of 2 MB apart from dedicated L2 caches of 512 KB per core. It uses a broader HyperTransport 3.0 system interface at 3600 MT/s. It supports DDR2-1066.
39 Comments on Phenom X2 Churns out Roughly 15% Increments with Super Pi
How long till the entire line is all Phenoms?
One benchmark doesn't tell it all -- Intel chips have always been better at SuperPI than AMD chips, so no big surprise here. ;)
If this card has some good overclocking headroom with new AM2 motherboards (featuring that AAC technology stuff), then this chip isn't bad at all. With that lower power draw it'd be quite nice.
Now, I'm not saying that the Phenom X4's are any better than the Q6600,
Shouldn't it be 45nm ?
so do these phenom x2s clock well because clock for clock they are better so assuming they get better with overclocking
either way with x4s only a little more seems pointless to release these cpu
i think they should close shop. maybe focus on some other market. like plastic action figures.
especially is nVidia releases an x86 GPU, they're screwed for good.
Is that what you want?
(And people have been talking about Nvidia making an x86 chip for many years -- even if they somehow do get a license, I'll believe it when I see it.)
anyways, although the new x2's should be nice budget cpu's, unfortunately, intel also has expanded their lineup to include cheaper cpu's like the e7*** series, and unless the x2 can directly compete, prices would have to be very "budget" to compete
as of right now to the general market they're appealing to they are nothing but a sour taste in the mouth of the gaming graphics market from the past and need to prove themselves otherwise on a large scale.
I'm convinced they're a great company and I always stick with the best product at time of purchase regardless of brand.
4870 1GB FTW