AMD Phenom II AM3

[Frenzy]

This is the interval that will separate the launch of AMD Phenom II socket AM2 + processor AMD Phenom II socket AM3. At the exit of the Phenom X4 II 940 and 920, we were surprised at the existence of these processors socket AM2 + compatible only with the type of DDR2 memory while the Phenom socket AM3 and were ready to support both DDR3 DDR2 and being backward compatible with socket AM2 +. As against the AM2 + Phenom processors 920 and 940 are not compatible with the motherboard socket AM3 since they lack the memory controller supporting DDR3. To be more exact, it is disabled on the 940 and 920. Unless a AM3 motherboard provides DDR2 slots, the Phenom released January 8 are confined to maps AM2 +. This is the justification given by AMD for their existence: to be compatible with AM2 + motherboards that do not bear the AM3 Phenom.

Indeed, the Phenom 940 II with the remaining 3 GHz Phenom clocked the highest since the peak AM3 Phenom yet to 2.8 GHz with the triple core Phenom X3 II 720 Black Edition, unlocked multiplier to rise as any version BE self-respecting. A triple core at 2.6 GHz is also on the agenda with the Phenom X3 II 710. Both processors should have 6 MB of L3 cache, such as 940 and 920. As for quad-core AM3 launched today, is a Phenom X4 II 910 running at 2.6 GHz, but that will not be available in boxed version, but only in "tray, OEM so. He also gets to 6 MB of L3 cache. Of quad-core low-end are also being launched with the Phenom X4 II 810 and 805. These two new processors benefit from a reduced L3 cache to 4 MB and their respective frequencies are 2.6 and 2.5 GHz.

[Frenzy]

The main novelty of the AMD socket AM3 is the new socket which includes support for DDR3 memory controller via a configurable 128-bit Dual 64-bit. A note before going any further than the game of pin placed differently, a Phenom AM2 + is not used on a socket AM3. In contrast, AM3 Phenom 938 pins which include the provision allows them to take place on a socket AM2 +. To return to DDR3, remember that Intel supports DDR3 since May 2007 with the release of the Intel P35 chipset together at the time of the Core 2 Duo E6850. It took almost two years to support AMD also the third generation DDR. AMD is customary for the delay may be recalled that since the support of DDR2, Intel ahead of AMD was nearly two years as well. Indeed socket LGA775 processors were released in June 2004 and had to wait until May 2006 to see happen on the Athlon 64 socket AM2, socket supporting DDR2. This is not a flaw in itself given that DDR2 had taken time to supplant the DDR1 and now we can not say that DDR3 has managed to obscure the DDR2. DDR3 is still more expensive and not necessarily more effective at least for very high frequency.

The particularity of AMD AM3 Phenom II is that they incorporate both a DDR2 memory controller and DDR3. They are therefore able to operate both on AM2 + motherboards with DDR2 that with DDR3 on AM3 motherboards. It is a real plus in terms of scalability that can not offer with its Intel Core i7, which include an exclusively DDR3. But AMD did not aim to compete with Core i7 but the Core 2 Quad and Core 2 Duo. And they can also work with DDR2 to DDR3 as they also have no memory controller. Support for any memory with them is the prerogative of the chipset and processor. The only obstacle in terms of scalability is a support or not the motherboard of the latest Intel released a few cards not supporting LGA775 eg Penryn not burned in 45 nanometers. In short, this integration of two memory controllers in AM3 Phenom may seem revolutionary, but in practice, Intel also referred ensure compatibility with this double play of the chipsets.

The AM3 Phenom II DDR3 support until DDR3-1333. It will be recalled that Intel was to support this speed is also its Core i7 mind but before the release of processors last November by limiting compatibility with DDR3-1066. Moreover, there remains in familiar territory as these AM3 Phenom II reflect the foundations of the K10 architecture and offer the same specifications as the Phenom AM2 II 940 and 920, or less. All these processors are engraved in 45 nanometers. The Phenom X4 810 and 805 acquire 4x512 KB of L2 cache but only 4 MB of L3 cache. This difference in the size of the third level of cache that a priori distinguish between Phenom X4 9xx (6 MB) of the Phenom X4 8xx (4 MB). The Phenom X3 720 and 710 are on their side of the triple core with 3x512 KB of L2 cache but 6 MB of L3 cache.

[Frenzy]

Consumption of AMD Phenom II AM3

The measurements were made using a meter and a clamp ammeter. The meter measures the consumer in making the entire configuration and therefore does not take into account the performance of food, a Sea sonic M12 500 watts in this case. The latter is 80Plus certified and can at least say that the watts consumed in taking may be multiplied by a factor of 0.80 to get an idea of actual consumption. Taking Ammeter in turn was used to measure the current passing through the son of the connector 8-pin 12-volt plugs into the motherboard. It is through this awareness that the main processor is powered. It is therefore necessary to take greater account of the meter measures than the clamp Ammeter for these processors is in particular. For more information, please visit this page of the article by our colleague.

Start with the measures in idle, no CPU activity. Note that Speedstep is disabled because it did not work with Core i7 on Intel motherboard. Note that Cool'n'Quiet is also disabled and did not appear to operate on our AM3 motherboard.

Despite the frequency and number of different core, the four tested AM3 Phenom consume all the same. And this value is low, a significant decrease compared to the Phenom X4 II 940 and 920. We must say that the TDP is 95 watts against 125 for 940 and 920.

The Phenom II AM3 consume less than the competition. Note here that the consumption values of the same on our Phenom motherboard Gigabyte AM2 +, also featuring the AMD 790FX chipset, were 14 to 15 watts higher than the same configuration on the map AM3.

[Frenzy]

Overclocking

Overclocking is easy to implement since it is a Black Edition series that has the distinction of having unlocked the multiplier on the rise. The maximum frequency was reached stable 3.7 GHz via a vCore of 1.55 volts. At 1.6 volts, we have reached 3.8 GHz, but a session of Prime 95 was due to the stability of the system. In short, the overclocking of Phenom engraved in 45 nanometers is much better than the 65-nanometer Phenom. As a reminder, the Phenom 940 II that we tested in early January had risen to 3.8 GHz with a voltage of 1.5 volts, but in a stable manner. By pushing a bit more vCore, the 4.3 GHz were achieved in aircooling and cooling type of "cascade", we obtained a good overclocking to 5.35 GHz.

Our Phenom X4 II 810 is not a Black Edition, and we have been forced to overclock by increasing the frequency of bus Hyper-Transport. The Gigabyte card MA790FXT-UD5P showed this side of beautiful propensity for overclocking since we run the Phenom X4 II 810 to 3.7 GHz using a 285 MHz bus. At this frequency, the processor was not stable. It was against to 3.6 GHz with a voltage of 1.55 volts. It is therefore of potential, but the performances are somewhat behind our Phenom 940

[Frenzy]

DDR3 vs. DDR2

The big news, if we can speak of newness, of AM3 Phenom is compatible with DDR3. They incorporate an memory controller compatible with DDR3-1333. Where more innovative is that AM3 Phenom integrate a memory controller is compatible with DDR2. These processors are used on AM2 + motherboards offering slots for DDR2 memory. This is not unique in itself as the Intel LGA 775 processors can also work with DDR2 or DDR3 based motherboard used because the memory controller is in the chipset.

We have not resisted the temptation to check the performance of the Phenom X4 II 810 2.6 GHz with three types of memory:

• 4 GB DDR2-800 5-5-5-15-1T
• 4 GB DDR3-1066 7-7-7-20-1T
• 4 GB DDR3-1333 7-7-7-20-1T

The results were as follows:

Except in games where there is a very slight decline in DDR3-1066, we can say that DDR2-800 is equivalent to DDR3-1066. Some gains can be attributed however to DDR3 in WinRAR, application highly sensitive to memory. This is not new since we had already found during testing with Intel processors. Passing of the DDR3-1333, further progress in terms of performance but it is limited and small. Long ago that the memory does not play a prominent role in the performance of a configuration. Above, it is obviously better but the extra cost of faster DIMMs is rarely justified and profitable

[Frenzy]

Summary of performance

It's time for the inevitable and always questionable performance summary. Questionable because many people are content to read this graph which is at once everything and nothing. If he can quickly locate a processor in the hierarchy, because it is arbitrary does not reveal the true strengths and weaknesses of a product. This graph does not tell you that AMD processors are not the party in games just as it does not tell you that the K10 architecture is doing well in video encoding. In short, this chart is here because we know that many of you require, but in our case, we urge you to review the results of individual graphs to make your choice depending on your needs and usage of your PC.

As a reminder, positions its AMD quad-core Phenom X4 810 II as a competitor to the Core 2 Quad Q8200. By observing the graph, we see that AMD is ... behind its target but can not say against it is strongly behind. It is 6 points, which is reasonable.

For its part the Phenom X3 720 is offset by AMD with the Core 2 Duo E8400. From that side, the target is much missed, the E8400 reaching often express themselves in many applications do not benefit fully from the number of cores present. As against as we saw during testing massively multi-threaded, the X3 takes over the E8400.

[Frenzy]

Conclusion


At the exit of II AM2 + Phenom 940 and 920, we expressed a mixed feeling. On the one hand, we were pleased to see that the transition from AMD a fine engraving of 45 nanometers had allowed the manufacturer to grow its Phenom II at higher frequencies while tripling the amount of L3 cache available. The result was better placed processors compared to Intel even if the road is still long to achieve equal the Santa Clara giant in terms of pure performance. On the other hand, we were disappointed by the high consumption of the Phenom X4 II 940 and 920 AM2 + but also surprised to see happen to these processors socket AM2 + while rumors of the imminent launch of Phenom AM3. At AMD, we were assured that they would not before several months earlier than in the spring. This made then exit II AM2 + Phenom least illogical. Except that a month after the launch of these new AMD processors, this is already AM3 Phenom which integrates both a DDR2 and DDR3 controller automatically render obsolete the Phenom X4 II 940 and 920. What pretty upset consumers who have purchased. Officially, the speech is that the 940 and 920 are for motherboards that are not compatible with AM3 Phenom.



We have a little difficulty in concluding as we do not really know what to think of these AM3 processors. Although they reflect the progress of AM2 + Phenom II in terms of performance, they certainly consume less, they certainly s'overclockent better than the Phenom I engraved in 65 nanometers, but this seems insufficient to compete with the upcoming Intel processors. These are often to AMD similar rate but may also work with DDR3 and DDR2, consuming little or less and providing a good potential for overclocking too. While on that side, some quad-core Intel using FSB 1333 suffer from a small multiplier. If further, we come to talk about pure performance, Intel remains well ahead of both with its best or its Penryn Core i7. Is hoped that future anticipated Phenom processor to 3.1 GHz and 3.2 will be launched to raise the level. But do not dream, it is not with the current K10 architecture qu'AMD able to catch up with Intel .