Introduction
Almost to the day one year ago, AMD introduced the Phenom X4 955 in the package probably the best desktop processor, the company with the green logo on the market. The period up to now have been used for many improvements. Not only the improved performance, but also addressed the problem child, compared to the competition is always something higher power consumption. The result is before you today: the AMD Phenom Black Edition II X6 1090T. In desktop processors with six cores, although only one second, but it will offer them the first time at a price below 300, respectively, even under 200 €. Whether the models Phenom worth X6 1090T Black Edition 3.2 GHz and the small offshoot 1055T 2.8 GHz compared to the previous quad-core models, we will examine in detail. We take a look at separately, of course, the new Turbo mode by AMD, which allows for applications that support fewer seeds, a speed boost of up to 500 MHz more clock.
Overview
The new AMD processor, code-named "Thuban" is a giant. On a desktop CPUs for the current time record-breaking area of 346 mm ² houses the manufacturer (probably) 904 million transistors. Also, the repeated demand advanced AMD is not out with accurate information. Yes, the six-core processor is based on the "Istanbul" server processor, but has experienced various optimizations, says the company. But whether it directly "Lisbon" is, would not confirm it. Likewise, it makes the number of transistors officially a secret. The area consists of six cores, each with 512 KB L2 cache, which a shared L3 cache of 6MB in size as fast as the latch to the side. In principle, so it's a quad-core processor of the type II Phenom X4, which was "simply" added two cores including L2 cache.
For today's launch of two models come with six cores on the market. The rumor mill had previously by two other processors, reported something, also there should be a branch with four cores and turbo type. These are sometimes postponed significantly, it is from nearby vendor circles.
Besides the six cores impressive increase is to be sought primarily in the area of power consumption. With the same TDP as of today can operate a Phenom II X6 permanently at 3.2 GHz, which six months ago was just for four cores. A brand new stepping of the type "E0" contributes to the "Thuban", among other things to this. We should beat the smaller Lynnfield processors both in performance and in price: The aim of the tenth and twelfth week of this year and made templates so brand new processors, the computer base is defined by AMD clear. The flagship enters directly against the Core i7-860, a 2.8 GHz speed quad-core processor on. What at first glance an unequal duel, is quickly. Because the "Lynnfield," acted with a strong turbo, thanks to HyperThreading can fly eight threads for applications and also knew otherwise been in the area of performance to convince. There was also a low power consumption, which could not compete with current AMD CPUs. The "Thuban" is on the point exactly these points where it was so far behind to attack.
"Turbo CORE" technology
Besides the six cores, the most important innovation in the AMD desktop segment is in this spring's "Turbo CORE" technology. This ensures that each half of the available processor cores by 400 to 500 MHz respectively, base frequency is increased. In the same breath, the remaining seeds to a minimum of 800 MHz to be clocked down. For this, each played with the voltage, which is solved from AMD clever. While the default voltage of our test model in the form of the flagship 1090T Black Edition Phenom II X6 at just under 1.3 volts, is clocked up the half of the nuclei in the turbo mode and therefore requires up to 1.45 volts. The others are meanwhile set to the Cool'n'Quiet mode and up to 800 MHz clocked down. They operate with a voltage of 1.2 volts. What seeds to use the turbo is also completely independent. Each core can be up to the maximum overclock Turbo - depending on such as the operating system manages the threads. As a prerequisite for the AMD-Turbo mode only needs a BIOS update for the motherboard are available. This BIOS should include at least version 3.6.6.0 of AMD Generic Encapsulated Software Architecture (AGESA). This collection of micro code contains all the important information to the processors, which begins with the number of cores continues over the stepping and revision, and finally includes the Turbo feature.
The version 3.6.6.0 is only the foundation, which provides up to date that can handle especially older boards with the six-core processor, including Turbo. This includes our used M4A79T Asus Deluxe is a based on the AMD 790FX chipset, which is already on version 3.6.9.0 AGESA. These boards allow the beginning but virtually no setting options - work it must simply what is in Windows but can be detected very easily. One of the new AMD 890FX boards is already on AGESA 3.7.0.0. The BIOS of our Asus Crosshair Formula IV, thanks to the latest update allows all sorts of possibilities for adjusting the said technology. Apart from the easy activation and deactivation of the turbo-mode 'to see that even self in his place. For this you can determine the multiplier of the processor in Turbo mode itself, which is due to a Phenom Black Edition II X6 1090T with free choice of multiplier is a snap. And since this is true for the mode range up and down, so each can be smaller model of the Phenom II X6 easily simulate accurately.
For the small taste we have some tests from our course decoupled. This shows in the form of the classic single-threaded application "lame" that are possible thanks to significant increases in Turbo. Also show the differences, because the flagship is the one core only an increase of 400 MHz along the way, the smaller offshoots least 500 MHz in addition. At the end, therefore, in this model is 13 percent faster performance on paper.
If you mix the image with applications that benefit from more cores, or the latest games at high resolution, the result is virtually no advantage anymore. This finding is important and shows that you can not compare the turbo mode by AMD and Intel can. Because Intel's Turbo ignite even with load on all cores and still have them, such as the Core i7-870, permanent 266 MHz clock with more under way.
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