Information about the Athlon processors

[Danel]

I have observed that many sites discuss less about the Athlon processors. I am here to gain some more information about the Athlon processors. I have also observed that while the graphics card, in fact, taken very well and the Motherboard of the 7-Series chipsets, their skills have been demonstrated, was simultaneous with the CPU, the biggest problem child born. While AMD had to admit even before the start that the processor contains a bug that leads to poor performance. There were also clock rates, which were far below expectations, as reflected promptly in partially destructive testing of the processor. Now I am expecting that you members will provide some more information about the same.

[Tylerrr]

The old and the new AMD processors, we also compared all previously tested Intel processors so held that a large exchange of blows can: Eleven AMD processors take on eleven CPUs from Intel. This may seem to many of the paper is not always fair, but will show the final price-performance rating, which CPUs are the best processors for the most money too scarce. And this ranking, let's just say right at the beginning, promises some surprises. Today, we want to examine all available and future versions of AMD Phenom based on the "Agena" core in our own home in greater detail. After weeks of testing, we have also adopted the TLB bug and determines the performance, which will show a revised B3 stepping over the current B2 revision, when it officially in a few weeks appear on the market. The result at the end of performance measurements are saturated to nine different models with four cores. Against them, we also an old model of AMD, to show what has really changed with the new generation. To this end, we have an Athlon 64 X2 6000 + invited, we have operated on the same clock frequency as a model with four cores. Of course, in a further pass is also the maximum power of the 3-GHz cars get so he can again show what he is to be paid on a modern AMD 790FX motherboard capable of.

[Mariah-Simpson]

A good first overview of the properties of a new AMD Phenom provides the small tool CPU-Z . For example, the left shown here with the Barcelona processor core and a thermal design power of 95 watts, like all current Phenom models Stepping delivered "B2". In the 2nd Quarter of 2008 will be coming in the right image immediately revision "B3" on the market and fix the known problems with the so-called TLB bug and allow faster processors at 2.4 GHz and beyond. The L2 cache of all current and upcoming Phenom has a size of 4 x 512 KB and the first time in quite some time, AMD is again a L3 cache in the size of 2 MB is used. The power of our 2.2 and 2.3 GHz processors with official ranks 1.25 volts slightly below that of previous works Athlon 64 X2, the engineering sample of the 2.4 GHz Phenom out of competition at 1.3 volts. The supported instruction sets include not only the oldest known extensions such as 3DNow! MMX and the new Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE) version 4A, but are not compatible with Intel's SSE4.1.

[little-Jacqueline]

The first major difference to previous models of AMD consists of the L3 cache in the number of cores. But the other features of the processor and its ecosystem have been brought up to date. The HyperTransport link has been increased to up to 2,000 MHz and the memory is working now with the frequency, which assigns to him. Many of these details, we will elaborate in the following sections. About 460 million transistors on a new processor in AMD quad-core. The 65-nm technology allowed it to double the number of transistors that was the Athlon 64 X2 dual-core at about 227 million. Summing up the new and old key data of the processors in a graph, the striking differences are the predecessors, but also for direct 65-nm-competitors from Intel, code-named Kentsfield on. Many similarities can be found at the processors, especially when you look at the K8 and K10 in more detail. In addition to a standard we have a Phenom 9500 processor with free multiplier included in the test can be used to many statements about the near future. With these two models can be as many as eight Phenom processors simulate that already are available now, or will in the coming weeks and months on the market. The simplified illustration of a processor we do not want to be left alone in the room. In detail, an AMD Phenom looks of course much more complicated. It can be seen, thanks to the caption of the first core, which technical component is located precisely where in the processor. The distribution of the L1 cache in its two different areas here is just as pointed as the positioning of each core accesses the available L2 cache and L3 cache of the framing to which each core.

[Anirvinya]

The diversity of current processors, AMD's product portfolio makes it sometimes very confusing. In some areas romp four processing cores, each with varying L2 cache, shared by only two names. Then there is the factor that surrounded the AMD Athlon 64 X2 train to train from 90 nm to 65, partly re-duplicate assignments of names with the result. Since this is complete, the components in the test system is to commercially available and partly acquired there processors, we want to give an insight into the problems that we've seen in the days and weeks before and during the test. The largest and also officially sanctioned fact contributed AMD in the form of the TLB bug present at themselves. The manufacturer called all motherboard manufacturers to help equip their boards with a fix these, so that the processor artificially curbed, the need to walk but is 100 percent sure is. It did for the test course on the question of how exactly we should handle this workaround at best. After consulting with some motherboard manufacturers quickly realized that most of the fix would implement in the near future. Some providers would provide but also an option in BIOS that allows the user to choose whether he wishes to select an increase in speed with the risk of error itself. The end of December were ready the official BIOS versions, which allowed the TLB fix on and off.

[Ransom]

After this position was clarified, remained the boards from Asus and Gigabyte, between which the election had to be taken. Since the Asus M3A32-MVP Deluxe in the new revision 1.02G but refused to serve, we resorted to forced Gigabyte MA790FX-DQ6. This was recorded for the first tests with the latest BIOS revision F3, so that the TLB could be set to fix itself. After several restarts and the first benchmark, but then the first few oddities. While the DDR2 memory from Aeneon with an Athlon 64 X2 6000 + ran smoothly, there were errors with the Phenom 9500. With the change to the memory from OCZ, the problems were solved suddenly. Another striking feature was also admired the moment you enter the BIOS ': Now and froze after two to ten seconds in the BIOS of the computer is a complete, without having had only changed a setting. Even the change of the memory mode or the switching on or off the TLB fix has been to a game of chance. But these trailers were not limited to the BIOS. Even with the normal boot time, were to be shown on the screen the IRQ assignment, sporadic hanger on the agenda. However, this point has been exceeded only once, and Windows loaded, the system was completely stable and did not fall off once.

[Alondra]

In Windows Vista there was and when, however, notice something else: Some times were stolen quad-core processor cores! Occurred sporadically to this very bizarre phenomenon, which is immediately reflected in the benchmarks and was also demonstrated in CPU-Z. Completely random, the Phenom was sometimes only three seeds, sometimes two, but also one or two times with a core moves to work. This had, among other things means that as Quake 4, the multi-core support is disabled in the game, you start with all four cores but not reactivated itself - a fact to which we are more than once fallen. The reason we could not find out until now, they could both the motherboard and the operating system or placed directly on the CPU. After a reboot every time all four cores were again willing to work. The second mystery concerned the Cool'n'Quiet function of the processor, which can be controlled via the power settings of the PC directly into Windows Vista. Worked out this procedure at one time perfectly correct, was after a reboot, the setting in power options no longer available, and suddenly the CPU has also worked at rest always with the maximum stroke and maximum voltage. Also, the processor driver from AMD introduced the Phenom does not help. As the official forum of Gigabyte shows this problem is known in the meantime and should soon be resolved. Cause, among other things, the selection option in the BIOS to set the multiplier itself, rather than let it automatically detect it. As a result, even if you set the multiplier manually to the reference value, Cool'n'Quiet on Windows does not work. Since we are the only option to determine the power consumption required, this problem in our test weights not too heavy.

[Liliana]

It is seen, however, some months after the official launch of the platform of the often more like a beta tester for a new product. Minor teething problems, everything is not really relevant to nerves in the long run really only without being great or really cause no harm. Since these problems do not last more of the tests with the new X38 motherboards from Intel, together with appropriate Penryn processors knew were the things mentioned in particular. There, most problems have been solved already but with the P965 generation, could produce similar diseases. Some of this current, small bugs are solved in the near future, certainly by optimized drivers and BIOS updates. However, we believe these events should be after, because it is completely involved in the commercially available products, remain at the current time are not completely anonymous.