Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

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Dual-Core Duel: AMD Tops Intel
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1788695,00.asp

(article conclusion)
A Major Victory for AMD

There's really no other way to say it—this is a huge win for AMD. We expected major improvement in multi-threaded applications and multi-tasking tests, but at only 2.2GHz we weren't sure it would actually perform better than Intel's dual-core Pentium Extreme Edition 840. There are a couple of tests—usually single-threaded tests—where the Opteron 875 doesn't keep pace, but in the vast majority of benchmarks, AMD comes out ahead.

Some 3D modeling and rendering tasks, video encoding, gaming…all these areas were simply dominated by the dual-core Opteron. Given the single-threaded nature of today's games, we were shocked to find the Opteron outpacing even the single-core 3.73GHz P4EE in those benchmarks. In our heavy multitasking tests, the Opteron 875 proved the equal or better than the dual-core Pentium. It's not quite a "clean sweep," but it's close.


Though the Opteron 875 is a very expensive server-bound chip, we restricted ourselves to a single-CPU configuration that closely mimics a desktop configuration. If anything, our test results here are lower than what you could expect from an Athlon 64 X2 when they ship. With non-registered RAM, a desktop performance-tuned motherboard, and a speed bump to 2.4GHz, the dual-core Athlon 64 CPUs should run every single one of our tests more quickly than our Opteron 875 did.

Considerable performance advantages aside, AMD has another feather in their cap: the convenience factor. Dual-core Pentium chips require new motherboards, while every socket 940 motherboard built to the 80-amp spec (everything in the last year or more) can support a dual-core Opteron with only a BIOS upgrade. In the majority of cases, you won't even have to use a different CPU cooler. The same goes for the eventual release of Athlon 64 X2 processors. Those will work in almost any socket 939 motherboard made in the last year or more with only a BIOS upgrade.

Check out more CPU reviews and news from ExtremeTech here.

The age of the multi-core CPU is now upon us, and both camps have unveiled their offerings. Looking at the data, it's hard not to recommend AMD. There is one major sticking point, though: availability. Right now, AMD is only shipping high-end Opterons. So if you really want one, you can pick up an Opteron 175 for about a thousand bucks—but motherboards are likely to be pretty steep.

But Athlon 64 X2 processors will likely ship by early summer, although prices for the beefiest models will be up around $1,000. Intel's pricing for their as-yet unreleased Pentium D are all lower than rumored pricing for the X2. It's a real turnabout from the past, with AMD pushing pricier, better performing CPUs, while Intel is bringing dual-core to the masses. Also, Intel's almost unstoppable manufacturing juggernaut is aggressively pushing dual-core desktop CPUs down across their entire product line. Running a dual-core AMD processor on your desktop will be great—when it becomes affordable and widespread.