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Advanced Micro Devices has published scores of its dual-core AMD Opteron processors in SPEC CPU benchmarks at SPEC.org web-site. A brief look at the figures indicates that AMD’s dual-core chips is at least as fast as 2-way AMD Opteron based systems, but are sometimes slightly outperformed by Intel Pentium 4 Extreme Edition 840 processor.

Within the next few months AMD is expected to have processors for 1-way, 2-way and 4/8-way servers in its lineup. Currently the company only offers AMD Opteron chips for multiprocessor servers that have from 4 CPUs. While such processors can function in 1P or 2P configurations as well, their pricing is unlikely to be competitive in entry-level server market segments. However, as soon as the company has top-to-bottom lineup of dual-core chips, at least some of its clients may pay more attention to 1P dual-core and 2P dual-core configurations instead of 2-way and 4-way systems.

CINT2000 Rates

Processor(s) name

Peak

Base

Processor(s) price

Processor(s) TDP

Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 840 (3.20GHz)

33.3

33.1

$999

130W

AMD Opteron x75 (2.20GHz)

34.6

32.8

$581*

95W

AMD Opteron x70 (2.00GHz)

31.9

30.3

-

95W

AMD Opteron 246 (2.00GHz) x2

30.5

28.8

$316 x2

89W x2

AMD Opteron 148 (2.20GHz)

17.1

16.3

$278

89W

*Pricing of similarly configured AMD Athlon 64 X2 (2.20GHz, 2MB cache) microprocessor

AMD Opteron 870 (which is similar to 270 and 170, but can operate in MP servers) scored 30.3/31.9 base/peak CINT2000 rates, by contrast, 2P AMD Opteron 246 system with processors operating at 2.20GHz attained 28.8/30.5 CINT2000 rates. Dual-core AMD Opteron 870 also demonstrated slightly higher CFP2000 rates: 29.1/30.3 base/peak versus 28.1/29.9 base/peak of 2P AMD Opteron 246 machine.

CFP2000 Rates

Processor(s) name

Peak

Base

Processor(s) price

Processor(s) TDP

Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 840 (3.20GHz)

30.5

30.5

$999

130W

AMD Opteron x75 (2.20GHz)

30.3

29.1

$581*

95W

AMD Opteron x70 (2.00GHz)

28.3

27.1

-

95W

AMD Opteron 246 (2.00GHz) x2

29.9

28.1

$316 x2

89W x2

AMD Opteron 148 (2.20GHz)

17.6

17.5

$278

89W

*Pricing of similarly configured AMD Athlon 64 X2 (2.20GHz, 2MB cache) microprocessor

In real-word applications the results may be higher on a 2-way system because of higher memory bandwidth per core, still, in applications that fully rely on integer and float performance, dual-core processors look very strong. Furthermore, AMD dual-core chips consume less power compared to a couple of AMD microprocessors.

Dual-core server chips from AMD and Intel are projected to reshuffle the market of multiprocessor servers; for instance, HP already rejected plans to make 8-way servers based on the recently unveiled Intel Xeon processors MP.

Currently AMD-based top performing server according to SPEC CPU2000 is 4-way AMD Opteron 875-based Pogo Linux PerformanceWare 3566 that scores base/peak 106/109 CFP2000 rates and 124/132 base/peak CINT2000 rates. Still, there are faster systems in the list, AMD Zone web-site notes, mentioning 16-way Intel Itanium 2, Intel Xeon MP as well as HP Alpha-based computers. The top performing machine in SPEC.org’s list is SGI Altix 3700 Bx2 powered by Intel Itanium 2 that provides 2437 SPECfp_rate_base2000.

Discussion

Comments currently: 7
Discussion started: 05/05/05 03:25:29 AM
Latest comment: 05/06/05 12:21:56 PM
Expand all threads | Collapse all threads

[1-4]

1. 
"AMD Opteron 875 Outperformed by Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 840"

In what?!
Power dissipation?
Price?

This "news" is not news. And since when PEE840 is a server chip?
Put it on ECC memory and see it struggling....

I reconsider you to write this thing again.
[Posted by: kaz  | Date: 05/05/05 03:25:29 AM]
+ expand thread (3 answers)

2. 
Okay, and I am guessing that an X2 will be faster than the Opteron too. They are comparing a niche desktop chip to an enterprise class server chip. Call me when Intel gets a DC server chip out the door that beats the Opteron x75 and x70.
[Posted by: mamisano  | Date: 05/05/05 09:40:12 AM]

3. 
Dual core process to compete favorably against more expensive dual processor systems? No WAAAAaaaaaay!
[Posted by: Marvin the Martian  | Date: 05/05/05 08:29:11 PM]

4. 
From the very start, dual-core could pose a situation where its a favourable alternative to dual processor.

HOWEVER, dual processor motherboards have features that single-socket mobos don't. (huge memory capacity, true dual 16x SLI implementation, etc.)

To merely say dual-core is better shows only but a narrow view. One would need to assess the package as a whole system before making such a bold statement.
[Posted by: 22  | Date: 05/06/05 12:21:56 PM]

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