X-bit labs

Monday, May 16, 2005

Dual-Core: The Next Step in x86 CPU Revolution Explained. Dual-Core Processors: Why Now?

Neoseeker has posted an article about dual-core microprocessors that contains explanation why dual-core approach was one of the best choices for performance growth. In addition, the article contains information from Advance Micro Devices presentation about multi-core architecture on Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC).

“One of the problems of producing ever more complex processors has nothing to do with physics or chemistry or production. The problem is man power and tossing more engineers onto design is not a solution - designers do not scale with transistors which means that a philosophy of scaling complexity is not sustainable. This gives rise to the concept of the processor being a repeatable structure. With dual cores, the majority of silicon is replicated so while the number of transistors increase dramatically, it is a different approach than adding more functional blocks or a deeper pipeline,” writes Neoseeker.

• Neoseeker: Dual Core Processors - Why Now?

Far Cry Gets More Eye Candy with 64-bit Patch. Far Cry Gets 64-bit CPU Support

Advanced Micro Devices  has been shipping desktop microprocessors with 64-bit capability for about 1.5 years only to find out that even now, with 64-bit desktop operating system released, the feature hardly gives any advantage in modern applications. Still, from the very beginning AMD has been saying that 64-bit mode is crucial for acceptable performance in future applications. At first the problem with 64-bit mode was the lack of 64-bit capable operating system (OS). This problem has been partly solved by Microsoft and their Windows XP x64 Edition OS.

There were a number of games with 64-bit mode, but hardly any of them showed performance gains while running in 64-bit mode. A few days ago Crytek has released a patch that enables 64-bit mode in Far Cry game and also a separate update which adds extra textures and objects. AMDZone and AnandTech have managed to make some benchmarks with the new patch installed.

“We first set our sites on a 64 bit version of Far Cry back in February at our Texas Gaming Festival Winter 2004 event. AMD was on hand showing off the game before it was officially released. It has been over a year, and finally with the Windows XP 64 release coming last month, we finally have another Windows 64 bit game to add to Chronicles of Riddick and Shadow Ops:  Red Mercury Rising to add to our extensive 64 bit gaming tests we have doing since April of last year. Our previous tests of Unreal Tournament 64 bit Linux version revealed that there was a just a straight port involved. Then Shadow Ops showed extra content had been added to the 64 bit version in the form of additional models, objects, and details. Now will Far Cry bring the performance gains we are hoping for? Well in a word no. The 64 bit version adds more content to maps, better textures, and two new multiplayer maps designed for the 64 bit version of the game. That did not stop us from benching the 32 bit and 64 version with the release version of Windows XP 64, and the latest 64 bit drivers from ATI and Nvidia however,” writes AMDZone.

“Although AMD and Ubisoft are definitely trying to provide 64-bit gamers with added value, it’s honestly going to take games that depend on the benefits of a 64-bit OS to really sell the gaming population on 64-bit. For fans of Far Cry, there’s no reason not to try the new patches, but we wouldn’t expect a mass exodus to x64 Edition because of the content that’s been enabled here. AMD’s goals are quite admirable, but the fact of the matter is that none of the visual improvements enabled by the Far Cry patches had anything to do with AMD64 or EM64T. They are artificially limited to run on those platforms alone, but could work just as well on a 32-bit platform,” concludes AnandTech.

• AMDZone: Far Cry 64 Bit Screenshots and Benchmarks.
• AnandTech: Far Cry AMD64 Edition - A First Look at 64-bit Gaming.