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LOSTCIRCUITS

SHORTCUTS:
Encoding and Ripping, a New Market
The Tools: Nero to DivX
Multithreading and Parallel Processing
Test Setup
Performance
Final Thoughts

Give Us Some Feedback on this Review

 Video and Audio Encoding Performance
AMD's Dual Core vs, Intel's Core2 Duo
(Review by JoeF, August 28, 2006)

How Much Cache?

Intel and AMD are both using the size of the L2 cache to differentiate their chips. Intel is offering the Core 2 Duo E6300 and E6400 with 2 MB L2 cache and the E6600, E6700, and Extreme X6800 with 4 MB. As seen on this price list, AMD is phasing out their Athlon 64 with 1 MB L2 and the Athlon 64 X2 with 1 MB L2 per core, leaving only 512 KB or 2 x 512 KB for dual core chips. To get 1 MB L2 cache on the AMD side you will have to go for either an Opteron (not available for socket AM2) or an expensive FX chip.

How much difference does it make? To find out we took an Intel X6800 and downclocked it to E6300 speeds to compare. For AMD we compared a downclocked FX62 with an X2 4600+. Unfortunately, the Foxconn board used for the AMD platform was not adjusting multipliers properly. The Asus M2N32-SLI Deluxe was used for cache comparisions of AMD processors.

Test Configuration

AMD Setup
  • Foxconn C51XEM2AA / ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe
  • AMD Athlon64 AM2:
  • A64 X2 3800+, 64 X2 4600+ A64 X2 5000+, A64 FX 62
  • 4600+ Asus, FX62 @ 2.4GHz Asus
Intel Setup
  • Intel D975XBX BadAxe
  • Intel Core 2 CPUs:
  • Core 2 Duo E6300 (2M), Core 2 Duo E6700 (4M), Core 2 Extreme X6800 (4M),
  • Core 2 Extreme X6800 (4M) at 1.86 GHz, running in single-core configuration.
  • 2 x 1024MB OCZ PC2 7200 at 800 MHz (4:4:4:12)
  • ASUS Extreme N7800 GT (single card configuration)
  • Seagate Barracuda 7200.7
  • OCZ PowerStream 510ADJ
  • Athlon64 X2-3800+
    (ADA3800DAA5CD)
    Core2 Duo E6300
    (HH80557PH0362M)

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