A few days ago I got the new thuban processor from AMD, a hexa core k10.5 arch with 6mb L3 cache and 3mb combined L2 cache. The break down from AMD's website:
Processor AMD Phenom II X6
Model 1055T
OPN Tray HDT55TFBK6DGR
OPN PIB HDT55TFBGRBOX
Operating Mode 32 Bit Yes
Operating Mode 64 Bit Yes
Revision E0
Core Speed (MHz) 2800
Voltages 1.125-1.40V
Max Temps (C) 62
Wattage 125 W
Virtualization Yes
L1 Cache Size (KB) 128
L1 Cache Count 6
L2 Cache Size (KB) 512
L2 Cache Count 6
L3 Cache Size (KB) 6144
CMOS 45nm SOI
Socket AM3
AMD Business Class No
Black Edition No
http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDetail.aspx?id=641
This is AMD's first mainstream hexa core (6 core) processor. It is AM3 and AM2+ compatable, features new technologies like AMD Turbo Core, and is competitively priced at this time at ~199$.
Overclocking
I used an original Thermalright 120 (TRUE) with a lapped base for cooling. A scythic slipstream fan rated for 110cf was used as intake, and a generic coolmaster fan rated at ~35cfm was used in "pull" or exhaust. Case was an open antec 900 with two front intake fans set to low, top 200mm exhaust fan turned off.
I overclocked my unit to 3.2ghz with 1.25v on my Gigabyte 785g motherboard. OC'ing this processor was very interesting, it was more then willing to run under volted and overclocked with some incredible efficiency. Prime 95 ran stable for more then 9 hours at 3.2ghz with 1.168v under load. However, clock speeds as high as 3.8ghz were very difficult to get anywhere near stable, while a small voltage bump to 1.4v was all it took to get 3.7ghz mostly use able. The feeling I got is that this processor is very heat sensitive and would shine exceptionally well at lower voltages under water cooling. Another peculiarity; the heat sensor on my processor under reported my temperatures by at least 5c. I think it is more accurate under load, but at idle it reported 15c, a about 10c below ambient temperatures!
Turbo core is another interesting thing to play with. In the bios you can adjust how far individual cores will "turbo up", allowing you to adjust the multiplier up to 16.5 for "turbo cores" from the locked 14 for the whole processor. Using AMD's oc tool AMD OVERDRIVE, it is possible to control not only how far the turbo cores up clock but also how many turbo cores (default 3, maximum is 5) will clock up under light load. I chose to disable my turbo cores, because it made testing for stability more difficult and it caused the voltage for the processor to fluctuate more widely. For the person up to the challenge, it can provide the adamant overclocker more control over the performance of their system.
CPU-Z, AMD overdrive, and task manager screenshot
*A note, this CPU-Z shows my vcore at 1.168v, which was enough to get prime95 stable. However, I noticed when running my benchmarks that this v core was not enough. Cinebench R10 would not run without 1.2v and sisoft sandra's arithmetic test would occasional fail at anything below 1.225v. This pretty much goes for all processors, but on this one especially use a variety of different tests to determine a systems overall stability. Most benchmarks were run with a v core of 1.225. Clock speeds and system bus speeds where never changed.
The benchmarks:
I have the scores listed by software bench suite. Screenshots and description of the benchmark are spoiled to conserve space.
My system specs included:
1055T @ 3.2ghz
GIGABYTE GA-MA785GM-US2H
HD 4200 IGP (graphics)
2x2gb G Skill PI Black@ 763mhz (3:5)
WD 320gb SE16 Single Platter OS Drive
Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit (build 6.1.7600)
Windows Index
CPU index score 7.5
This in OS benchmark is used by Microsoft to recommend software based on system performance. Probably the least scientific test here, but fun to include nonetheless.
AMD OVERDRIVE Benchmarks
Overall 8096
Some built in benchmarks in the AMD overclocking utility
Prime95
Best Iteration time 4096k FFT Lenght 46.620ms (other iteration in screenshot)
Prime95 is a torture test/benchmark/distributed computing project all in one. Using Mersenne's Prime Search algorithm it searches for fantastically large prime numbers. It is a great multithreaded benchmark that stresses processor cache and measures floating point arithmetic performance.
Linx 0.64 64bit
20 runs - 9m 25s - 49.2140 GFlops peak
From benchmarkHD.ru:
LinX is a CPU stability tester based on the Intel Linpack technology. The main point of Linpack is to solve systems of linear equations. It is designed as a benchmark to test the performance of a system in GFlops - billions of floating point operation per second. But it is also the most stressful CPU testing program to date and is a great tool to determine CPU stability. One and the same system of equations is solved repeatedly; if all results match each other - the CPU is stable, otherwise the instability is obvious, since the same sytem cannot produce different solutions. Main features include: support for both Intel and AMD CPUs, both 32 and 64-bit Linpack support, HyperThreading support, Real-time error checking, simple and intuitive interface.
SuperPI
4M digits in 2m 7s (other pi lengths in screenshot)
from wikipedia:
Super PI is a computer program that calculates pi to a specified number of digits after the decimal point - up to a maximum of 32 million. It uses GaussLegendre algorithm and is a Windows port of the program used by Yasumasa Kanada in 1995 to compute Pi to 232 digits.
Cinbench R10 64bit
CPUX 17383
From Maxon.net:
CINEBENCH is a real-world cross platform test suite that evaluates your computer's performance capabilities. CINEBENCH is based on MAXON's award-winning animation software CINEMA 4D, which is used extensively by studios and production houses worldwide for 3D content creation. MAXON software has been used in blockbuster movies such as Spider-Man, Star Wars, The Chronicles of Narnia and many more.
CINEBENCH is the perfect tool to compare CPU and graphics performance across various systems and platforms (Windows and Mac OS X).
3D Mark Vantage
CPU Test - 15979
3DMark uses an AI and a CPU computed physics tests to measure processor performance for gaming applications.
From futuremark.com:
The 3DMark score is the overall measure of a systems 3D gaming performance, based on comprehensive individual real-time 3D graphics tests and processor tests. Each 3DMark product produces a 3DMark score as its outcome, and the 3DMark scores are comparable within the same product.
PCMark Vantage
Total Score 6024. (Individual scores in screenshot)
PCMARK tests the overall system performance in a variety of real world applications. The CPU plays just a part in the outcome of these tests.
From futuremark:
A PCMark score is a measure of your computers performance across a variety of common tasks such as viewing and editing photos, video, music and other media, gaming, communications, productivity and security.
Processor AMD Phenom II X6
Model 1055T
OPN Tray HDT55TFBK6DGR
OPN PIB HDT55TFBGRBOX
Operating Mode 32 Bit Yes
Operating Mode 64 Bit Yes
Revision E0
Core Speed (MHz) 2800
Voltages 1.125-1.40V
Max Temps (C) 62
Wattage 125 W
Virtualization Yes
L1 Cache Size (KB) 128
L1 Cache Count 6
L2 Cache Size (KB) 512
L2 Cache Count 6
L3 Cache Size (KB) 6144
CMOS 45nm SOI
Socket AM3
AMD Business Class No
Black Edition No
http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDetail.aspx?id=641
This is AMD's first mainstream hexa core (6 core) processor. It is AM3 and AM2+ compatable, features new technologies like AMD Turbo Core, and is competitively priced at this time at ~199$.
Overclocking
I used an original Thermalright 120 (TRUE) with a lapped base for cooling. A scythic slipstream fan rated for 110cf was used as intake, and a generic coolmaster fan rated at ~35cfm was used in "pull" or exhaust. Case was an open antec 900 with two front intake fans set to low, top 200mm exhaust fan turned off.
I overclocked my unit to 3.2ghz with 1.25v on my Gigabyte 785g motherboard. OC'ing this processor was very interesting, it was more then willing to run under volted and overclocked with some incredible efficiency. Prime 95 ran stable for more then 9 hours at 3.2ghz with 1.168v under load. However, clock speeds as high as 3.8ghz were very difficult to get anywhere near stable, while a small voltage bump to 1.4v was all it took to get 3.7ghz mostly use able. The feeling I got is that this processor is very heat sensitive and would shine exceptionally well at lower voltages under water cooling. Another peculiarity; the heat sensor on my processor under reported my temperatures by at least 5c. I think it is more accurate under load, but at idle it reported 15c, a about 10c below ambient temperatures!
Turbo core is another interesting thing to play with. In the bios you can adjust how far individual cores will "turbo up", allowing you to adjust the multiplier up to 16.5 for "turbo cores" from the locked 14 for the whole processor. Using AMD's oc tool AMD OVERDRIVE, it is possible to control not only how far the turbo cores up clock but also how many turbo cores (default 3, maximum is 5) will clock up under light load. I chose to disable my turbo cores, because it made testing for stability more difficult and it caused the voltage for the processor to fluctuate more widely. For the person up to the challenge, it can provide the adamant overclocker more control over the performance of their system.
CPU-Z, AMD overdrive, and task manager screenshot
*A note, this CPU-Z shows my vcore at 1.168v, which was enough to get prime95 stable. However, I noticed when running my benchmarks that this v core was not enough. Cinebench R10 would not run without 1.2v and sisoft sandra's arithmetic test would occasional fail at anything below 1.225v. This pretty much goes for all processors, but on this one especially use a variety of different tests to determine a systems overall stability. Most benchmarks were run with a v core of 1.225. Clock speeds and system bus speeds where never changed.
The benchmarks:
I have the scores listed by software bench suite. Screenshots and description of the benchmark are spoiled to conserve space.
My system specs included:
1055T @ 3.2ghz
GIGABYTE GA-MA785GM-US2H
HD 4200 IGP (graphics)
2x2gb G Skill PI Black@ 763mhz (3:5)
WD 320gb SE16 Single Platter OS Drive
Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit (build 6.1.7600)
Windows Index
CPU index score 7.5
This in OS benchmark is used by Microsoft to recommend software based on system performance. Probably the least scientific test here, but fun to include nonetheless.
AMD OVERDRIVE Benchmarks
Overall 8096
Some built in benchmarks in the AMD overclocking utility
Prime95
Best Iteration time 4096k FFT Lenght 46.620ms (other iteration in screenshot)
Prime95 is a torture test/benchmark/distributed computing project all in one. Using Mersenne's Prime Search algorithm it searches for fantastically large prime numbers. It is a great multithreaded benchmark that stresses processor cache and measures floating point arithmetic performance.
Linx 0.64 64bit
20 runs - 9m 25s - 49.2140 GFlops peak
From benchmarkHD.ru:
LinX is a CPU stability tester based on the Intel Linpack technology. The main point of Linpack is to solve systems of linear equations. It is designed as a benchmark to test the performance of a system in GFlops - billions of floating point operation per second. But it is also the most stressful CPU testing program to date and is a great tool to determine CPU stability. One and the same system of equations is solved repeatedly; if all results match each other - the CPU is stable, otherwise the instability is obvious, since the same sytem cannot produce different solutions. Main features include: support for both Intel and AMD CPUs, both 32 and 64-bit Linpack support, HyperThreading support, Real-time error checking, simple and intuitive interface.
SuperPI
4M digits in 2m 7s (other pi lengths in screenshot)
from wikipedia:
Super PI is a computer program that calculates pi to a specified number of digits after the decimal point - up to a maximum of 32 million. It uses GaussLegendre algorithm and is a Windows port of the program used by Yasumasa Kanada in 1995 to compute Pi to 232 digits.
Cinbench R10 64bit
CPUX 17383
From Maxon.net:
CINEBENCH is a real-world cross platform test suite that evaluates your computer's performance capabilities. CINEBENCH is based on MAXON's award-winning animation software CINEMA 4D, which is used extensively by studios and production houses worldwide for 3D content creation. MAXON software has been used in blockbuster movies such as Spider-Man, Star Wars, The Chronicles of Narnia and many more.
CINEBENCH is the perfect tool to compare CPU and graphics performance across various systems and platforms (Windows and Mac OS X).
3D Mark Vantage
CPU Test - 15979
3DMark uses an AI and a CPU computed physics tests to measure processor performance for gaming applications.
From futuremark.com:
The 3DMark score is the overall measure of a systems 3D gaming performance, based on comprehensive individual real-time 3D graphics tests and processor tests. Each 3DMark product produces a 3DMark score as its outcome, and the 3DMark scores are comparable within the same product.
PCMark Vantage
Total Score 6024. (Individual scores in screenshot)
PCMARK tests the overall system performance in a variety of real world applications. The CPU plays just a part in the outcome of these tests.
From futuremark:
A PCMark score is a measure of your computers performance across a variety of common tasks such as viewing and editing photos, video, music and other media, gaming, communications, productivity and security.
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