TPU tests BD Vs Nehalem Vs SB with a 7970

[Don Karnage]

Source :

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7970_CPU_Scaling/1.html

All processors were stock clocked

2500K - 3.3Ghz
8150 - 3.6Ghz
920 - 2.66Ghz

BF3

Civ V

Dirt 3

SCII

Skyrim

Summary

Nice to see the 920 still doing very well after all these years but IMO they should have clocked them all at 3.6Ghz or even 4.0Ghz

 

[-Slacker-]

Getting beat by a 2 year older CPU, clocked 1 Ghz lower .... sigh ....The only viable future I see for the Bulldozer arch is if AMD comes up with a chip where Bulldozer modules are complementary to something like 'the main cores', like if they put a few powerful cores with high IPC, and top it off with an additional few bulldozer modules for heavily multithreaded apps ... all on the same chip. That's the only way Bulldozer makes any sense form any stand point ... if it can be pulled off, of course...

 

[Don Karnage]

Getting beat by a 2 year older CPU, clocked 1 Ghz lower .... sigh ....The only viable future I see for the Bulldozer arch is if AMD comes up with a chip where Bulldozer modules are complementary to something like 'the main cores', like if they put a few powerful cores with high IPC, and top it off with an additional few bulldozer modules for heavily multithreaded apps ... all on the same chip. That's the only way Bulldozer makes any sense form any stand point ... if it can be pulled off, of course...

920 was released on 11-17-08 so it's more like a 3.2 Year old processor but it's absolutely sad that BD is this bad. Imagine how worse it would have been if they would have been clocked the same

 

[Puppies04]

So from a purely gaming perspective what I see is if you are in a CPU limited scenario save money and buy an I5 2500k and if you are in a GPU limited scenario save money and buy an I5 2500k..... got it.

 

[Makaveli]

Getting beat by a 2 year older CPU, clocked 1 Ghz lower .... sigh ....The only viable future I see for the Bulldozer arch is if AMD comes up with a chip where Bulldozer modules are complementary to something like 'the main cores', like if they put a few powerful cores with high IPC, and top it off with an additional few bulldozer modules for heavily multithreaded apps ... all on the same chip. That's the only way Bulldozer makes any sense form any stand point ... if it can be pulled off, of course...

Its downright embarrassing if you ask me. Yet I had a few tpu users say it isn't that bad and they alteast get an upgrade path out of it...

 

[Magic Carpet]

SAD.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

SAD.

That Intel can't do better with ten times the number of employees and twelve times the amount of assets?

 

[LoneNinja]

Wonder if those BF3 benchmarks were the GPU limited single player, or CPU limited multiplayer.

It looks like any AMD system at this point will bottleneck a high end video card, I know some of those games come fairly close, but others are a huge advantage towards Intel. Factor in overclocking and both the I7 920 and I5 2500 have more head room than FX.

 

[Magic Carpet]

That Intel can't do better with ten times the number of employees and twelve times the amount of assets?

Spot on.

 

[bradcollins]

Intel can do better, it is called the 870, 875k, 880, 2600k, 2700k, 930, 940, 950, 960, 970, 975EE, 980X, 990X, 3820, 3930k, 3960x just to name a few

Heck, lets pull out the 2600s at 65w and a whole bunch of laptop 45w quad cores too!

 

[beginner99]

That Intel can't do better with ten times the number of employees and twelve times the amount of assets?

Lol yeah intel runs factories, creates ssds and many other stuff with these employess and assets so no you can't really compare it like that...

 

[frozentundra123456]

I am no great lover of Intel, but it just amazes me how some people insist on finding something negative to say about them when the data so overwhelmingly favors their product.

 

[ArchAngel777]

Lol yeah intel runs factories, creates ssds and many other stuff with these employess and assets so no you can't really compare it like that...

That is true, but the CPU design division has to be at least 3-4 the size of AMD's. Not to mention they can eat a loss in one division and still be ok if the rest are turning a profit. They also have access to the best fabs...

While AMD did have fabs before they sold it off, they were second rate to Intel. So even if they had a competing design, they would be behind anyway. In fact, consider the miracle that was the Athlon when it came out. It spanked Intel even having those massive disadvantages.

My hopes have always been that a super large company (Samsung) woudl be to buy AMD and pump huge money into R&D. However, that is speaking from my enthusiest side and isn't realistic from a shareholder perspective, in my opinion. It is all about the share holders, unfortunately.

 

[ArchAngel777]

I know the OP mentions this, but keep in mind this is 'STOCK' speeds. The 2500K appears to run away and that would be correct in a stock test, but clock that 920 in the 3.6Ghz range and watch the performance difference dwindle. No doubt the 2500K is a better processor, but a Core i7 920 is just BEGGING to be clocked at 3.6Ghz (most on stock voltage, if I recall)... SB is only 12% IPC advantage over Bloomfield, but because it clocks so high (4.5+) it made ita great upgrade for many.

 

[Gikaseixas]

SB is only 12% IPC advantage over Bloomfield, but because it clocks so high (4.5+) it made ita great upgrade for many

...and while having better IPC it also consumes less than the 920 even running at higher stock speeds. Intel did an excellent job all around. I just hope that AMD succeeds with Piledriver and starts to compete again.

 

[N4g4rok]

In fact, consider the miracle that was the Athlon when it came out. It spanked Intel even having those massive disadvantages.

Ever since then, Intel's stepped up their R & D. They grabbed the lead in performance again, but i can't be convinced that the price/performance ratio for a lot of their CPU's validates what they sell them at.

 

[Markfw]

That Intel can't do better with ten times the number of employees and twelve times the amount of assets?

After AMD beat Intel years ago with the Athlon 64 vs P4 days, people expect them to continue that. But I think Intel slacked off in those years.

 

[Lonbjerg]

Ever since then, Intel's stepped up their R & D. They grabbed the lead in performance again, but i can't be convinced that the price/performance ratio for a lot of their CPU's validates what they sell them at.

The worst part for AMD was that they awoke Intel...and their Tick-Tock.
That is at the same time a benefit for consumers...

 

[BallaTheFeared]

That Intel can't do better with ten times the number of employees and twelve times the amount of assets?

Add another 7970, or worse, do SLI.

Intel isn't amazing though either, but at least they're not stuck in 2005 like AMD is.

 

[rgallant]

I know the OP mentions this, but keep in mind this is 'STOCK' speeds. The 2500K appears to run away and that would be correct in a stock test, but clock that 920 in the 3.6Ghz range and watch the performance difference dwindle. No doubt the 2500K is a better processor, but a Core i7 920 is just BEGGING to be clocked at 3.6Ghz (most on stock voltage, if I recall)... SB is only 12% IPC advantage over Bloomfield, but because it clocks so high (4.5+) it made ita great upgrade for many.

-here is a review that has a 920 @ 4.0 beats a 2500k in some , but 10% behind 2600k ,x79's , but in real life not sure if you would feel the -10%.

http://hardocp.com/article/2011/11/14/intel_core_i73960x_sandy_bridge_e_processor_review/3

 

[BallaTheFeared]

The only thing a 920 will beat a i5-2500k in clock for clock is multithreaded workloads (8 threads), even then because of the clock speed advantage 1155 has over 1366 it won't retain that advantage in a max clock vs max clock "standard air/water" cooling match up.

 

[blckgrffn]

Am I the only one that feels like these benchmarks are almost worthless without published minimum frame rates? I want consistency - after running many of my own benchmarks I know that the average can be very damn misleading. That section where one platform drops down to 20 FPS due to physics breaking the bank gets overwhelmed in a two or three minute benchmark.

 

[aigomorla]

Am I the only one that feels like these benchmarks are almost worthless without published minimum frame rates? I want consistency - after running many of my own benchmarks I know that the average can be very damn misleading. That section where one platform drops down to 20 FPS due to physics breaking the bank gets overwhelmed in a two or three minute benchmark.

no everyone is complaining already because the 920 isnt overclocked.

This would show people how strong the 920 still is after all the years its been out.

This is why i and many others who know intel cpu's are waiting for haswell, because the current lineup isnt much of a performance boost in our eyes, but more of a power reduction.

And dude i was one of the front leading people who said bulldozer was going to fail... i even got massive flames for making such a statement.

The one thing intel wont ever do is call foul saying benchmarks are bad and try to cover it under a expensive rug.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

All the pieces were there, the leaked benches, AMD pulling out of BAPCO, the disgruntled AMD engineer...

JFAMD couldn't put enough spin on it pre-release, it was all leading up to the worst use of "FX" and marketing ever.

 

[Don Karnage]

no everyone is complaining already because the 920 isnt overclocked.

This would show people how strong the 920 still is after all the years its been out.

This is why i and many others who know intel cpu's are waiting for haswell, because the current lineup isnt much of a performance boost in our eyes, but more of a power reduction.

And dude i was one of the front leading people who said bulldozer was going to fail... i even got massive flames for making such a statement.

The one thing intel wont ever do is call foul saying benchmarks are bad and try to cover it under a expensive rug.

I kinda wish bulldozer wasn't such a fail. I wanted to buy one to play with till the reviews came out. Now you couldn't pay me to take one