Dual-core desktop duel: AMD vs. Intel

The winner is...

It wasn't even close.

AMD

AMD
After reading the round-by-round account of our dual-core desktop CPU prizefight, it should come as no shock that AMD's Athlon 64 X2 chips are the runaway victors here, laying out the Intel Pentium D and Pentium Extreme Edition 840 chips pins up. If we had to call out one chip, AMD's Athlon 64 X2 4400+ is an outstanding bargain given the competition, but as our results show, any AMD dual-core CPU will serve you better than its similarly priced Intel equivalent.

If you're wondering why there's such a striking performance difference between the two companies' processors, it likely has something to do with the memory controller. Among the technological differences between the two, AMD's memory controller -- the component that sends information back and forth between your system's CPU and the memory--is an integrated part of the Athlon 64 X2's chip architecture. Intel's memory controller, however, exists as a separate piece of silicon on the motherboard. The additional distance between the CPU and the memory controller adds to the processing lag time and likely plays a part in Intel's lower scores.

Whatever Intel's strategy, it doesn't seem to have held up. We're very interested to see what happens when the next generation of chips and chipsets start hitting the market in early 2006. But until then, AMD's Athlon 64 X2 should be your dual-core processor of choice.

Intel test bed
Asus P5N32-SLI Deluxe motherboard; Nvidia Nforce 4 SLI chipset; Crucial 1,024MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 256MB Nvidia GeForce 7800GTX (PCIe); WDC WD740GD-00FLA2 74GB 10,000rpm SATA; Windows XP Professional SP2; Antec 550w power supply

AMD test bed
Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe motherboard; Nvidia Nforce 4 SLI chipset; Crucial 1,024MB DDR SDRAM 400MHz; 256MB Nvidia GeForce 7800GTX (PCIe); WDC WD740GD-00FLA2 74GB 10,000rpm SATA; Windows XP Professional SP2; Antec 550w power supply.

CNET Labs project leader David Gussman constructed the test beds and performed all testing.


    Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7  
  AMD X X X X X X X  
  Intel                

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Talkback 10 comments

  1. AMD crushes Intel chips across the board Anonymous -- 13/12/05

    This is THE best article I have seen showing that AMD processors are dominant across the board - no ifs ands or butts. Its amazing to me this data isnt more well known and more importantly why a Dell doesnt take notice and ship AMD processors.

  2. The reason AMD X2's are faster Kym Busby -- 13/12/05

    There is good reason that the X2's are faster than the Intel's. The 2 cores of an AMD X2 talk to each other directly using a 2GHz Hypertransport link, while the 2 cores of an Intel talk to each other via the north bridge on an 800MHz FSB. This, as well as the integrated memory controller is the decisive factor in the absolute flogging the AMD's give to Intel !!!

  3. AMD neo -- 13/12/05

    LiveSTRONG AMD, Baby!

  4. Curious use of memory Joel Friedman -- 14/12/05

    Maybe it's a misprint, but why was 400Mhz DDR memory used for the AMD system and the higher speed DDR2 memory installed in the Intel tester? An intentional handicap?

    1. memory difference david lee -- 14/12/05

      I saw the memory speed to that is a 267Mhz difference and the amd still won

    2. Athlon doesn't support DDR2 Anonymous -- 14/12/05

      The Athlon does not support DDR2 memory. DDR has lower latency than DDR2 and better suits the Athlon. It should have been noted in the article what memory timings were used, however, as this plays a not unsignificant part in the overall system performance

    3. Athlon X2 supports ddr2 Bobson -- 02/04/07

      Athlon X2 supports DDR2 memory at 800mhz
      but the DDR mem. has a lower latency.

  5. Dual-Core blowout Anonymous -- 16/12/05

    I would like to see a control test using a single-core Intel EE and the AMD FX-55 or FX-57. Are the dual-core chips faster than their single-core cousins?

  6. AMD OR INTEL Colin Davies -- 10/05/07

    Im looking to upgrade motherboard and chip.Can any tell me which is the best for converting dvix to dvd.

    1. the best vic -- 06/06/08

      if u wanna do multi-tasking in a good pace, go for amd without even a second thought................

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