AMD's Quad-Core Barcelona: Defending New Territory
by Johan De Gelas on September 10, 2007 12:15 AM EST- Posted in
- IT Computing
3ds Max 9 (32-bit Windows)
We tested with the 32-bit version of 3ds Max version 9, which has been improved to work better with multi-core systems but which is not as aggressively tuned for SSE as LINPACK and zVisuel. We used the "architecture" scene, which has been a favorite benchmarking scene for years. All tests were done with 3ds Max's default scanline renderer, SSE is enabled, and we rendered at HD 720p (1280x720) resolution. We measured the time it takes to render ten frames from 20 to 29. All results are reported in seconds, lower being better.
As this test has been our standard test for a while, we added results from previous tests. This time, Intel is firmly in the lead: most of the test runs well in the cache of each CPU. AMD did make a progress though. A Dual 3GHz Opteron 2222 is capable of generating about 29 frames per hour. As this benchmark scales well with clock speed, we may assume that a potential 3GHz Barcelona will be able to spit out ~35 frames per hour. In other words, the new quad-core is about 20% more efficient than the previous dual-core generation, core per core, clock per clock. This is also shown by the score of the quad Opteron 880 (2.4GHz). But it is not enough to beat the Intel armada: even a 2GHz Xeon will probably slightly beat the current 2GHz Opteron 2350.
We tested with the 32-bit version of 3ds Max version 9, which has been improved to work better with multi-core systems but which is not as aggressively tuned for SSE as LINPACK and zVisuel. We used the "architecture" scene, which has been a favorite benchmarking scene for years. All tests were done with 3ds Max's default scanline renderer, SSE is enabled, and we rendered at HD 720p (1280x720) resolution. We measured the time it takes to render ten frames from 20 to 29. All results are reported in seconds, lower being better.
As this test has been our standard test for a while, we added results from previous tests. This time, Intel is firmly in the lead: most of the test runs well in the cache of each CPU. AMD did make a progress though. A Dual 3GHz Opteron 2222 is capable of generating about 29 frames per hour. As this benchmark scales well with clock speed, we may assume that a potential 3GHz Barcelona will be able to spit out ~35 frames per hour. In other words, the new quad-core is about 20% more efficient than the previous dual-core generation, core per core, clock per clock. This is also shown by the score of the quad Opteron 880 (2.4GHz). But it is not enough to beat the Intel armada: even a 2GHz Xeon will probably slightly beat the current 2GHz Opteron 2350.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
46 Comments
View All Comments
kalyanakrishna - Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - link
I don't deny people use MKL ... I dont agree that anyone targeting performance on AMD Opteron will use MKL. No one running HPL/Linpack for Top 500 submission would use MKL on Opteron. No one who wishes to test his Opteron for performance would use MKL to do so. No one wishing to have the fastest possible results from his Opteron will do so.Even ISV's now provide code that is optimized for Xeon and Opteron separately.
JohanAnandtech - Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - link
Ok, point taken. Give us some time, and we'll follow up with new compilations of Linpack.kalyanakrishna - Wednesday, September 12, 2007 - link
Thank you. Appreciate the effort.leexgx - Monday, September 10, 2007 - link
and how offen do you read anandtechs Previews and reviewsunlike when intels core 2 came out all the hipe was real, to bad for AMD this time
this cpu is going to be good, problem is will it be able to compleat with Intels new cpu when it comes out
i still useing an amd system if your wundering and so all the rest of my pcs apart from my server as i just thow in an old P4 mobo to just file sharein house (all second hand parts apart from the hdds)
phaxmohdem - Monday, September 10, 2007 - link
I wonder if it would be feasible for AMD to take the Intel approach, and slap two of there new native quad cores together and release an octal core CPU in the near future. Or would they remain the multi-core purists they have become... Similarly I wonder if 2 65nm Barecelona cores could even fit under that heat spreader... or come in under an acceptable thermal envelope.Accord99 - Monday, September 10, 2007 - link
It won't fit on Socket F:http://www.madboxpc.com/news/am2/AMD_barcelona.jpg">http://www.madboxpc.com/news/am2/AMD_barcelona.jpg
fic2 - Monday, September 10, 2007 - link
Page 8, 3DS Max 9 last paragraph:"Dual 3GHz Opteron 2222 is capable of generating about 29 frames per hour", but then
"potential 3GHz Barcelona will be able to spit out ~35 frames per second". I think that is supposed to be ~35 frames per hour. Otherwise that is an extremely impressive speedup!
JohanAnandtech - Monday, September 10, 2007 - link
No, it is "per second". We used a Octalcore 2THz Barcelona there.... Thanks, fixed that one :-)
phaxmohdem - Monday, September 10, 2007 - link
Got SuperPi times for that beast? ;)Roy2001 - Monday, September 10, 2007 - link
Kentsfield has 2*143mm^2 dies. Barcelona is 280+ mm^2. Penry would be even smaller, 2*100 mm^2. So unless AMD can increase the frequency to 3.0+Ghz soon and price their new quad-core processors higher than Intel's, AMD would be still in red unless it oursouces Athlon 64 to TSMC.