Processor benchmarks: Intel versus AMD
Published: 24 Aug 2004
This evaluation of current desktop processors utilises over 60 benchmark tests including office and multimedia software, 3D games, Internet applications, video rendering and compression. We have used benchmarks that are relevant to a range of market sectors in order to get a balanced view of CPU performance. However, in an ideal world, you should also run your own mission-critical applications on any processor that you're considering.
Of course, performance is only one aspect of a processor purchase decision. For example, the Athlon 64's support for the NX (No Execute) feature safeguards it from certain virus attacks, and could be reason enough to choose an AMD processor. And if you're after a quiet PC, then AMD's chips have clear advantages over Intel's latest 'Prescott' Pentium 4. The power consumption of the Athlon 64 is lower than that of the Pentium 4 thanks to AMD's use of Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) technology. The Athlon's 64's 64-bit capability is also a potential advantage, although this feature remains largely unused because of the missing operating system support -- 64-bit Windows XP has now been delayed until 2005.
| Power consumption | ||
|
| ||
| System |
Idle |
Max |
|
| ||
| Athlon 64 3800+ (Nforce 3) | 91W | 172W |
| Athlon 64 3800+ (KT800 Pro) | 82W | 162W |
| Pentium 4 560 (925X) | 155W | 258W |
|
| ||
Note: The power consumption figures quoted in the table above refer to a complete system with otherwise identical components.
Previous
Did you find this article useful?
250 out of 398 people found this useful
Full Talkback thread
48 comments
-
Folks:
The slide and the text don't match on all o... Larry Karnis -
Why do the Charts not match the review. I se... Anonymous -
Text and Graphics do match, you need to look... Nic
-
This benchmark clearly shows that a chip... Anonymous -
The text and the charts are OK, the confusion... Jorge Espejo
-
Folks: A lower score is BETTER on SOME of the... anon y. mous
-
*" During my research in “silicon perfor... Ziggurat -
Great review! I appreciate the input as do others... Gene Dolan
-
Good review, although I'd like to see a Visual C++... Tom Mason
-
Strange how you hide the benchmarks from view unle... Andy Woudstra
-
Whose computers are not needing to multitask all t... Anonymous
-
Multi-tasking means USING multiple programs a... Anonymous
-
>Whose computers are not needing to multitask... Anonymous
-
The multi-tasking test is intersting to... Martin Hahnheuser
-
FX53 is the fastest AMD workstation cpu. Anonymous
-
Duo and Dual core offerings benefit greatly f... Pop3
-
This review is clearly flawed. Chips that are cloc... Anonymous
-
If you overclock a cpu, you may create imbala... Morten Bjoernsvik
-
Just to confirm: some of the test metrics are 'big... Charles McLellan
-
Hi, I have a AMD Athlon 2400 (2.0)ghz XP processor... Harjas
-
NOTHING! depreciates faster than a computer.... Me
-
lol, @Harjas:
"Hi, I have a AMD Athlon 2400 (... Anonymous
-
lol, @Harjas:
"Hi, I have a AMD Athlon 2... Anonymous
-
Harjas, it's nattural that the price of your... Farcau Pavel
-
Although windows is not 64 bit, you can run 64bit... Morten Bjoernsvik
-
how do those compare with the Apple G5? Anonymous
-
AMD's Athlon 64 CPUs clearly outperform Intel's Pe... Ashwin V
-
The article says the Prescott wins on apps that ar... Lefty
-
Hi Folks: Just an observation here which is, that... john thomas
-
There isn't a clear winner?? Bawhahaha...take a lo... Anonymous
-
The time is giving us a very difficult decision in... Anonymous
-
The Athlon chips' 64-bit capability is curren... Anonymous
-
True, linux tests should be documented i... blopnuts
-
does an amd 3000+ makes more noice while running j... Anonymous
-
somebody ask if an amd 3000+ make more noise... Farcau Pavel
-
Which one cost less? AMD
Which one uses less powe... Amd and Intel owner
-
This is a little off the topic but what is th... Anonymous
-
I own two computers. An Intel Pentium 4: 3E GHz (P... Brandon Craig
-
Hi Branden. As with A64's the raw cpu MHz of... Martin Hahnheuser
-
Friends,
During my research in... John
-
for me, im conscious with the parts that i bought... peter lo
-
Hi Peter
A lot of folks seem to think that FS... Martin Hahnheuser
-
Apply your techonogy to end suffering.
Heck what b... centroweb
-
"I own two computers. An Intel Pentium 4: 3E... Occulose
-
to: Brandon Craig
Pentium 4: 3E GHz (Pre... Marcus Aurelius
-
Charts and text do match up. Read the Better/Wors... Jenny Wolfe
-
Whats up with the cheesy memory in the Intel syste... Jeff M
-
Further benchmarks t0minit
