Benchmarks: Intel's 64-bit Pentium 4 660
Published: 03 Mar 2005
Test setup
To evaluate the performance of Intel's top-end 6xx-series Pentium 4 (the 660 model running at 3.6GHz), we have compared it to AMD's Athlon 64 4000+. Both processors cost just over $600.
The Pentium 4 test system is built around Intel's 925XCV motherboard, which is equipped with 1GB of 533MHz DDR2 RAM. For the Athlon 64 system, we used the Asus A8N-SLI motherboard, again with 1GB of (DDR400) RAM. The other specifications are identical, comprising the MSI GeForce 6600GT graphics card and Maxtor's Maxline III 250GB SATA hard drive.
Benchmarking is based primarily around current programs that might be used in a typical digital home PC. Available 64-bit applications are also used to test performance. Some tests are run in parallel, in order to evaluate the processors' multitasking ability. Last year's top 3D games are also represented in the shape of Doom3, Far Cry and Half Life 2.
Most tests were carried out under Windows XP Professional x64 Edition RC2 (Build 1433). However, the production of an HTML picture gallery with Jalbum was done under 32-bit Windows: this application requires a Java Virtual Machine, which is not yet available for the 64-bit platform. We contacted numerous vendors about 64-bit Windows applications, with limited success. We do have some 64-bit applications in this performance test, but most are still beta versions.
| Benchmark overview | |||
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| Application |
Description | ||
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| Povray 3.6 (32- & 64-bit) | raytracing | ||
| Panorama Factory (32- & 64-bit) | panoramic photo production | ||
| FLAC 1.2 (32-bit), Monkey's Audio 3.99 (32-bit) | lossless compression/decompression of audio data (APE and FLAC) | ||
| Nero Recode (32-bit) | DVD re-quantising/transcoding | ||
| TMPG Express 3.0 (32-bit) | video compression | ||
| Jalbum 5.1 (32-bit) | HTML picture gallery production | ||
| Blobby Dancer Demo (32- & 64-bit) | 3D demo | ||
| Doom3, Far Cry, Half Life 2 | 3D games | ||
| Media Player 10 | HDTV video (1080i) playback | ||
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Full Talkback thread
33 comments
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Why no Linux based benchmarks? 64 bit linux has a... James Essex -
64 bit Linux isn't even considered in the art... davidm -
You know what's funny? I read these articles... Anonymous Cowheard
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Mostly directed at ubah Linux hardcorz:
How a... Michael Jaars
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That's because linux suck, get a grip Anonymous
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"64-bit computing [...] won't be a huge deal for t... Casper Wilstrup
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While it's nice to see some competition in the 64-... Fredrik Tolf
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In the case of architectures like Ultrasparc... Tim
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The games benchmarks are obviously limit... Filotti -
What an irritatingly Windows-centric view.
I need... Sean C, McCord
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Who cares about Windows anymore? Everyone is switc... Anonymous
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Linux, Linux, Linux. Do the review again! Jim
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not everyone is moving to linux!
dont be a la... that guys a lamer
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How about Linux benchmarks? Windows is pretty much... Anonymous
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what the fuck does the following mean "although th... Anonymous
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STFU you stupid Linux fanboys. All you guys... Skippity McDoody
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To say 64-bit versions of architectures... Anonymous -
Hopefully you do not use intel. If you do - d... rowan
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what the fcuk does the following mean "although th... Anonymous
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Look more like an Intel Press release than a bench... Paul Blair (toadlife)
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You need 64-bit windows to make best use of it?
Wh... michael goulish
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Sean, it doesn't seem to me that that is what the... Jason Archer
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Considering Microsoft's inability to provide... The Mitch
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"Intel may draw comfort from the fact that it has... Some Llama
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Itanium is truly 64 bits ok. read the article... Anonymous
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can't be 82%c. at that temp, your processor i... Anonymous
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I just recently bought the Intel Pentium... DeSi
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well to start off i think this article is sorta bi... Tyler
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Great review! Sorry to say that all you Linux lam... Anonymous
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Unless I'm missing something, neither AMD64 n... Cubase SX User
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I have bought the intel 660 ( 3,6GHz 64-bit) chip.... Kostis Tsiutras
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Windows Rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Windows Fan
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AMD 64-bit improved my genetic algorithm optimizat... Anonymous
