Comparative testing of 12 processors from AMD and Intel

    We tested 12 different processors from competing manufacturers - Intel and AMD. Our main task is to identify among them the best that we will do now. But first a few words about platforms.
    This article presents processors on sockets 1366 and 1156 from Intel, and on AM2 + / AM3 from AMD. At the moment, quite a lot of motherboards for them have already been released, so choosing a "mother" for your needs will not be difficult.

    Another thing is that the transition to new Intel platforms will fly you a pretty penny. For example, the average motherboard for socket 1366 will cost around 6,000 rubles, you must add the processor price to this amount. But for AMD the figure will be more modest - about 2000-2500 rubles. AMD solutions are available to a wider circle of people, which is the focus. Moreover, you can buy a processor for AM3 and install it in an old motherboard for AM2 +. So you can save a little and switch to AM3 a bit later. The choice, of course, is only yours.

    And now a few words about the testing methodology.

    Testing Methodology.
    Testing was carried out in two settings profiles:
    1. Default - performance was evaluated at rated frequencies and voltage;
    2. Overclocking - the processors were overclocked to a frequency of 3600 MHz. This frequency was not chosen by chance. It is on it that all processors can work around the clock with an ordinary user. Many processors can also show a high frequency, but for the purity of the experiment, we stopped at this point.

    Now about the tests:
    • For starters, we chose perhaps one of the most famous processor tests - Super Pi, and counted a million decimal places. This benchmark gives a good idea of ​​the computing power of the "stone".
    • Next to Super Pi is wPrime, which is a multi-threaded test, which is important for multi-core processors. Performance assessment in this test was carried out in 32M and 1024M modes.
    • Here comes the turn and PiFast. Its main feature is to check the performance of the processor-memory bundle, as well as the CPU itself.

    Test stand.
    We have collected 3 test benches.
    For Intel socket 1366 platform:
    • Asus P6T6 WS Revolution motherboard
    • Kingston 1333MHz CL7 1.5V DDR3 RAM
    • AMD Radeon 5870 graphics card
    • Enermax Revolution 1050W power supply
    • OCZ Vertex 250Gb
    Intel socket 1156 hard drive :
    • Gigabyte P55M- motherboard UD4
    • DDR3 2x1Gb Kingston 1333MHz CL7 1.5V RAM
    • AMD Radeon 5870 graphics card
    • Enermax Revolution 1050W power supply
    • OCZ Vertex 250Gb hard drive
    AMD socket AM2 + / AM3:
    • Asus M4A79 Deluxe motherboard
    • Kingston HyperX 1066MHz CL5 2.2V DDR2 2x1Gb RAM
    • AMD Radeon 5870 graphics card
    • Enermax Revolution 1050W power supply
    • OCZ Vertex 250Gb hard drive

    It's time to consider the processors in more detail.

    Intel Core i5 750
    Our review opens the brainchild of Intel'a Core i5 750. Relative to other processors of this manufacturer, its cost is low. In all tests, he showed himself to be "average", although he was the slowest among the creations of Intel. Unfortunately, the Intel Core i5 750 does not support Hyper-Threading technology, so this processor does not have virtual cores.

    Intel Core i7 860
    The Intel Core i7 860 is also based on the Lynnfield architecture. This processor received support for Hyper-Threading technology, which gives a good performance boost in many in-line tests. Its performance is almost the same as that of the Core i5 750, but in wPrime it performed better due to virtual cores. But the price of it, in our opinion, is overstated. For its price you can buy Intel Core i7 920 for 1366 socket with a three-channel memory controller.

    Intel Core i7 870
    This is the last representative of the 1156 platform in our review. The Core i7 870 differs from the Core i7 860 only in a higher multiplier. At the moment, it is the fastest processor for the LGA 1156. But then there are disadvantages. With equal frequency, in our tests the Intel Core i7 870 and the younger model 860 show almost the same results, although their cost differs almost twice. In our opinion, this processor is not worth the money. Intel Core i7 860 or Intel Core i7 920 look more reasonable solutions.

    Intel Core i7 920
    Now consider the processors on the core of Bloomfield. The cheapest is the Core i7 920, which we rated as a fairly reasonable purchase. At a cost of 9-10 thousand rubles, it shows a fairly high level of performance in all tests. It is also worth considering that the next Intel Core i7 950 model costs already 19-20 thousand rubles, thereby creating a large price gap. The Intel Core i7 920 has good overclocking potential, so it’s easy for the user to increase the frequency to 4 GHz. But for those who need higher frequencies, a factor of 21 will not be enough.

    Intel Core i7 950
    The difference between this processor and the younger model is a higher factor of 23, and a maximum factor of 25 can be achieved using 1 core. This processor is interesting in terms of overclocking due to the increased multiplier, but its price is not justifiably high compared to the younger model. Architecturally, they are identical.

    Intel Core i7 965 Extreme Edition
    And here is the first “pebble” with a free multiplier in our review. This is a Hi-End class processor that is used by many overclockers. With it, you can achieve high frequencies on extreme cooling. But unfortunately it was released only on the C0 stepping, so that other representatives of the line can achieve the same results at the same frequency, as can be seen in our diagrams. At the moment, the model is discontinued.

    Intel Core i7 975 Extreme Edition
    Intel Core i7 975 Extreme Edition is the flagship of the company and the absolute leader in our testing. He showed the best results in all tests. Currently, a large number of world records are set on this processor. Some instances were even able to overcome the milestone of 6 GHz. Of course, because of its cost, the average user is unlikely to decide to purchase it, but for overclockers and enthusiasts this is a great choice.

    AMD Phenom X4 9850BE
    Now it's time to talk about AMD processors. The first in our review is a model of the first generation Phenom. It should be said that these processors were one of the worst in the history of AMD. Therefore, you should not expect high results from them. In our testing, he became an outsider - the last place in all benchmarks. And the average price of 3,500 rubles is not very attractive. So it is better to choose a processor from the Phenom II lineup.

    AMD Athlon II X4 620
    The Athlon II X4 line is positioned by the company as the lower segment of Middle-End solutions. Their productivity has slightly increased compared to the first Phenomas and a transition to the 45-nm process technology has been made. But there is no longer a free factor in these processors, and they can no longer be seriously overclocked. They should only be installed in multimedia systems for watching videos and surfing the Internet.

    AMD Phenom II X4 940 BE
    The Phenom II line has become much more successful than the first Phenom's. With their appearance, they managed to overcome the 8 GHz milestone on AMD processors. The AMD Phenom II X4 940 BE also lends itself well to overclocking under extreme cooling - above 6 GHz. For users building a powerful and inexpensive system, this processor will be a good solution. The disadvantages include a high level of heat dissipation and the inability to install in the AM3 socket.

    AMD Phenon II X4 955 BE
    These processors have the opportunity to work in systems with AM2 + and AM3, as well as with memory. DDR3. In our opinion, this is a good upgrade solution if you already have a motherboard for the AM2 + platform. Anyway, this processor is worth paying attention to due to its good test results and relatively low cost.

    AMD Phenon II X4 965 BE
    Differences with the younger model are not significant - the frequency increased by 200 MHz and amounts to 3.4 GHz. But there is a downside - heat dissipation increased to 145 watts. Have to take care of better cooling. It should be noted that the frequency of 3.4 GHz can be achieved on all processors of the line, so the purchase of AMD Phenon II X4 965 is not the most reasonable solution in our opinion.

    Pifast, seconds, the less the better SuperPi 1M, seconds, the less the better wPrime 1024M, seconds, the less the better wPrime 32M, seconds, the less the better Conclusions.












    Nobody especially doubted that Intel products would be the leaders, but their cost is quite high. For fans of this company, the most reasonable solution is to purchase the Core i7 920, as the cheapest of the family and having good performance. In general, with the advent of the Phenom II line, it is worth paying attention to the AMD Phenom II X4 955. It can work both on the AM2 + platform and on the AM3. The last significant advantage will be support for DDR3 memory. In tests, it is slightly inferior to Phenom II X4 965, so it is a good solution for an upgrade.
    The processor receives a reward as the most reasonable waste of money


    The leader of our testing was the Intel Core i7 975 - an excellent solution for enthusiasts and overclockers, but because of its cost, not for the average user. One can only hope that the price of Intel products will change for the better for us. Nevertheless, according to the results of the test - it is precisely 975 that receives our award)


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