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AMD AM2 5000+


Author:  Jason Jacobs
Date:  2006.05.25
Topic:  Processors
Provider:  AMD
Manufacturer:  AMD





Techware Labs received a 5000+ to perform tests upon for this review. We hope to bring you our performance comparison of the FX-62 shortly. A closer look at the new architecture is below:

FX Die

Specifications of the 5000+:

Frequency / Cache Sizes: 2.6GHz w/ 512KB L2 cache-per-core (1MB total L2 per processor)
L1 Cache Sizes: 64K- L1 instruction + 64K - L1 data cache per core (256KB total L1)
CPU to Memory Controller: same as CPU core frequencies
Memory Controller: Shared integrated 128-bit wide memory controller
DDR2 Memory Supported: Up to and including PC2 6400 (800MHz) DDR-2 memory
HyperTransport Links: 1
HyperTransport Spec: 2GHz (2x 1000MHz / DDR)
Effective data bandwidth: 20.8 GB/sec [8GB/sec HyperTransport link + 12.8GB/sec memory]
Packaging: Socket AM2 organic micro-PGA
Fab location: AMD's Fab 30 wafer fabrication facility in Dresden, Germany
Process Technology: 90nm (.09-micron) Silicon on Insulator (SOI)
Approximate Transistor count: 153.8 million
Approximate Die Size: 183mm²
Nominal Voltage: 1.30-1.35V
Max Thermal Power: 89 W
Max Ambient Case Temp: 55-70 degrees Celsius
Max Icc (processor current): 66.2A
Min P-State (with C'n'Q) 1.0 GHz
Nominal Voltage @ min -state: 1.1V
Max Thermal Power @ min -state: 31.0W
Max Icc @ min -state: 25.5A

AMD has not varied from their naming convention and as such we would expect to see a follow up 5200+ at 2.8Ghz with the same 1MB total cache. For reference we have included specifications on the FX-62 though it will not be covered in this review.

AMD ATHLON 64 FX-62 PROCESSOR TECH SPECS:

Frequency / Cache Sizes: 2.8GHz w/ 1MB L2 cache-per-core (2MB total L2 per processor)
L1 Cache Sizes: 64K - L1 instruction + 64K - L1 data cache per core (256KB total L1)
CPU to Memory Controller: same as CPU core frequencies
Memory Controller: Shared integrated 128-bit wide memory controller
DDR2 Memory Supported: Up to and including PC2 6400 (800MHz) DDR-2 memory
HyperTransport Links: 1
HyperTransport Spec: 2GHz (2x 1000MHz / DDR)
Effective data bandwidth: 20.8 GB/sec [8GB/sec HyperTransport link + 12.8GB/sec memory]
Packaging: Socket AM2 organic micro-PGA
Fab location: AMD's Fab 30 wafer fabrication facility in Dresden, Germany
Process Technology: 90nm (.09-micron) Silicon on Insulator (SOI)
Approximate Transistor count: 227.4 million
Approximate Die Size: 230mm2
Nominal Voltage: 1.35-1.4V
Max Thermal Power: 125 W
Max Ambient Case Temp: 55-63 degrees Celsius
Max Icc (processor current): 90.4A
Min P-State (with C'n'Q): 1.0 GHz
Nominal Voltage @ min -state: 1.1V
Max Thermal Power @ min -state: 38.0W
Max Icc @ min -state: 31.8A

Expected Performance Gains:

AMD quoted the following about the expected performance gains for Socket AM2 processors.

A fair expectation for performance gain from 939-pin to AM2 is about 1% or more across various application-based benchmarks. That assumes equal model numbers for processors and an equal configuration. This also assumes premium memory is used for each configuration. This is a rough estimate, and of course FX-62 and 5000+ come with additional frequency that will improve performance beyond that platform benefit.

While DDR2 support has been added and memory bandwidth has thus been increased dramatically, real world performance gains should be within this range, though perhaps a bit more than 1% as we feel that AMD may be gauging their actual performance gains a bit too low. This having been said I can just hear your thoughts now I'm not upgrading for 1%. Well let's take a look at how well the 5000+ actually performed in our testing.



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