|
AMD Barcelona Launch Coverage
Test System and Specifications:
Our test system was kindly organized and based around an Asus motherboard. It is worth noting that currently Asus is the only manufacturer to offer a motherboard engineered specifically for the Barcelona. This should give them quite an advantage over all other providers which we estimate to still be months away from delivery of a motherboard with the capabilities of the Asus motherboard.
Our PSSC model number A2400 test system was configured as follows:
Asus KFSN4-DRE/SAS
2X AMD Opteron (Barcelona) 2347
24GB Wintec PC2-5300 ECC Registered
250GB 7200.9 Seagate SATA Hard Drive
AIC 1U server chassis, RMC-1L-2
We tested the system under the following OS's:
- Windows XP X86 SP2
- Windows XP 64Bit Edition SP2
- Windows Longhorn Beta 3
- Suse Linux Enterprise 10
- Ubuntu 7.04
Opteron X3XX Series Processor Specifications:
| L1 Cache Sizes: | 64K of L1 instruction and 64K of L1 data cache per core (512KB total L1 per processor) |
| L2 Cache Sizes: | 512KB of L2 data cache per core (2MB total L2 per processor) |
| L3 Cache Size: | 2MB dynamically shared |
| MC Type: | NEW Integrated 128-bit wide memory controller, capable of being configured for dual 64-bit channels for simultaneous read/writes |
| MC Speed: | Up to 1.8GHz with Dual Dynamic Power Management (1.6GHz on legacy Socket F (1207) motherboards) |
| Types of Memory: | Registered DDR2 up to PC2 5300 (667MHz) |
| HyperTransport 1.0 Links (8000s): | 3 total, 3 coherent (8-way capable) |
| HyperTransport 1.0 Links (2000s): | 3 total, 1 coherent (2-way capable) |
| HyperTransport 1.0 Spec: | 1GHz full duplex (2000MT/s) |
| Packaging: | Socket F (1207) OLGA (1207-pin organic land grid array) |
| Fab location: | AMD's Fab 36 wafer fabrication facilities in Dresden, Germany |
| Process Technology: | 65nm Silicon on Insulator (SOI) |
| Approximate Transistor count: | approx. 463 million |
| Approximate Die Size: | 285 mm2 |
| Max Ambient Case Temp: | 70 degrees Celsius |
Opteron X3XX Series Processor Frequency by Model Number:
Processor |
OPN |
CPU Freq. / NB Freq. |
*ACP* |
TDP |
Cost |
CPU Voltage |
AMD Opteron Processor Model 8350 |
OS8350WAL4BGE |
2.0 GHz / 1.8 GHz |
75w |
95w |
$1019 |
1.2v |
AMD Opteron Processor Model 8347 |
OS8347WAL4BGE |
1.9 GHz / 1.6 GHz |
75w |
95w |
$873 |
1.2v |
AMD Opteron Processor Model 8347 HE |
OS8347PAL4BGE |
1.9 GHz / 1.6 GHz |
55w |
68w |
$768 |
1.15v |
AMD Opteron Processor Model 8346 HE |
OS8346PAL4BGE |
1.8 GHz / 1.6 GHz |
55w |
68w |
$698 |
1.15v |
AMD Opteron Processor Model 2350 |
OS2350WAL4BGE |
2.0 GHz / 1.8 GHz |
75w |
95w |
$389 |
1.2v |
AMD Opteron Processor Model 2347 |
OS2347WAL4BGE |
1.9 GHz / 1.6 GHz |
75w |
84w |
$316 |
1.2v |
AMD Opteron Processor Model 2347 HE |
OS2347PAL4BGE |
1.9 GHz / 1.6 GHz |
55w |
68w |
$377 |
1.15v |
AMD Opteron Processor Model 2346 HE |
OS2346PAL4BGE |
1.8 GHz / 1.6 GHz |
55w |
68w |
1.15v |
|
AMD Opteron Processor Model 2344 HE |
OS2344PAL4BGE |
1.7 GHz / 1.4 GHz |
55w |
68w |
$209 |
1.15v |
As you can see the cost of the new X3XX series processo is much much less than the Xeon's and for this reason alone allows for a great amount of processing power to be purchased for many organizations. The comparable E5320 quad core running at 1.8g Ghz currently has a street price of approximately $300 and will not have anywhere near the performance of the 2347 priced only $16 more. A single bios upgrade and many organizations are X3XX ready. If we compare the Xeon E5345 currently at $475 against the 2347 at $316 we see the price gap grow to $159 per processor. On the high end for 8-way systems the 8350 at $1019 is a full $350 cheaper than its Intel Xeon 7140M Processor at $1369.
The Asus KFSN4-DRE/SAS:
As mentioned earlier Asus is the first and currently only motherboard manufacturer to offer a motherboard specifically built and optimized for the Barcelona. The KFSN4-DRE/SAS impliments a number of unique features such as:
- 16-DIMM slots for a Maximum of 64GB
- 1 PCI-E x16 slot
- Built-in 4 Port SAS controller via LSI 1064E
- Dual Hypertransport Links (Refers to a 2-way system configuration in which the processor sockets are connected by a pair of coherent HyperTransport™ (HT) Technology links)
- Split Power (Dual Dynamic Power Management can power the CPU and Memory Controller from different voltage supplies, offering greater performance and better power management)
The motherboard layout diagram of the KFSN4-DRE/SAS:
Click on the Thumbnail for a larger Image.
Asus makes a number of other "fine tuning" changes to their motherboards that other manufacturers may overlook. For example we found that Asus painstakingly engineers the bus lines on their boards so that all lines from a single point to another point are the same length, thus assuring that all signals arrive at the same time. What you see visually are pathways that appear snake-like to account for other pathways being shorter or longer. This kind of engineering looks like the following picture:
Click on the Thumbnail for a larger Image.
Our test system was assembled, tested, and sent to us by PSSC Labs, a company specializing in super computers, workstations, and large storage solutions. A configuration page for the model A2400 1U server from PSSC is available here if you would like to see the combinations and prices for such a system with either Intel or AMD, they additionally have the X3XX series CPU's available right now. A big thanks goes out to them for helping arrange this review on short notice. The system arrived packed perfectly, fully operational, and flawlessly put together. AIC provided the 1U server chassis, RMC-1L-2 which is an excellent chassis taking only 1U of space and providing a lot of computing power inside. The chassis keps our components cool during all tests and was eay to work with.
 |
 |
 |