AMD Athlon 64 FX-60: A Dual-Core farewell to Socket-939
by Anand Lal Shimpi on January 9, 2006 11:59 PM EST- Posted in
- CPUs
Final Words
The prospect of dual core usually meant that you had to give up some single-threaded performance, but with the Athlon 64 FX-60, that tradeoff is no longer true. While it's still not clocked as high as the fastest single core processor, it is extremely close. It's close enough that the difference in clock speed makes single-threaded performance a non-issue.
The fact that the FX-60 and FX-57 are almost at a clock speed parity is important because it does mean that we are getting beyond the inflection point of the dual core/single core transition. The high end dual core chips are all but caught up to the high end single core chips of just six months ago. Intel still has a little way to go before the same is true for them, but with the FX-60, it does hold true for AMD.
Unfortunately, since the FX-60 is still built on the same 90nm Toledo core as the previous X2 processors, overclocking headroom is not that great. With a retail AMD heatsink/fan, the best that we could do is 2.8GHz at 1.40V. With more exotic cooling, you could probably manage better, but stepping up the voltage all the way up to 1.50V wouldn't yield a 3GHz overclock on air.
Then there's the issue of AMD's upcoming Socket-AM2; due out in another few months, you obviously won't be able to use any Socket-939 processors in the new motherboards and there will be no upgrade path beyond the FX-60 for current 939 owners. So, our recommendation would be to stay away from the FX-60 unless you absolutely have to build the world's fastest system today.
If the latter is true, then you can't go wrong with the FX-60; if not, however, you'll be better off waiting for AM2.
The prospect of dual core usually meant that you had to give up some single-threaded performance, but with the Athlon 64 FX-60, that tradeoff is no longer true. While it's still not clocked as high as the fastest single core processor, it is extremely close. It's close enough that the difference in clock speed makes single-threaded performance a non-issue.
The fact that the FX-60 and FX-57 are almost at a clock speed parity is important because it does mean that we are getting beyond the inflection point of the dual core/single core transition. The high end dual core chips are all but caught up to the high end single core chips of just six months ago. Intel still has a little way to go before the same is true for them, but with the FX-60, it does hold true for AMD.
Unfortunately, since the FX-60 is still built on the same 90nm Toledo core as the previous X2 processors, overclocking headroom is not that great. With a retail AMD heatsink/fan, the best that we could do is 2.8GHz at 1.40V. With more exotic cooling, you could probably manage better, but stepping up the voltage all the way up to 1.50V wouldn't yield a 3GHz overclock on air.
Then there's the issue of AMD's upcoming Socket-AM2; due out in another few months, you obviously won't be able to use any Socket-939 processors in the new motherboards and there will be no upgrade path beyond the FX-60 for current 939 owners. So, our recommendation would be to stay away from the FX-60 unless you absolutely have to build the world's fastest system today.
If the latter is true, then you can't go wrong with the FX-60; if not, however, you'll be better off waiting for AM2.
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Yianaki - Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - link
It's tested and clean. Two prime 95's one on each core. 3dmark looped. plus one of the prime 95's that tests the mem. Winamp with a vis. All at same time. Doesn't crash for 9 hours plus, then I stopped it and called it a day.bob661 - Wednesday, January 11, 2006 - link
Sounds pretty good. But I'm not totally sold on Prime95 as the be all, end all of stability. Have you thought about switching power supplies, if you haven't already? I find that a weak or bad power supply is usually the root of weird instability issues. Also, how the system run without any video drivers installed?nserra - Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - link
Nvidia drivers are no longer good big discovery.Since GeforceFX, nvidia drivers suck, one good driver release in a FULL YEAR.
I have The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay It says I need to have OpenGL 1.3 or better! < This is just one game but i have lots of games with problems, don’t work, render problems, lockups, refresh rate problems, .... Very annoying!
The Ati that every one says have bad drivers works fine,
some newer games even say it requires Catalyst 5.10 or better on the read me file and i have 5.7 with no problem!
There must be a reason why ati drivers are certified and NVIDIA don’t.
Phantronius - Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - link
Your maybe you just suck and building computer systems.andrep74 - Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - link
Maybe you just suck at English.Yianaki - Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - link
Yes that is the main point to make about this issue. My sucky english. Thanks for your expert input.andrep74 - Wednesday, January 11, 2006 - link
Not you. The guy who can't type English worth a damn. And his cunning insight into building a system such as yours without having experienced problems.And, for what it's worth, most people who hear you gripe probably think you're a spoiled yuppie with too much cash to burn, having dual this and dual that, and don't give a rat's a** if you're having problems. Personally I laud the "enthusiast" because they're the ones that drive the cutting edge; it's just that I'd never have dual core and SLI myself, and since I can't do anything about it, it makes no sense to harrass nVidia.
Since you have so much extra cash, why don't you try Crossfire and see if you get the same rush with none of the aftertaste.
Phantronius - Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - link
I smell a ATi fanboy.andrep74 - Wednesday, January 11, 2006 - link
Yeah, the guy who invested in two nVidia cards, and a dual-core processor: he's a definite ATI fanboy.God, I hope with logic like that you're not in a technical field. And with grammar like that I hope you're not in a linguistic field.
Yianaki - Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - link
Actually (was) an NVIDIA fan as I said I have never bought and ATI card in my life. Bought the highest performing S3 before the days of the RIVA 128 but that's another story. But I've not heard about any ATI dual core problems. Therfore my rant.