AMD Athlon 64 FX-53 & 3800+: Socket 939 Has Arrived

For a Professional Workstation perspective, we used the "industrial strength" 3D rendering benchmark, SPECViewperf v7.1.  SPECviewperf v7.1 draws its performance metrics on many different data-points using several different OpenGL based applications from various ISVs (Independent Software Vendors). The SPECopc (SPEC OpenGL Performance Characterization) project group is comprised of companies like 3DLabs, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, ATi, Dell, IBM, SGI and Sun Micro, among others.  They help define and endorse what application viewsets are used in the SPECviewperf benchmark.

SPECviewperf v7.1 3D Modeling and Rendering Performance

Currently, there are six standard SPECopc application viewsets: (courtesy of SPEC.org)

• 3dsmax-02, based on SPECapc for 3ds max 3.1 configured with the Open GL driver, includes three models containing an average of 1.5 million vertices each, and tests performance of scenes with different levels of lighting.
• dx-08, based on IBM's Data Explorer application, has 10 different tests.
• drv-09, based on Intergraph's DesignReview model review package, has five different tests.
• light-06, based on Discreet's Lightscape radiosity application, has four tests.
• proe-02, based on SPECapc for Pro/ENGINEER 2001, measures two models in three modes - shaded, wireframe and hidden-line removal (HLR).
• ugs-03, based on SPECapc for Unigraphics V17, tests performance based on an engine model containing 2.1 million vertices.

From this point forward, we'll be comparing the Socket 939 Athlon 64 FX-53 and 3800+ to AMD's previous flagship desktop processors the Socket 940 FX-53, as well as an FX-51, an Athlon 64 3400+ and the best that Intel currently has to offer.  This graph is quite large, and may look a bit confusing, so check out the legend before comparing the results and focus on only one viewset at a time.  What you'll find is that the Socket 939 Athlon 64 FX-53 and 3800+ processors, when coupled with a motherboard based on VIA's excellent K8T800 chipset, are the fastest performing CPUs in the SPECviewperf benchmark.  In all six of the viewsets, AMD's latest flagship CPUs finished in first place, occasionally by margins greater than 15%.