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We'll round out
the benchmarking with some scores from MadOnion's 3DMark and
Video 2000 MPEG Encoding Tests along with a Time Demo run
using the omnipresent Quake 3 Arena.
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Benchmarks
and Comparisons |
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MadOnion and
Quake 3 Time Demo Benchmarks |
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Next up, we ran
MadOnion's 3D Mark 2001 SE though a default benchmark
(1024x768x32, without antialiasing). The only
difference in the test system's configuration was the CPU
itself. The video card's driver settings and benchmark
settings were not changed in any way.
Is that about
what you were expecting? The 66MHz. increase in core
clock speed translated into roughly a 1% increase in the
default 3D Mark 2001 score, nothing earth shattering but it
is measurable. With a little video card and CPU
overclocking, we're fairly certain that 13000 3D Marks is
within reach. Dave has been trying to take over the
number one spot in
MadOnion's Fastest Webmaster contest for a while now, I
think I may try to talk him into using an Athlon for his
next run at the "crown".
MadOnion's Video
2000 MPEG2 Encode test, uses the host CPU to run an MPEG2
compression test and generates a score accordingly..
This is another
CPU test that is showing it's age. Both the Athlon XP
2000+ and 2100+ tore through this test. And while the
performance difference may be very small, if you're encoding
a large files, and multiple not so large files, opting for
the faster CPU is probably a good idea.
Now the for the
one benchmark that finds it's way into virtually every CPU
or Graphics Card review on the web, Quake 3 Arena.
Running Quake 3 at low resolution with a powerful video
card, isolates the performance of the host CPU.
Once again, we
see that the small clock speed advantage gains very little
in terms of real, measurable performance. There is a
less than 4 frames per second difference between the two
CPUs, which is unperceivable to the naked eye when we hit
levels this high.
What can we say
about the Athlon XP 2100+ that the numbers don't say for us?
This is one fast CPU, plain an simple and we're not the only
ones with that opinion. As you're reading this, a few
large OEMs like Compaq and NEC are readying PCs for
immediate shipment powered by the Athlon XP 2100+. If
you're not the type who buys "boxed" systems, expect to pay
upwards of $400 for AMD's newest flagship processor.
In quantities of 1000 pcs., the Athlon XP 2100+ will sell
for $420 each. To some, seeing a price tag that high
on an AMD CPU, the company that has been selling top of the
line CPUs for peanuts as of late, may be surprising.
Keep in mind that if you want premium parts though, you'll
have to pay a premium price. Even so, the Athlon XP
2100+ is still considerably less expensive than a similarly
performing CPU from Intel.
Not everything
is rosy in the AMD camp though. While currently,
neither AMD nor Intel have a firm grasp on the over all
speed crown, Intel does have at least a perceived advantage.
Intel has been manufacturing CPUs on their .13 process for
months and yields are getting better with each passing day.
Keep in mind that the current crop of Athlons are still
being manufactured using AMD's .18 micron process.
There is simply no denying that the Palomino core is quickly
reaching it's ceiling. AMD may not be able to take the
Palomino based Athlon XPs much higher and the next-gen
Thoroughbred Athlons built using a .13 process, are still
nowhere to be found. This is almost the same situation
Intel was in when the Coppermine Pentium IIIs hit their
limit. Whether or not AMD falters and Intel tries to
capitalize remains to be seen. We are hoping AMD has a
run of good luck and Thoroughbreds make an appearance
sooner, rather than later. For now though, no one
should worry. There hasn't been a better time to be a
computer enthusiast. The amount of raw horsepower we
can have on our desktops for a relatively small investment
is fantastic and should appease even the most discriminating
power user. You can thank good ol' fashioned
competition for this and a company like AMD that has taken
on Intel at their own game.
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