CrossFire Xpress 3200: RD580 for AM2
by Wesley Fink on June 1, 2006 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
Test Setup
| Performance Test Configuration - ATI CrossFire Xpress 3200 AM2 | |
| Processor: | AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ (AM2) (2.4GHz, 1MB Cache per core) |
| RAM: | 2 x 1GB Corsair Twin2x2048-8500C5 DDR2-800 at (CL3-3-3-13 2T) |
| Hard Drive(s): | 1 x Hitachi 250GB SATA2 enabled (8MB Buffer) |
| System Platform Drivers: | None - LAN, Audio, SMBus drivers as required |
| Video Cards: | 1 x ATI X1900XT - All Standard Tests 1 x EVGA 7900GTX - All Standard Tests 2 x ATI x1900XT (Master+Standard) - CrossFire |
| Video Drivers: | ATI Catalyst 6.4 |
| Cooling: | AMD FX62 Heatpipe AM2 Cooler |
| Power Supply: | OCZ PowerStream 520W |
| Operating System(s): | Windows XP Professional SP2 |
| Performance Test Configuration - Foxconn C51XEM2AA | |
| Processor: | AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ (AM2) (2.4GHz, 1MB Cache per core) |
| RAM: | 2 x 1GB Corsair Twin2x2048-8500C5 DDR2-800 at (CL3-3-3-13 2T) |
| Hard Drive(s): | 1 x Maxtor 300GB SATA2 (16MB Buffer) |
| System Platform Drivers: | NVIDIA 9.34 |
| Video Cards: | 1 x EVGA 7900GTX - All Tests 2 x EVGA 7900GTX for SLI Tests |
| Video Drivers: | NVIDIA 91.27 |
| Cooling: | Zalman CNPS9500 AM2 |
| Power Supply: | OCZ GameXStream 700W |
| Operating System(s): | Windows XP Professional SP2 |
| Performance Test Configuration - Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe | |
| Processor: | AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ (S939) (2.4GHz, 1MB Cache per core) |
| RAM: | 2 x 1GB Crucial DDR500 at DDR-400 2-2-2-7 1T |
| Hard Drive(s): | 1 x Hitachi 250GB SATA2 enabled (8MB Buffer) |
| System Platform Drivers: | NVIDIA 6.85 |
| Video Cards: | 1 x EVGA 7900GTX - All Tests 2 x EVGA 7900GTX for SLI Tests |
| Video Drivers: | NVIDIA 84.21 |
| Cooling: | AMD FX-60 Heatpipe Cooler |
| Power Supply: | OCZ PowerStream 520W |
| Operating System(s): | Windows XP Professional SP2 |
To the extent possible, test conditions were maintained the same over the platforms tested. For better comparison standard test results (1280x1024) were run with both the ATI X1900 XT and the NVIDIA 7900 GTX. Since SLI and CrossFire are not yet interchangeable, 1600x1200 4xAA/8xAF single and SLI were run on the NVIDIA-based boards with 7900 GTX. 1600X1200 4xAA/8xAF were run on the ATI using an X1900 XT and X1900 CrossFire. All results are reported in our charts and color-coded for easier identification of results.
AM2 benchmarking used Corsair PC-8500 (DDR2-1066) 2GB kit at 3-3-3-13 timings at 2.2V. DDR benchmarks used a Crucial 2GB kit at the fastest available DDR400 2-2-2-7 timings. In recent months the memory market has moved from a 1GB kit to a 2BG kit being the common memory configuration. Our new DDR2 test standard will therefore be 2GB and we used the 2GB DDR memory for best comparison.
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JarredWalton - Thursday, June 1, 2006 - link
And you thought LinkBoost was fast! ;)Typo fixed, thanks.
Stele - Thursday, June 1, 2006 - link
A main attraction of HD audio over AC'97 other than 100.1 setups is probably better sound quality. As such, perhaps Anandtech needs to develop a test method and/or utility with which to assess precisely this aspect of motherboards' sound subsystems. Low CPU utilisation is well and good but ultimately it's reaching the point where these figures are fairly meaningless, as this review underscored.Instead, besides just testing CPU utilisation, Anandtech could test/measure characteristics such as SNR ratio, THD at a reference frequency etc. at the output ports. The test can then be rounded off with subjective hearing tests through reference speakers or headphones, e.g. for irritating crossover noise from the mouse (A7N8X anyone?) or some other EMI source, and so on.
That way, we can judge if a motherboard manufacturer's implementation and motherboard design are sound (pun intended) because ultimately, it's about what you hear, not see; an 8.1 with terrific speakers, built in DTS/AC3/etc and other paper-spec niceties isn't going to cut it if the codec was, say, jammed right next to the CPU PWM controller with barely any grounding.
Gary Key - Thursday, June 1, 2006 - link
We are still debating our "subjective" results and comments for the audio section. However, at some point this summer we will expand our testing to include additional testing outside the CPU utilization and game results.
Stele - Friday, June 2, 2006 - link
Subjective is, understandably, subjective. Thus such results are bound to differ depending on the person assessing the product as well as the circumstances under which the test was done. IMHO, it should therefore only play a small part in the extended test, complementing the objective, measured figures which should play the dominant role in an extended audio test.Indeed, accurately measuring such performance characteristics (SNR, THD, no-signal background noise level) would probably be more useful because even if the subjective part of the test is completely left out, the figures would generally be a sufficient gauge of the quality of the components and implementation (circuit design, manufacture etc).
Having said that, the subjective opinions do give the review a human perspective and a broader picture which numbers alone may not fully convey - another good example being noise level measurements. Again, nice to have but won't be fatal without it.
Just my 2 cents' :)
Beenthere - Thursday, June 1, 2006 - link
...and you can be certain that production mobos will NOT perform as well as the reference mobo. Expect Asus to use a hack design, DFI to have a pretty good design less proper ports, Sapphire to not have a clue at copying the ATI reference mobo, Abit to talk shitza but not deliver, etc. and the prices will be sky high. Ya gotta wonder how much longer people are going to buy crap mobos just because they have a good chipset?Stele - Thursday, June 1, 2006 - link
Perhaps it's because there're aren't many seriously viable choices - if any - other than the 'crap mobo' brands you listed? The manufacturers know this too, and rest in the relative comfort of the knowledge that since no brand's perfect, buyers aren't likely to suddenly all jump ship in a hurry. They're probably expecting people to grumble and complain, as always, but buy from one of them anyway... as always.xsilver - Thursday, June 1, 2006 - link
Does ATI have license to product intel chipsets either now or in the future?or was their some exclusivity when nvidia made their cross licensing agreement?
Gary Key - Thursday, June 1, 2006 - link
ATI has been producing Intel compatible chipsets for a few years now and we should see a "RD580" type chipset for Conroe later this summer.
fzkl - Thursday, June 1, 2006 - link
Why are the setups using different hard drives? The ATI system has a 16MB buffer whereas the Nvidia system has an 8 MB buffer. Does that contribute to any performance difference?peternelson - Thursday, June 1, 2006 - link
I spotted that too. I imagine the HD might change the PCMark result.