Desktop CPU Comparison - September 99

The two 3D rendering tests proved that regardless of what OS you're running under, there is no masking a weak FPU.  Especially visible in Bryce 2 is the worst case scenario for the K6-2, an application that is both FPU intensive, and dependent on a fast L2 cache.   The K6-III does improve on this somewhat by offering a faster L2 cache, but its weak FPU just won't cut it.  Luckily for AMD, they are now present on the other end of the performance spectrum as the Athlon gracefully steps ahead of the fastest Intel contributions.  There is no arguing about it, it will take at least a 700MHz Pentium III to start giving the Athlon some true head to head competition, it makes you wonder what AMD has up their sleeves... ;)