Sandy Bridge against CPUs from Intel and AMD

The second generation of the core processor has been presented with a bang. But what about in terms of performance per watt? We have compared with four-and six-core Phenoms as well as with relevant predecessors of Intel.

The new Intel desktop platform (codenamed Sandy Bridge) is finally here. While in our article "Intel Core CPUs of the second generation: The Review Sandy Bridge" is about the architecture and performance benchmarks of the new processors and chipsets, we are examining today especially with the power and efficiency. A low power consumption is no longer just a nice side effect, but it can be observed that energy management measures and the power consumption are deliberately used to maximize the performance under different load scenarios. This is particularly important if one keeps in mind that Intel Sandy Bridge is modular, and can serve to complete range from entry level to high-end segment. Most of the mainstream processor portfolio from Intel is therefore up to the end of 2011 based on Sandy Bridge, so a further efficiency evaluation is worthwhile.

Sandy Bridge will serve until the end of the year as the basis for the base models.

In advance of the presentation was already suspected that Sandy Bridge offers more performance and possibly at lower power consumption. In our product to product launch had already been confirmed that Sandy Bridge, also known as Core i7 i5 and 2000 series, delivers significantly more performance than its predecessor. Reasons for the higher speeds are in the improvements of the architecture, such as the ring-based cache architecture with high bandwidth, which substantially revised the cache for decoded micro-ops, improved branch prediction unit (Branch Prediction Unit), the larger cache, a higher throughput at FPU operations, the increased availability of memory, etc. Another reason for the higher performance found in the increased availability of threads: 4 threads on two cores of the Core i3, four physical cores on the Core i5 and four cores with eight Threads on the Core i7.

Ultimately, Intel equips existing segments with more power and more features. Although the LGA 1155 platform still retains the conventional power level of 95 W, Sandy Bridge processors are designed to eliminate all functional units when not needed radical. If you've read our first article Sandy Bridge, which should still remember that the processors offer a service control unit and three separate voltage and frequency ranges. These are also the main reasons why a pin socket 1156 and its compatibility has lost to bottom. The voltage regulator must be able to adequately support the Sandy Bridge can control high voltages significantly spontaneous switch / as before.

The S-and T-series, the TDP decreases in desktop applications that require little energy to 65, 45 or even 35 W, as here and as the clock rates are limited. We will soon employ more detail with these products, we focus in today's article, but on mainstream CPUs, the Core i7 i5 and 2000 Series.

Our efficiency test consists of two parts: First, we take a look at systems with integrated graphics and then compare systems with discrete graphics. The test systems include an integrated graphics solution with the 890GX Phenom X4 965 and the X6 1100T AMD - AMD by slow-product would provide price comparison on too low a level dropped. Also on board is a P55 platform from Intel with the dual-core processors Core i5 and i3-661-H67-530 and a platform with Core i5-2500K and 2600K. For comparison with discrete graphics, we have chosen the same solutions from AMD and completes the test field with the core i5 750, the Core i7-875K and the new Core i7-i5-2500K and 2600K processors.

Related Post