Legit Reviews

With ATI Catalyst 5.12 being released and optimised for dual core cpus, I decided to swap my 512MB HIS X1800XT PCI-E card over to my Opteron 170 dual core cpu rig :D

You can re-read the 512MB HIS X1800XT single core results with Opteron 146 at http://i4memory.com/showthread.php?t=1842



System

Opteron 170 CCBWE 0544XPMW cooled by Corsair Hydrocool 200EX
DFI NF4 UT SLI-DR R.AB0 11/14-3 bios
512MB HIS X1800XT with Cat 5.12 drivers
4x 80GB Hitachi 7K80 SATAII Raid 0 OS drive
1x 250GB Maxtor Maxline Plus II PATA
Pioneer DVD Burner
Floppy drive
650W Silverstone SLI PSU

WinXP Pro SP2
NF4 6.53WHQL chipset drivers

Using 2x 1GB OCZ PC4000EB Platinum 3-3-2-8 rated memory
@3-3-2-5 7-14-2223 at 2.64v vdimm

===================================
Overclocking X1800XT
I'm overclocking and changing voltages on X1800XT the same 5 step method i used on single core Opteron 146:

1. In service manage in windows disable ATI Smart and ATI Hotkey services and reboot pc. You loose temp reading in CCC but can use ATI Tool to view temps.
2. Use X1800 Oc'ing tool and set 3D desired clocks using the 2D panel by TYPING in the clocks DO NOT use slider!
3. Use ATI Tool to only verify and view the 3D clocks are set correctly. So should be same as what you set in X1800 Oc'ing tool.
4. Whenever you set the mem clock, remember to set the GPU core clock again, or it will fall back to lower clocks and when you set the GPU core clocks again, remember to set the mem clock again, or the same will happen.
5. Setting voltages, OC'ing tool reports wrong voltages so DO NOT use OC'ing tool to set voltages, use ATI Tool to set voltages. Example, GPU voltage reported in ATI Tool is 1.275v will show in OC'ing tool as 1.3v. Set ATI Tool GPU volts to 1.3v will show OC'ing tool at 1.325v but the real voltage measured by DMM is closer to 1.3v as set in ATI Tool.

===================================
Benchmark results

Opteron 146 @ 10x200HTT = 2000mhz with Cat 5.11 drivers

vs

Opteron 170 @ 10x200HTT = 2000mhz with Cat 5.12 drivers

3dmark05
- Cat 5.12 on Opteron 146 resulted in 50pts less in 3dmark05 and 100pts less in 3dmark2003 at same clocks as Cat 5.11 drivers when tested.
- Opteron 146 tests used 2x 512MB Gskill PC4400LE TCCD 431 2-2-2-5 7-14-2222

@621/747 = 8,636 vs 8,911 (+275pts increase with Cat 5.12 /Dual core cpu)
@680(675)/800(792) = 8,986 vs 9,381 (+395pts increase with Cat 5.12 /Dual core cpu)
@710(708)/802(801) = 9,106 vs 9,572 (+466pts increase with Cat 5.12 /Dual core cpu)

3dmark2003
@621/747 = 16,368 vs 16,735 (+367pts increase with Cat 5.12 /Dual core cpu)
@708/801 = 17,698 vs 18,111 (+413pts increase with Cat 5.12 /Dual core cpu)

----------------------------------------------------------
Opteron 170 @10x260HTT = 2600mhz at 1.392v
2x 1GB OCZ PC4000EB Platinum @260mhz 3-3-2-5 7-14-2223

3dmark05
@621/747 = 9,284
@708/801 = 10,205
@756/900 = 10,965

3dmark2003
@621/747 = 17,847
@708/801 = 19,425
@749/900 = 20,535


----------------------------------------------------------
Opteron 170 @10x280HTT = 2800mhz at 1.552v
2x 1GB OCZ PC4000EB Platinum @254mhz 3-3-2-5 7-14-2223

3dmark05
@621/747 = 9,365
@708/801 = 10,310
@756/900 = 11,058


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Now compare that to these oc'd single core Opteron 146 cpu results
----------------------------------------------------------
Opteron 146 CAB2E 0540FPMW @10x280HTT = 2800mhz at stock vcore
2x 512MB Gskill PC4400LE @280mhz 2.5-3-3-6 7-14-2222

3dmark05
@621/747 = 9,235
@708/801 = 10,163
@742/891 = 10,795

3dmark2003
@621/747 = 17,707
@708/801 = 19,169


----------------------------------------------------------
Opteron 146 CAB2E 0540FPMW @10x300HTT = 3000mhz at 1.408V
2x 512MB Gskill PC4400LE @272mhz 2.5-3-3-6 7-14-2222

3dmark05
@621/747 = 9,287
@708/801 = 10,221
@749/882 = 10,869

3dmark2003
@621/747 = 17,945
@708/801 = 19,449
@735/882 = 20,328


----------------------------------------------------------
Opteron 146 CAB2E 0540FPMW @10x310HTT = 3100mhz at 1.536v
2x 512MB Gskill PC4400LE @282mhz 2.5-3-3-6 7-14-2222

3Dmark05
@621/747 = 9,321
@749/882 = 10,915

3dmark2003
@749/900 = 20,784


----------------------------------------------------------
Opteron 146 CAB2E 0540FPMW @10x313HTT = 3130mhz at 1.568v
2x 512MB Gskill PC4400LE @283mhz 2.5-3-3-5 7-14-2212

3dmark05
@756/900 = 11,049

3dmark2003
@756/900 = 20,860

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Well for 3dmark05 at least for max Opteron 146 /170 cpu clocks and @756/900 clocks for 512MB HIS X1800XT stock heatsink, the difference is ~9pts to the dual core Opteron 170

3dmark05 compare urls

Opteron 170 @2800mhz = 11,058

vs

Opteron 146 @3130mhz = 11,049




.

Hi eva2000! I thought I read that 3DMark is planning to come out with an update for testing dual-core. 3DMark normally only uses one CPU for benching since most games do so as well. However with the advent of games finally using dual-core it appears that 3DMark is planning to follow suit.

hey there, haven't heard that news before but as you see dual core does help with current 3dmark05/2003 at least

here's the best of a few runs i just did for 3dmark2001

146 @3130mhz ram at 283mhz 2.5-3-3-6 = 40,094
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=8811044

vs

170 @2800mhz ram at 254mhz 3-3-2-5 = 39,648
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=8822530

512 HIS X1800XT @756/900