Dual Core Processors For Low-Power, High-Performance Desktops

Test Setup

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Processors
Socket 939 AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Manchester (2.0 GHz 64+64/512 kB)
Socket 754 AMD Turion 64 MT-40 (2.2 GHz 64+64/1024 kB)
Socket 479 Intel Pentium M 780 (2.26 GHz 32+32/2048 kB)
Socket 479 Intel Core Duo T2600 (2.16 GHz 32+32/2048 kB)
Motherboards
Socket 479 MSI 915GM SpeedsterRev. 1.0 BIOS : 11/22/2005Chipset : Intel 915GM
Socket 479 AOpen i975Xa-YDGRev. 0A BIOS : 02/22/06Chipset : Intel 975X
Socket 754 MSI K8NGM-VRev. 1.0 BIOS : 080012Chipset : Nvidia GeForce 6100
Socket 939 Biostar TForce 6100-939Rev. 1.0 BIOS : 03/07/06Chipset : Nvidia GeForce 6100
Memory
DDR2-667 2x 512 MB - DDR2-533/667 (400 MHz)Corsair CM2X512A-5400UL (CL 3.0-2-2-8)
DDR400 2x 512 MB - DDR400 - (200 MHz)OCZ PC3200 512 MB El Dual Channel Platinum Rev 2(CL 2.0-2-2-5 1T)
Common Hardware
Graphics Card (PCIe) ATI Radeon X800XL by MSIGPU : ATI X800XL (398 MHz)Memory : 256 MB GDDR3 (986 MHz)
Hard Drive I Western Digital WD740 Raptor74 GB, 8 MB Cache, 7200 RPM
Hard Drive II Western Digital WD1600 Caviar160 GB, 16 MB Cache, 7200 RPM
DVD-ROM Gigabyte GO-D1600C (16x)
Power Supply OCZ 520-12U Modstream, 520 W
Software
Intel Chipset Intel 7.2.2.1006
Intel Graphic Graphics Driver 14.18
ATI Graphic Catalyst 6.1
Nvidia nForce 4 Forceware 6.7
Nvidia nForce 4 430/410 Forceware 430/410 8.22
Nvidia Graphic Detonator 81.98
DirectX Version : 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
OS Windows XP, Build 2600 SP2
Patrick Schmid
Editor-in-Chief (2005-2006)

Patrick Schmid was the editor-in-chief for Tom's Hardware from 2005 to 2006. He wrote numerous articles on a wide range of hardware topics, including storage, CPUs, and system builds.