Dual Core Stress Test: AMD vs. Intel

The THG Lab Logbook: AMD Almost 3 Days, Intel 2 Days Online

Friday, June 10, 2005: Both systems have been running without any problems so far, AMD since June 7, 8 pm, Intel since June 8, 3 pm. Many of our readers asked us to publish the test protocol - so here you go. In addition to that, we also show the results reached so far before we reset the statistics. This was due to the SLI instability on the nForce4 Intel platform. Find it on the last page of this article. Just a quick reminder - we had to replace the SLI configuration by a single graphics solution.

We also like to thank those readers who discovered a questionable error message in our Intel statistics showing "network not connected" whereas it did not show up on the AMD platform. Unfortunately, our stat tool was still connected to a logfile of the previous motherboard. The new one was sending network data to a file with a different name - sorry for that. So don't worry, we didn't loose any data and everything is alright now. By short inspection we didn't find any irregularities in this file by the way. All important data logs such as temperature, fan speed and memory usage have been displayed correctly.

Test Protocol

Start: June 3, 2005, 4 pm

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Initial Platforms
Component TypeAMDIntel
CPUAthlon 64 X2 4800+(2.4 GHz)Pentium 840 EE(3.2 GHz)
CoolerAjigo MF043-044 (Boxed)C71381-001_XP12 (Boxed, 05B)big copper core
BoardGigabyte GA-K8NXP-SLINvidia nForce4-SLI ChipsetGigabyte GA-8N-SLI RoyalNvidia nForce4-SLI Chipset
MemoryOCZ DDR400 CL2.0OCZ DDR2-667 CL5.0
Power SupplyTurbo Cool 850 SSI850 WattsTurbo Cool 850 SSI850 Watts
Graphics2x Nvidia 6800 GT (SLI)2x Nvidia 6800 GT (SLI)
Mon June 6, 2005, 10 am
BoardRow 8 - Cell 1 Replacement of Gigabyte GA-8N-SLI RoyalReason: BIOS flash made board inoperativeEpox EP-5NVA+SLINvidia nForce4-SLI Chipset
BoardRow 9 - Cell 1 Replacement of Epox EP-5NVA+SLIReason: voltage regulator brokenAsus P5ND2-SLINvidia nForce4-SLI Chipset
MemoryRow 10 - Cell 1 Replacement of OCZ DDR2-667 CL5.0Reason: memory would not work with this moboCrucial DDR2-667 CL5.0
Tue June 7, 2005, 3 pm
BoardRow 12 - Cell 1 Replacement of Asus P5ND2-SLIReason: crashIntel D955XBKIntel 955X Chipset
BoardRow 13 - Cell 1 Replacement of Intel D955XBKReason: boot impossibleAsus P5ND2-SLIIntel 955X Chipset
CoolerRow 14 - Cell 1 Replacement of boxed coolers, 05BReason: new thermal padboxed cooler, 05Asmall copper core
Power SupplyRow 15 - Cell 1 Replacement of Turbo Cool 850 SSIReason: trying to trace source of errorsEnermax EG485AX-VHB480 Watt
GraphicsExchange of graphics boardReason: same test basis1x Nvidia 6800 GT (no SLI)Exchange of graphics boardReason: SLI impossible1x Nvidia 6800 GT (no SLI)
Tue June 7, 2005, 8 pm - Reset of Statistics
Wed June 8, 2005, 3 pm
CoolerRow 19 - Cell 1 Replacement of boxed coolers, 05AReason: Thermal problems CPUC71381-001_XP12 (Boxed, 05B)big copper core