Intel "Harpertown" Xeon vs. AMD "Barcelona" Opteron
by Jason Clark & Ross Whitehead on September 18, 2007 5:00 PM EST- Posted in
- IT Computing
AMD Quad-Core Opteron (Barcelona)
The new quad-core Opteron from AMD is the first true (x86) quad-core processor that features one die with four cores. Barcelona is based on a 65nm fabrication process, and rumor has it late next year AMD will move to a 45nm process. More than just four cores on one die, the new quad-core Opteron features several micro-architectural changes from the previous dual-core Socket-F platform. Below are the main highlights of quad-core Opteron.
Independent Dynamic Core Technology
AMD has always been strong with their performance-per-watt numbers, and with this new technology AMD can alter the frequency of each core individually. This should allow AMD to more tightly control their power levels thus decreasing overall power consumption and lowering TCO.
AMD CoolCore Technology
This unique technology evaluates which parts of the die (cores/memory or both) are required by the application, and can cut power to unused transistor areas to reduce power consumption and lower heat generation.
SSE128
The previous generation Opteron had to use two clock cycles to execute 128-bit SSE operations. Barcelona can now execute 128-bit SSE operations in a single clock cycle.
2MB L3 Shared Cache
In order to keep up with multi-threaded applications, AMD added 2MB of L3 cache that all four cores share. The cache breakdown for the new Barcelona is as follows: 64KB L1 cache (64K each for data and instructions) and 512KB L2 cache per core, and then the 2MB L3 shared cache.
Drop-in to existing Socket-F
Barcelona is based on the previous generation Socket-F platform, allowing most modern Socket-F servers (with a BIOS update) to drop in a quad-core Barcelona part. We can attest to this fact, as our S3992 Tyan Board received a BIOS upgrade and was off to the races with Barcelona.
The new quad-core Opteron from AMD is the first true (x86) quad-core processor that features one die with four cores. Barcelona is based on a 65nm fabrication process, and rumor has it late next year AMD will move to a 45nm process. More than just four cores on one die, the new quad-core Opteron features several micro-architectural changes from the previous dual-core Socket-F platform. Below are the main highlights of quad-core Opteron.
Independent Dynamic Core Technology
AMD has always been strong with their performance-per-watt numbers, and with this new technology AMD can alter the frequency of each core individually. This should allow AMD to more tightly control their power levels thus decreasing overall power consumption and lowering TCO.
AMD CoolCore Technology
This unique technology evaluates which parts of the die (cores/memory or both) are required by the application, and can cut power to unused transistor areas to reduce power consumption and lower heat generation.
SSE128
The previous generation Opteron had to use two clock cycles to execute 128-bit SSE operations. Barcelona can now execute 128-bit SSE operations in a single clock cycle.
2MB L3 Shared Cache
In order to keep up with multi-threaded applications, AMD added 2MB of L3 cache that all four cores share. The cache breakdown for the new Barcelona is as follows: 64KB L1 cache (64K each for data and instructions) and 512KB L2 cache per core, and then the 2MB L3 shared cache.
Drop-in to existing Socket-F
Barcelona is based on the previous generation Socket-F platform, allowing most modern Socket-F servers (with a BIOS update) to drop in a quad-core Barcelona part. We can attest to this fact, as our S3992 Tyan Board received a BIOS upgrade and was off to the races with Barcelona.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
77 Comments
View All Comments
Hans Maulwurf - Thursday, September 20, 2007 - link
Barcelona is about as fast as Harpertown in AS3AP. OK.In your article you write:
"The Scalable Hardware benchmark measures relational database systems. This benchmark is a subset of the AS3AP benchmark and tests the following: ..."
Now you choose a subset of this test in which Harpertown is much faster. Obviously AS3AP consist of several substest and you could as well choose one where Barcelona is much faster. But whats the use of this? You tested all subtest together with your AS3AP-Test.
Its the same as testing a game and both CPUs having the same score. Then you choose a subtest(e.g. KI only) where Harpertown is faster and conclude its faster overall.
So what did I miss here? From what I read Barcelona is as fast in AS3AP as Harpi(and should be faster in some subtest and slower in others) while you conclude:
"Intel has made some successful changes to the quad-core Xeon that have helped it achieve as much as a 56% lead in performance over the 2.0GHz Barcelona part."
I dont understand this.
tshen83 - Thursday, September 20, 2007 - link
Did anyone here notice the huge metal bar across the FB-DIMM slots? It must be for more FB-Dimm cooling. Without looking at the server first hand, you can't tell how the metal bar is attached to the memory.My question is this: where can you buy the bar if you were to build a server class PC yourself? And can someone tell me the mounting mechanism.
Viditor - Thursday, September 20, 2007 - link
One other piece of data is missing from the article, and it's looking like it might be important...
Kris Kubicki wrote in his blog
"The 2.0 GHz samples we saw on Monday were of AMD's B1 stepping of Barcelona. But these processors are not the ones we'll see on Newegg's shelves"
"Production Barcelona samples come with the BA revision designator"
"One AMD developer, who wished to remain anonymous for non-disclosure purposes, stated, "B1 versus BA should be at least a 5%, if not more, gain in stream, integer and FPU performance.""
"An AMD engineer, when confronted with the claim, stated that 5% gains when moving from B1 to BA processors "seem conservative.""
Given that, when you guys do the update, could you let us know which stepping it is that you're using? It appears that it may make a significant difference...
JarredWalton - Thursday, September 20, 2007 - link
Remember: 5% performance gains in synthetic benchmarks that stress specific aspects of a CPU don't mean 5% real-world gains.Viditor - Thursday, September 20, 2007 - link
I agree...but that's exacly why I am looking forward to some real-world benches on the production steppings. We still have no idea how shipping Barcelonas perform yet.
Viditor - Thursday, September 20, 2007 - link
Further on that...supposedly the reason for the better performance is fixing some major errata. It's quite possible that the performance boost is across the board and not just in synthetic benches.Schugy - Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - link
You run two benchmarks, you run closed software, you run software that might be optimized for the market leader's processors only, you run software that can't be optimized for the new architecture, you don't benchmark any alpha software that uses rapid virtualization.Maybe we have some benchmark numbers but the real performance of Barcelona is still speculation.
clnee55 - Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - link
AMD is always the underdog. They need superior product to gain market share. That was the case of Athlon vs Netburst. If Barcelona is just competitive, it is not good enough for them to regain the crown. They will stay as underdog.randomname - Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - link
From what I understand, these new (Harpertown) Xeons will not be released until November (12th?). Yet the article makes no mention of it, and by reading it, you would assume you can buy them right now.Or have I understood something wrong?
mutambo - Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - link
Intel systems are power mongers...generate enough heat to replace a room heater.Check out any dual socket systems they are using all kinds of cooling to cool the FB-DIMMs those are the worst part in intel builds.