Legit Processor Reviews
AMD Quad FX System Review with FX-74 Processors
| Manufacturer: | AMD |
| Product: | AMD Quad FX Platform |
| Date: | Wed, Nov 29, 2006 - 12:00 AM |
| Written By: | Nathan Kirsch - |
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AMD 4x4 Gains Traction Against Kentsfield
AMD has been talking to Legit Reviews about the 4x4 platform since they briefed us about 4x4 at E3 2006, which was way back in May of this year. It's been a long time coming and to be honest we had our doubts that AMD would get it out the door this year, but when a pair of pinless processors labeled FX-74 processors arrived at the door our doubts were silenced in a jiffy.
AMD's answer to Intel's quad-core processors wasn't really a new processor architecture, rather it was taking two processors and slapping them on a multi-cpu motherboard and powering ahead at ramming speed to catch up to Intel's quad-core monster. While enthusiasts and followers of Legit Reviews have come to know this platform was called "4x4" it has now been renamed QuadFX now that the marketing team has taken control of the platform. QuadFX is AMD's new flagship enthusiast platform and while it doesn't contain a true quad-core processor it does have a pair of dual-core processors that is ready to take on a single Intel quad-core processor without thinking twice and that is exactly what we planned on doing with them.
For this article we stuck the Intel QX6700 on a quad and ran it head on against the pair of AMD FX-74 processors, but before we go straight to the numbers and our thoughts on the system let's take a look at the new FX-70 series of processors from AMD and see what they are all about.
Looking at the specifications they seem similar to AM2-based FX processors that we have reviewed in the past and you are right in thinking so. For the most part other than a packaging change and some new HyperTransport links the FX-70 series of processors are nothing more than an update of their current processor design. The FX-74 also enjoys a 200MHz speed increase, so a 3GHz processor from AMD is now something that can be had without overclocking! Let's take a closer look at a FX-74 and the new pinless design.