AMD is back!

[Uriel]

A wee hardware milestone has passed and hardly anyone noticed. Over at bit-tech they do a torture test on all retail motherboard / cpu combinations that they review, looping 3DMark06 and Prime95 on all cores overnight. Unless I'm very much mistaken, this is the first Phenom based combination (actually a Phenom II) to be still running stably the next day, where as the vast majority of recent Intel systems have passed. None of the boards running the original Phenom chip passed this test.

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/mot...luxe-review/10

As far as I'm concerned, stability is the most important thing to consider when building a new machine. Well done to AMD and Asus. I may consider them when next upgrading my motherboard / CPU.

[sammorris]

Could AMD really not manage 24 hours stable Priming and 3dmarking before? That doesn't sound right.

[shaithis]

If that is at stock speeds, then I am flabbergasted and wonder WTF is going on if AMD CPUs cannot run at 100% for 24 hours........

Surely you have to suspect their electricity supply first (perhaps intel chips/chipsets are less susceptible to fluctuations?)

[sammorris]

Or AMD boards? :S

[Uriel]

It's not really AMD per se. Looking back at bit-tech's tests, the Athlon X2s were generally fine and used to pass regularly. This AM3 Phenom II based system has passed and they've not tested many yet. Unless I missed something, Not one AM2+ motherboard with one of the original Phenom chips ever passed the test.

Pretty serious flaw I'd say, even if it is down to fluctuations in their electricity supply.

Strange thing was they never really flagged it up, and it was only after trawling through all their previous motherboard reviews with a phenom that I realised it waas the case.

[sammorris]

Wasn't that due to a bug with them though IIRC? I forget what they called it.

[Uriel]

The TLB bug? That was only the first few Phenoms out and several have been tested that don't have it.

[sammorris]

Yeah that's it. Fair enough. I haven't heard of any Phenom stability problems myself, I just know they're really dog-slow.

[Uriel]

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/mot...-790fx-gd70/14

Another pass. Maybe it was the Phenom I...

[mediaboy]

I have a Phenom x8450. Never noticed any stability problems with mine, although I don't run strain tests that go for hours on end. If someone gives me a way I'll do it?

EDIT:

Presuming it isn't going to kill my computer that is.

[Agent]

If that is at stock speeds, then I am flabbergasted and wonder WTF is going on if AMD CPUs cannot run at 100% for 24 hours........

Surely you have to suspect their electricity supply first (perhaps intel chips/chipsets are less susceptible to fluctuations?)

Indeed. If it wasn't electricity based, I'd be RMA'ing it pretty quickly!