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Eight-core intel processors. Why are eight smartphone processor cores better than four? Why do we need two sets of processor cores?

10/06/2014, Mon, 14:10, Moscow time

Various devices that make the life of a modern person easier or provide constant communication with the outside world are encountered by consumers primarily by their clothes. An excellent addition to the beautiful appearance will be an eight-core processor that provides high performance and speed of the device.

Design and ergonomics are important for gadgets, but at the same time, every user understands that the heart of any electronic device is the processor and other electronic components. Therefore, the characteristics of the processor are taken into account from the point of view of both the speed of applications and the image of the device and its owner.

The consumer wants a smartphone or other device that has high technical performance and also has an affordable price. At first glance, this combination is not feasible in practice. However, MediaTek's developments show that what you want can become possible.

MediaTek is one of the leading companies in both the processor market and the production of semiconductor elements for multimedia digital devices and wireless communications. The company has virtually become a leader in the development of systems for high-definition television, wireless communications, optical storage and other electronics. Analysts at Digitimes Research believe that by the end of 2014 MediaTek will increase its share of the processor market to 26%.

Eight cores for a smartphone

The new powerful and productive processor for MediaTek MT6592 smartphones has 8 full cores that can work simultaneously. One can continue to debate whether such a number of cores is necessary for a smartphone, but such a processor already exists and copes with all tasks very successfully, outperforming other “less nuclear” options in test results.

The eight-core MediaTek processor represents a whole range of solutions, both architectural and software. MediaTek delivers not just a powerful chip, but a complete platform for creating a smartphone. Essentially, it includes everything that is needed for the device to function. The manufacturer only has to add the body, screen and other external elements.

MT6592 is one of Mediatek's newest octa-core processors

Interestingly, the MT6592 can be called the first processor in which all eight cores are truly present and properly used. But first things first.

Architecture is an important element of the platform

The MT6592 processor uses the architecture of the famous ARM company, which is exclusively engaged in the development of processors. The ARM Cortex-A7 architecture has been a hit in recent seasons, and it is used in their designs by both MediaTek and other famous chipmakers. For multi-core processors, ARM has developed a so-called heterogeneous architecture called big.LITTLE. Its essence is that for optimal use of processor cores in the system, the alternate use of so-called “heavy” and “light” cores can be used. For productive tasks, for example, resource-intensive games, “heavy” cores are turned on, and for simpler applications or background mode, when it is necessary to save energy, only “light” cores work.

This architecture is used by Mediatek in processors such as the MT8135, where either all cores can be used at once, or a combination of “heavy” and “light” cores as needed at the moment. Unlike, for example, the Samsung platform, which actually does not have 8 cores, but is built on two quad-core processors, and alternately turns on and off entire clusters of “heavy” and “light” cores.

The new MT6592 processor has a slightly different architecture developed by Mediatek - it is built on eight absolutely identical cores that are connected, standby or disabled in any combination. That is, the Mediatek MT6592 platform with an 8-core central processor can use any combination of cores, which are connected and disabled as needed, depending on the current load on the processor.

MediaTek processors are used in their mobile devices not only by numerous Chinese manufacturers of the so-called second and third tier, but also by such manufacturers as Asus, Lenovo, HTC, Sony. Fly also uses MediaTek processor platforms. Mobile devices of this brand can be found in almost any store that sells communication and communication devices. At the end of the first half of 2014, Fly took second place in smartphone sales on the Russian market. The availability of devices from this company with high technical capabilities is largely due to the use of chips and technologies provided by MediaTek.

Fly has developed a new line of premium smartphones called Fly Tornado. It will feature models distinguished by both exquisite design and high technical characteristics. The pioneer of this line is the elegant Fly Tornado One smartphone. This model uses an eight-core MT6592 TrueOctaCore processor with a clock frequency of 1.4 GHz. Theoretically, a processor for a smartphone can be made with a higher frequency, but it would drain the device’s battery quite quickly. Therefore, a processor from Mediatek was chosen, which provides solid computing power and at the same time economically consumes battery power. In addition, the MT6592 processor has a function of automatic frequency control depending on the load on the processor and the current temperature conditions.

The Fly Tornado One smartphone is controlled by a Mediatek MT6592 processor

The thin body of the smartphone has beveled edges, giving the shape an originality, and the optimal aspect ratio makes it easy to use. The screen and back surface of the smartphone are covered with durable glass. The device is pleasant to hold in your hand, and the wear-resistant coating protects the screen and the entire body from scratches and damage. The screen of the Fly Tornado smartphone with a diagonal of 5 inches and a resolution of 1280x720 dpi is made using IPS technology, which creates a clear and rich image that is clearly visible even in bright sunlight. In addition, the screen of the new smartphone has increased viewing angles, which adds comfort when using the device.

For fast image processing, more than just processor power is important. The MediaTek MT6592 platform contains the new Rogue Series 6 video accelerator, so the smartphone can easily handle the graphics of modern games, as well as quickly launch heavy web pages.

The device's 1 GB RAM helps the powerful processor work and instantly processes requests, and 8 GB of internal memory allows you to store multimedia content and the required number of functional widgets. If necessary, you can install a memory card up to 32 GB into your smartphone.

Modern smartphones are usually equipped with cameras from 8 to 20 megapixels. The Fly Tornado One model has a 13-megapixel camera on board, equipped with a special sensor that reduces noise and increases the light sensitivity of the matrix. As a result, you can get high-quality footage even in low light conditions. The camera contains 5 physical lenses, which allows you to take undistorted, colorful photographs.

Support for two SIM cards is common among mobile devices, so with the Fly Tornado smartphone you can differentiate between work and personal contacts, or optimize communication costs by using a card with a specific tariff plan at the right time. The new smartphone is equipped with a gesture recognition function. For example, a double tap wakes the device from sleep mode, and various applications can be launched using specific symbols on the screen.

The Fly Tornado One smartphone uses the Android 4.4 KitKat operating system. It is known that even in the background Android uses many different services, but despite the constant load, thanks to the ability of the MT6592 processor to include cores in various combinations, the “OS” runs very smoothly. In addition, to properly distribute the load between processor cores, MediaTek replaced the task scheduler. Typically, Android uses the CFS scheduler, but here we introduced our own development - the HMP Scheduler and RT Schedule schedulers. As a result, tasks are correctly distributed among the cores, and priority tasks are serviced first.

Observing the development of smartphones, we can assume that the future belongs to powerful multi-core processors, and the difference in quality and performance between very expensive flagship smartphones and mid-priced devices will no longer be noticeable. This is clearly demonstrated by the new Fly Tornado One smartphone with an eight-core MediaTek processor.

The world's first processors that have eight physical cores on one chip have definitely managed to attract the attention of potential buyers. Is a powerful eight-core solution, costing 10 thousand rubles, really capable of sweeping away all its competitors from the computer equipment market? In this review we will look at a product from AMD – the FX-8300 processor. Reviews from professionals and owners, as well as basic technical characteristics, will allow the buyer to decide whether a multi-core crystal is worth buying.

AMD FX-8300: manufacturer's view

When untrained users first get acquainted with the AMD FX-8300 processor, many questions may arise at once. The buyer is misled by the fact that there are eight cores on the chip, but at the same time it is positioned in the budget class. The cost of the device does not exceed 10 thousand rubles. An Intel representative with 8 cores costs almost three times more. This argument is quite enough to evaluate the marketing war that AMD is trying to unleash. Many professionals in the field of information technology claim that even 100 cores can be placed on one chip, but in fact, the performance of the processor will ultimately be determined not by quantitative criteria, but by the results of tests in real conditions, in computer games and resource-intensive applications.

AMD FX-8300: technical specifications

The AMD FX-8300 processor, as a representative of the new generation of processors, is built on the use of a 32 nm technological process. It has a reduced level of heat generation and is intended for installation on the AM3 plus platform. Fans of overclocking will certainly be interested in the fact that with a slight increase in the operating frequency of the cores, not only energy consumption increases, but also power dissipation. The new product was codenamed Vishera (although Buldozer was more in tune with high performance). One chip has a three-level caching system, as is usually implemented on most powerful processors. AMD technologists managed to cheat even here. The volume of the first level cache is 384 KB. This volume is not distributed equally to each core. It is summed between four pairs of cores. The second level cache, which has a total volume of 8 MB, operates on exactly the same principle. There are no problems with L3 either. It is common to all cores and its volume is 8 MB.

AMD FX-8300: support for modern technologies

The AMD FX-8300 processor supports 64-bit platforms at the software and hardware level. However, it is worth noting one interesting feature: a CPU with such powerful characteristics does not have a graphics core. But the crystal is fine with RAM support. It supports DDR3 chips of any size (limited to a total of 128 GB), operating at any frequency and even with the ECC function implemented at the hardware level. In their reviews, many professionals claim that such a combination of AMD products with RAM is always lacking in processors from Intel. It’s hardly surprising that there are standard instructions supported by the crystal. It is worth focusing only on the capabilities of AES hardware encryption, as well as the possibility of creating virtual environments. At first glance, everything looks quite attractive: good physical characteristics and support for most modern technologies.

AMD FX-8300: Meet the Representative

AMD has taken the right step towards its customers by introducing two modifications of the AMD FX-8300 processors to the market. The first modification comes in the BOX configuration, and the second without the AMD FX-8300 OEM cooler. The thing is that many computer game lovers purchase this crystal to further increase its performance by overclocking. The standard cooling system is replaced with a more powerful analogue that maintains a thermal package value ranging from 95 to 150 Watts. The BOX modification is practically no different from other processors produced by AMD. This is the same huge box, made in dark or light colors. In addition to the crystal itself and the standard cooler, inside the box you can also find an AMD branded sticker, a lot of documentation from the manufacturer and thermal paste.

AMD FX-8300: choosing a cooling system for overclocking

Any owner of an AMD FX-8300 processor will be able to choose the cooler necessary to overclock an eight-core processor. After all, even an inexperienced user will be able to determine the heat dissipation range up to 150 Watts. But it is precisely at this seemingly simple stage that many users make a critical mistake. The fact is that for the AMD FX-8300 processor, for which overclocking is a priority, it is necessary to purchase a very expensive cooling system. Sometimes the price of such a cooler can be 50-100% of the cost of the entire processor. It would be more logical to spend these funds on purchasing a more powerful processor. In their reviews, professionals advise not to trust sellers’ recommendations. When buying a cooler, it is better to limit yourself to a budget that does not exceed 20% of the cost of the processor. The cooling systems DeepCool, Zalman, Arctic Freezer 7 Pro, CNPS5X, Scytle Katana, Gammaxx 300 have proven themselves to work well.

AMD FX-8300: for thrill seekers

Many newcomers, having read the features of the AMD FX-8300 processor, will probably immediately begin to compare its performance with a similar solution from Intel. Of course, they will compare it with the Core i7 processor. When passing synthetic tests, the user will be able to catch himself thinking that the new product from AMD is a completely competitive solution. The gap from the top Intel model is only 20%. To reduce this difference, you can overclock the AMD crystal. However, for resource-intensive computer games, overclocking the AMD FX-8300 alone will not be enough to get closer to the performance of the Intel model. When conducting tests with the games "Metro 2033" and "Alien vs. Predator", the Core i7 demonstrated clear superiority. If we talk about comparing two eight-core processors in programs for video processing and encoding, we can conclude that we can forget about 3D modeling. AMD FX-8300 shows very low performance and is losing ground in this regard.

AMD FX-8300: fight in the price category

The performance test for the AMD FX-8300 processor is best performed with devices of the same class, rather than chasing the number of cores. In the budget price category there are many fourth-generation representatives that are labeled Core i3. However, they are equipped with only two physical cores and have a small cache size. Any Core i3 has no chance against the AMD FX-8300 in synthetic tests. This representative of Intel products loses its position both in independent work and when interacting with a video adapter and RAM. The situation can be corrected by conducting experiments with real games and applications. At first glance, it seems that there should be a fourfold difference in performance between a processor with two cores and a processor with eight cores. However, the Core i3 is inferior to the AMD FX-8300 in performance by only 15-20%. When it comes to video encoding and 3D modeling, AMD is in a tough spot. No amount of overclocking will help correct this situation.

AMD FX-8300: how to increase performance

Many owners of AMD FX-8300 processors, for whom overclocking was a priority when purchasing, managed to discover one strange feature of the device: in the budget segment there are no motherboards that support increasing the core frequency and can work with increasing the voltage on the chip. Such overclocking systems, as a rule, are representatives of a more expensive segment and have a corresponding cost - from 15 to 20 thousand rubles. Of course, many potential buyers immediately lose the desire to buy a multi-core processor with the prospect of further overclocking. Information technology professionals recommend paying attention to budget-segment motherboards that support processors up to 4.5 GHz, which can set the multiplier value for the cores. This will be quite enough to overclock the AMD FX-8300 processor at home. The main thing is to pay special attention to the body of the device. A large amount of heat from the processor must be effectively dissipated outside the computer system unit.

AMD FX-8300: end consumers

From the above review, many readers probably managed to understand that the AMD FX-8300 processor is an eight-core model presented in the budget price category. This is nothing more than another marketing ploy by AMD, which is trying to remove its main competitor, Intel, from the market. But it's not that bad. The inexpensive eight-core processor will certainly interest fans of resource-intensive computer games. Tests show that the AMD FX-8300 processor copes well with large data flows. Also, do not forget about support for fast DDR3 memory modules. Any such game depends on the interaction of the processor, RAM, video card and hard drive. Thus, by selecting the right components, the player can significantly improve the performance of the entire system.

In reality, nothing like that happens. To understand why an eight-core processor does not double the performance of a smartphone, some explanation is required. The future of smartphone processors is now. Eight-core processors, which only recently could only be dreamed of, are becoming increasingly widespread. But it turns out that their task is not to increase the performance of the device.

These explanations were published in the article “Octa-core vs Quad-core: Does it make a difference?” on resource pages Trusted Reviews.

The terms “octa-core” and “quad-core” themselves reflect the number of CPU cores.

But the key difference between these two types of processors is the way the processor cores are installed.

With a quad-core processor, all cores can work simultaneously to enable fast and flexible multitasking, smoother 3D gaming, faster camera performance, and more.

Modern eight-core chips, in turn, simply consist of two quad-core processors that distribute different tasks among themselves depending on their type. Most often, an eight-core chip contains a set of four cores with a lower clock speed than the second set. When a complex task needs to be completed, the faster processor naturally takes on it.

A more accurate term than "octa-core" would be "dual quad-core." But it doesn't sound so nice and isn't suitable for marketing purposes. That's why these processors are called eight-core.

Why do we need two sets of processor cores?

What is the reason for combining two sets of processor cores, passing tasks to one another, in one device? To ensure energy efficiency! This solution is necessary for a battery-powered smartphone, but not for a head unit that is constantly powered by the car’s on-board power supply.

A more powerful CPU consumes more power and the battery needs to be charged more often. And batteries are a much weaker link in a smartphone than processors. As a result, the more powerful the smartphone processor, the more capacious battery it needs.

However, for most smartphone tasks you will not need such high computing performance as a modern processor can provide. Navigating between home screens, checking messages, and even web navigation are less processor-intensive tasks.

But HD video, games and working with photos are such tasks. Therefore, eight-core processors are quite practical, although this solution can hardly be called elegant. A weaker processor handles less resource-intensive tasks. More powerful - more resource-intensive. As a result, overall power consumption is reduced compared to the situation when only a processor with a high clock frequency would handle all tasks. Thus, a dual processor primarily solves the problem of increasing energy efficiency, not performance.

Technological features

All modern eight-core processors are based on the ARM architecture, the so-called big.LITTLE.

This eight-core big.LITTLE architecture was announced in October 2011 and allowed four low-performance Cortex-A7 cores to work in conjunction with four high-performance Cortex-A15 cores. ARM has repeated this approach every year since, offering more capable chips for both sets of processor cores on the eight-core chip.

Some of the major mobile device chip makers are focusing their efforts on this big.LITTLE "octa-core" example. One of the first and most notable was Samsung's own chip, the famous Exynos. Its eight-core model has been used since the Samsung Galaxy S4, in at least some versions of the company's devices.

More recently, Qualcomm also began using big.LITTLE in its eight-core Snapdragon 810 CPU chips. It is on this processor that such well-known new products in the smartphone market as the HTC One M9 and G Flex 2, which has become a great achievement for LG, are based.

At the beginning of 2015, NVIDIA introduced the Tegra X1, a new super-powerful mobile processor that the company intends for automotive computers. The X1's main feature is its console-challenging GPU, which is also based on the big.LITTLE architecture. That is, it will also become eight-core.

Is there a big difference for the average user?

Is there a big difference between a quad-core and an eight-core smartphone processor for the average user? No, in fact it is very small, says Trusted Reviews.

The term "octa-core" is somewhat confusing, but it actually means duplication of quad-core processors. The result is two independently operating quad-core sets, combined into one chip to improve energy efficiency.

Do every modern device need an eight-core processor? There is no such need; for example, Apple ensures decent energy efficiency of its iPhones with only a dual-core processor.

Thus, the eight-core ARM big.LITTLE architecture is one of the possible solutions to one of the most important issues regarding smartphones - battery life. As soon as another solution to this problem is found, the trend of installing two quad-core sets in one chip will stop, and such solutions will go out of fashion.

When it comes to high-end desktop processors based on so-called "big cores," AMD can be criticized for a myriad of reasons. Streams of dissatisfaction can easily be directed at its sluggishness in designing new microarchitectures, delaying the introduction of new technological processes, incorrect prioritization when creating modern processor designs, carelessness in the execution of its own plans, the transition to automated design of the layout of semiconductor crystals, and disregard for its own engineering personnel. , numerous marketing miscalculations and much more. However, what AMD cannot be blamed for is the lack of fighting spirit. Despite the fact that, objectively speaking, the company does not have any worthy processor designs at its disposal that it could oppose to high-performance modifications of Intel's Core processors, AMD is trying to put a good face on a bad game and makes remarkable efforts to ensure that when assembling desktop systems for enthusiasts there was still some possibility of choice. All available means are used, starting with price maneuvering and ending with the introduction of optimizations into the microarchitecture that do not require fundamental changes.

And if until recently, AMD was doing a good job of maintaining a fairly significant army of supporters, who were quite happy with the fact that the older FX series processors provide performance at the Core i5 level, while making them completely forget about any kind of energy saving, but now this situation has begun to change threateningly. The emergence of Intel processors with Haswell microarchitecture has raised the performance bar for modern desktop systems, inevitably pushing the FX line towards budget and low-cost offerings. However, a retaliatory price reduction can hardly be considered a sufficient countermeasure. AMD may be capable of self-irony, but releasing budget eight-core processors is not a particularly funny joke, especially when you take into account the area of their semiconductor crystal and the resulting cost. Therefore, in order to maintain its weakening position, AMD decided to take more desperate steps - expanding the FX processor line with two new representatives with increased clock speeds: FX-9590 and FX-9370.

At first glance, there is nothing out of the ordinary in the output of such processors; an increase in the nominal frequency is a completely common direction in the development of processor lines. However, in this case we are dealing with a very special phenomenon: AMD raised the frequencies of the existing Vishera processors, turning a blind eye to the real capabilities of this processor design. The result of this rough and straightforward approach was the formal appearance of representatives of the FX series, operating at frequencies up to 5 GHz, but with limited availability, prohibitive heat dissipation and power consumption, and problematic compatibility with the existing infrastructure. This measure is forced: unfortunately, at this stage, AMD does not have any other ways to strengthen the FX line. The next Steamroller microarchitecture and more advanced technological processes are not yet ready, and the feasibility of further development of the FX family of high-performance multi-core processors for desktop applications is a big question.

As a result, new processors seem to have been presented, but it’s impossible to just go and buy them in a store. According to the official version, FX-9590 and FX-9370 are available only to system integrators and only in certain regions. Russia is not among the countries where new products are distributed. As a result, finding an FX-9590 or FX-9370 for testing turned out to be an almost impossible task. The Russian representative office of AMD flatly refused to help us with samples, and they never appeared on wide sale in domestic stores, despite the fact that the announcement took place on June 11. Nevertheless, several copies of the FX-9370 still leaked to retail through gray channels, and after several unsuccessful attempts to grab one of them, we finally managed to grab one of them.

⇡ AMD FX-9370 in detail

Until now, model numbers of AMD FX processors were subject to a clear rule: the first digit of the numerical index indicates the number of processing cores. However, this principle does not work with processors of the nine thousandth series: these are absolutely the same eight-core Vishera based on the Piledriver microarchitecture, like the FX-8350. Changing the first digit to nine should emphasize their belonging to a special class of super heavyweights. The FX-9590 and FX-9370 are distinguished from their predecessors not only by their model numbers, but also by three other parameters: outstanding clock speeds, an incomprehensible thermal package and an atypically high price.

	AMD FX-9590	AMD FX-9370	AMD FX-8350
Microarchitecture	Piledriver	Piledriver	Piledriver
Design	Vishera	Vishera	Vishera
Technical process	32nm SOI HKMG	32nm SOI HKMG	32nm SOI HKMG
Number of cores	8 (4 modules)	8 (4 modules)	8 (4 modules)
Clock frequency	4.7 GHz	4.4 GHz	4.0 GHz
Turbo mode	5.0 GHz	4.7 GHz	4.2 GHz
L2 cache	4x2 MB	4x2 MB	4x2 MB
L3 cache	8 MB	8 MB	8 MB
DDR3 support	DDR3-1600/1866	DDR3-1600/1866	DDR3-1600/1866
TDP	220 W	220 W	125 W
Socket	Socket AM3+	Socket AM3+	Socket AM3+
Average retail price	$880	$350	$200

AMD FX-9590 is a special tuned model, the frequency of which in turbo mode reaches the 5-GHz mark, and the nominal frequency is set at 4.7 GHz. AMD sells such processors in very limited quantities, since their production requires a special selection of the most successful semiconductor crystals. But even despite the “individual” approach to production, the TDP of the FX-9590 reaches an exorbitant 220 W. The price also suffers: like any rarity, the FX-9590 costs an unexpectedly lot. In the few American and European stores where it can be found, prices do not fall below $800.

It is quite obvious: the focus is primarily on collectors, whose interest in the FX-9590 is further fueled by the fact that it may turn out to be the latest AMD processor in the FX line. At least the current versions of the company’s plans do not imply further development of this family either this year or next, and even when AMD will definitely have a new Steamroller microarchitecture at its disposal.

The AMD FX-9370 we received for testing is a more interesting model from a practical point of view. Its nominal frequency is 300 MHz lower than that of its older brother - it is 4.4 GHz in nominal mode and 4.7 GHz in turbo mode. But at the same time, the thermal package is set to the same, 220 W, which leaves some room for overclocking. The price also looks more democratic. AMD contrasts the FX-9370 with older Core i7 models for LGA1150/1155 systems and sells them at a price of about $300-$350.

At the same time, there is nothing externally about the AMD FX-9370 that gives away a premium product. The processor comes in a small cardboard box, which contains nothing except the CPU itself, installation instructions and a sticker on the case. Taking into account the high level of heat dissipation, AMD decided to leave the choice of cooling systems to the shoulders of the assemblers, and coming up with some kind of exclusive packaging (for example, similar to the one in which the overclocking AMD Phenom II 42 Black Edition TWKR was offered) did not make sense for the reason that FX- 9370 should not be distributed at retail at all.

The processor itself turned out to be an ordinary Vishera, without any profound differences from the usual FX-8350. The AMD FX-9370 is based on exactly the same version of the OR-C0 semiconductor chip as other processors for the Socket AM3+ platform based on Piledriver computing cores.

It is quite obvious that the FX-9370 is a legal overclocking of the FX-8350 by 400-500 MHz, carried out by the manufacturer itself. Most likely, AMD selects more successful semiconductor crystals for the FX-9370, but first of all, performance at higher frequencies is achieved by increasing the supply voltage. Thus, when operating at a standard frequency of 4.4 GHz, the voltage supplied to the computing cores is about 1.41 V, and when Turbo Core 3.0 technology is activated, it can increase to 1.46 V. This is approximately 0.07-0. 08V is higher than conventional Vishera processors.

Thus, the reasons why the thermal package of new products has increased to an immodest 220 W are quite obvious. All that remains is to figure out how to live with it. AMD itself has prepared a list of requirements for a platform compatible with the FX-9590 and FX-9370, which is as follows:

First of all, attention should be paid to the recommended cooling systems: the manufacturer believes that liquid cooling is vital for the FX-9590 or FX-9370 processors. After all, desktop processors with a 220-watt TDP haven't existed until now, and many coolers simply don't imagine that the need to dissipate that much heat could ever arise. The hottest CPU among the CPUs still on the market is the Core i7-3970X - its thermal package is set at 150 W. However, 220 W actually does not seem to be some kind of prohibitive number: top-end graphics cards can have noticeably higher heat dissipation and at the same time make do with air cooling systems quite normally. In other words, it is clear that for the new representatives of the AMD FX series you should choose a better cooler, but single-section towers for 140 mm fans for heat removal will certainly be enough.

As an example, we decided to check whether the not particularly sophisticated Noctua NH-U14S air cooler could remove heat from the FX-9370.

No problem. The processor not only works without overheating, but also remains in a completely favorable temperature range even under high multi-threaded loads. The maximum temperature does not go beyond 68 degrees.

The second important requirement concerns motherboards. They need two things: an enhanced power supply and BIOS support. And if many existing motherboards aimed at overclocking have the first one, then certain problems may arise with the second one. Board manufacturers updated the firmware of their old products to support the FX-9590 and FX-9370 very selectively, seeing the release of new AMD processors as a good reason to sell supporters of the Socket AM3+ platform one more motherboard. Therefore, if you, like us, are suddenly lucky enough to purchase one of the new 9000 series processors, do not forget to check the list of CPUs compatible with the motherboard and flash the new BIOS. Otherwise, Turbo Core 3.0 technology will not be able to function correctly.

⇡ Overclocking

Taking into account the generic features of the AMD FX-9370, the first thing that interested us was the maximum operating frequencies achievable during overclocking. The fact is that the nominal frequencies of 4.4-4.7 GHz set for it by the manufacturer are easily achieved through overclocking and with the FX-8350. If you use a small increase in voltage, similar to the one that AMD itself implemented in the FX-9370, you can force almost any instance of the eight-core Vishera to work in a similar mode. Therefore, a completely reasonable question arises about whether there is any point in chasing the rare FX-9370 if this processor is no better than its predecessor - with the only difference being that it frees the user from having to tinker with the BIOS settings.

Let's check. When overclocking, the voltage on the FX-9370 can be set higher than the nominal voltage; AMD itself says that for Vishera processors it can be raised up to 1.55 V. The only question is whether the cooling system can handle it. But for overclocking we took a better cooler - a two-section Thermalright Silver Arrow SB-E tower. We managed to squeeze out 4.7 GHz from the FX-8350 under similar conditions, but the FX-9370 is based on not the simplest, but a selected semiconductor crystal. In theory, it should become a good springboard for a higher leap into the overclocking space.

And the new processor did not disappoint. Unfortunately, it did not reach the psychologically important 5-GHz altitude, but its overclocking potential was still clearly better than that of all its predecessors of the Vishera family that were in our laboratory. The result of overclocking experiments was the achievement of complete stability of the FX-9370 when operating at a frequency of 4.9 GHz.

To ensure trouble-free operation in this state, the supply voltage of the processor cores was increased to 1.5 V. The CPU temperature, as can be seen from the screenshot above, in the LinX 0.6.4 test (with support for FMA instructions) did not go beyond 85 degrees.

It should be noted that the processor could definitely take a higher frequency. The only thing that prevented this was the heat dissipation that seriously increased with increasing supply voltage, which our Thermalright Silver Arrow SB-E could no longer cope with. So for overclockers who use high-quality self-assembled liquid cooling systems in their computers, the FX-9370 can be a very interesting offer. However, even in the more familiar environment of air coolers, the FX-9370 performs very well: the 200 MHz advantage over the FX-8350 in the maximum frequency we achieved is proof of this.

The processor of a current smartphone sometimes has more cores than a similar desktop device. Does this mean that the productivity of such a smartphone is greater than that of a PC? Does an Android smartphone need 8, or, even more stunningly, 10 cores? There is an opinion that so large number of cores the processor is not required. An important feature of mobile device processors is that not every core has the same clock speed. For example, all cylinders in a car engine have the same capacity. And this is a completely different matter. Octa-core processors, for example, Samsung Exynos 7420, have two different sets of cores.

4 cores are highly productive, and the same number are less energy-consuming. When you need to carry out such mundane tasks as managing new emails, there is no need for significant processor productivity. Gary Sims, in his own publication on this topic, explains why this approach makes sense, and also introduces readers to the engineering and marketing reasons on which the transition to the production of multi-core processors is made, despite the fact that they do not increase the productivity of a smart phone .

When there are two sets of cores, Android uses those that will most effectively handle a particular task. While network connections are characterized by significant downtime and latency, running tasks is a completely different matter. If you are running a game, this is where the need for high-performance cores will arise.

Technical benefit

We know this approach to separating processes as “heterogeneous computing.” In this case, not all cores are equal. For this technique to work, the system scheduler must know that the cores have different characteristics and, in accordance with this, assign tasks to the cores.

Eight-core intel processors. Why are eight smartphone processor cores better than four? Why do we need two sets of processor cores?

⇡ AMD FX-9370 in detail

⇡ Overclocking

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