From the testing we have conducted today, we have been able to make some key conclusions:

• In spite of the presence of four cores, the Quad FX platforms do not succeed being faster than the Intel Core 2 Quad solutions in applications that benefit from the presence of multiple processors. The primary reason Intel’s quad core solutions are able to perform better than Quad FX solutions is because of the stronger Core 2 architecture which has already proven itself capable of outperforming the current K8 architecture.
• In 2007 AMD will release their Barcelona Core, their first quad core CPU. In addition to allowing for a total of 8 cores with Quad FX, the architectural innovations of the new K10 architecture will also be brought to the platform.
• With 64bit, Athlon 64 FX CPUs have shown stronger scalability and performance compared to current Intel quad core solutions. This is evident particularly in complex megatasking scenarios.

In terms of pure performance, the Intel Quad core platforms are at the present moment faster. With 64bit applications, however, the AMD Athlon 64 CPUs are able to achieve greater margins of performance scalability.

The use of two processors and a complex motherboard has repercussions on the total power consumption of Quad FX systems. The Intel solutions tested today had significantly less power consumption compared to the Quad FX platform. Even though many enthusiasts might consider power consumption secondary to performance, it is still an important aspect to keep in mind.

When looking at the Quad FX platform, it is necessary hold into account the fact that the platform is meant to be a “technology showcase” more than something that is targeted to mainstream users. Quad FX will first launch as a partner exclusive and will only be available for retail through system manufacturers. In time it will become available to DIY users.

At the current moment it is not much of a surprise that Quad FX isn’t able to perform better than Core 2 Quad solutions. The Core 2 architecture has already beat the current Athlon 64 architecture on numerous occasions, and so naturally adding another CPU will not change the picture. It is in the second half of next year we will begin seeing major changes in terms of performance for AMD processors. This is primarily because of Barcelona. With its arrival, the performance gap between AMD and Intel processors will most likely decrease significantly.

With Barcelona, the owner of a Quad FX platform will be able to upgrade their system with two quad core CPUs, adding up to a total of 8 cores. Naturally, the architectural benefits of the new K10 architecture will also increase the performance of Quad FX.

The wisest move AMD made with Quad FX was to aggressively price the new AMD Athlon 64 FX-7x series. In our testing, the Athlon 64 FX-70, which is priced at 599 USD for a pair, obtained performances in multitasking, rendering, and multimedia for the most part always better than the Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800, the fastest dual core CPU Intel currently has to offer. The price of the Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 also happens to hover around 1,000 USD. Taking this into consideration, it is plain to see that a system equipped with an Athlon 64 FX-70 is able to offer good performance at a relatively lower cost. If more performance is needed at a later time, consumers could simply upgrade to Barcelona in the second half of 2007 when the processor debuts.