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AMD Phenom II X6 1090T 3.2GHz Socket AM3 6-Core Processor Review
AMD Phenom II X6 1090T 3.2GHz Socket AM3 6-Core Processor Review - PCSTATS
The first ever six-core socket AM3 processor from AMD has arrived to directly compete against Intel's robust Core i7 9-series 'Nehalem' chips. Code named 'Thuban', the new 3.2GHz AMD Phenom II X6 1090T processor introduces with it a dynamic overclocking technology called TurboCore.
 95% Rating:   
Filed under: CPU / Processors Published:  Author: 
External Mfg. Website: AMD May 01 2010   J. Apong  
Home > Reviews > CPU / Processors > AMD Phenom II X6 1090T

TurboCore Impact on System Power Draw

To determine how much power multi-core processors draw, PCSTATS will be measuring total power consumption what the CPU is in idle and several CPU-stressed states. To get an accurate measurement, it's necessary to disable power saving and CPU clock speed throttling technologies like Cool 'n' Quiet, EIST (speedstep) and hardware C1E power states.

To simulate single-core load a program called Stress Prime (SP2004) is used. PCSTATS set about stressing each processor from one to all cores. Total system power consumption was read with the Extech Power Analyzer Datalogger (model 380803). Given that motherboards vary across these test systems this is not a "true" measure of CPU power draw alone, but rather a measurement of the total computer system power draw, which we can compare for each specific platforms between the CPU idle and CPU stressed states.

Total System Idle Power Draw
Processor Total System Power Draw
Intel Pentium 4 540 150 Watts
Intel Pentium D 840 165 Watts
Intel Pentium D 940 168 Watts
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 117 Watts
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 123 Watts
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 131 Watts
Intel Core i5 750 124 Watts
Intel Core i7 920 144 Watts
AMD Sempron 3600+ 120 Watts
AMD Athlon64 4000+ 163 Watts
AMD Athlon64 FX-60 127 Watts
AMD Athlon64 X2 4800+ 143 Watts
AMD Athlon64 X2 5000+ 156 Watts
AMD Athlon64 FX-62 168 Watts
AMD Athlon II X2 240e 122 Watts
AMD Athlon II X2 250 128 Watts
AMD Athlon II X3 435 128 Watts
AMD Athlon II X4 620 130 Watts
AMD Phenom II X3 720 155 Watts
AMD Phenom II X4 955 (125W) 148 Watts
AMD Phenom II X4 965 (140W) 150 Watts
AMD Phenom II X6 1090T 130 Watts

The AMD Phenom II X6 1090T manages to keep its power demands fairly low when the system in is idle state - just 130W. For a six-core processor this is pretty amazing, but entirely necessary. The 1090T is rated for a TDP of 125W, and thanks to its 45nm manufacturing process and power saving efficiencies, keeps the total system draw low.

This is all well and good, but once TurboCore comes into place the Phenom II X6 1090T becomes dramatically more power hungry... more than twice as much in fact.

TurboCore - Significant Impact on System Power Draw

The important point to take from the chart below is contained on the second row, third and fourth result. This shows the moment when TurboCore automatically switches off after the fourth core of the AMD Phenom II X6 1090T processor is loaded. Notice that with TurboCore ON, the AMD Phenom II X6 1090T draws 258W (with just three cores loaded and running at 3.6GHz), whereas the system with TurboCore disabled draws just 195W for an identical number of CPU cores being loaded!?

Total System Power Draw
Phenom II X6 1090T

State

1 Core Stressed 2 Core Stressed 3 Core Stressed 4 Core Stressed 5 Core Stressed 6 Core Stressed

TurboCore OFF
(3.2GHz)

156w

176w

195w

218w

237w

262w


TurboCore ON
(3-Core Default)

186w

223w

258w

220w 241w 263w

In other words, while TurboCore may speed up the processor from its default speed of 3.2GHz when three or fewer cores are loaded (default TC plan), but it also heavily impacts total system power draw. As they say, with one hand AMD giveth, with the other AMD taketh....

What happens when PCSTATS changes the TurboCore profile so that AOD automatically overclocks the processor cores when five cores are loaded? You guessed it, power draw goes through the bloody roof trying to keep five out of six CPU cores overclocked to 3.6GHz!

Turbo Core Breakdown - Total System Power Draw
Phenom II X6 1090T

State:

1 Core Stressed 2 Core Stressed 3 Core Stressed 4 Core Stressed 5 Core Stressed 6 Core Stressed

A)Overclocked to 3.6GHz
(6/6 cores OC'd)

153w

182w

203w

226w

250w

276w
B)TurboCore Set to 4
(1-4 Cores @ 3.6 when loaded)

196w

230w

264w

296w

244w

266w

C)
TurboCore Set to 5
(1-5 Cores @ 3.6GHz when loaded)

200w

231w

264w

304w 353w 268w
(At desktop) (via 3Dmark 06) (via Prime95)

In this chart PCSTATS has tested the power draw of three system states; A) All six CPU cores overclocked to 3.6GHz, B) TuboCore set to kick in for 1-4 CPU cores loaded, C) TurboCore set to kick in for 1-5 cores loaded.

You would think that stressing all six CPU cores while they are each overclocked to 3.6GHz would result in the highest power draw... but no. That situation tops out at a max total system power draw of 276W, pretty modest all things considered.

Instead we see the AMD Phenom II X6 1090T PC system peak at 353W power draw when TubroCore is set to boost the speed of up to five CPU cores, and five cores are stressed. Why does power spike almost a 100W higher than straight-up overclocking the AMD Phenom II X6 1090T from 3.2GHz to 3.6GHz?Good question.

The answer has to do with the tricks AMD is undertaking through AOD to ensure a stable overclock via TurboCore for you. Namely it automatically boosts power going to the CPU cores, and in this specific situation where PCSTATS has changed the TurboCore parameter from 3-core to a maximum of 5-cores, that means total system power draw is increased to 353W when five of the six cores are operating at 3.6GHz and 100% loaded.

You get the speed for sure, but your PC would be much better off just being overclocked to 3.6GHz - in terms of heat and power draw.

To put it another way, PCSTATS highly recommends that your power supply be sufficiently rated in the Watts department to handle this potential electrical load if you intend on building a gaming PC with one to two high end video cards and the AMD Phenom II X6 1090T processor. If it isn't, you may (potentially) encounter a sudden BSOD, freeze, system crash or intermittent instability.

Overclocking is up next, and you won't want to miss these overclocking results...

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Contents of Article: AMD Phenom II X6 1090T
 Pg 1.  AMD Phenom II X6 1090T 3.2GHz Socket AM3 6-Core Processor Review
 Pg 2.  TurboCore - AMD gets dynamic frequency adjustment
 Pg 3.  — TurboCore Impact on System Power Draw
 Pg 4.  Six-Core Overclocking - Breaking New Records
 Pg 5.  CPU System Benchmarks: Sysmark 2007
 Pg 6.  CPU System Benchmarks: PCMark Vantage
 Pg 7.  CPU Synthetic Benchmarks: SiSoft Sandra Processor
 Pg 8.  CPU Synthetic Benchmarks: SiSoft Sandra Memory
 Pg 9.  CPU Calculation Benchmarks: Super Pi
 Pg 10.  CPU Calculation Benchmarks: wPrime2.0
 Pg 11.  CPU Calculation Benchmarks: ScienceMark2.3, WinRAR
 Pg 12.  CPU Rendering Benchmarks: Cinebench R10, Bibble 5
 Pg 13.  CPU Rendering Benchmarks: POV-Ray 3.7, SPECviewPerf 10
 Pg 14.  CPU Synthetic Gaming Benchmarks: 3DMark Vantage, 3DMark 06
 Pg 15.  CPU Gaming Benchmarks: Crysis
 Pg 16.  CPU Gaming Benchmarks: FEAR
 Pg 17.  TurboCore for single-threads, Six cores for multi-threads

 
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