Athlon 64 FX-62 Dual-Core Socket AM2 Review
Our review of the most high-end CPU from AMD today, Athlon 64 FX-62, a dual-core CPU running at 2.8 GHz with two 1 MB L2 memory caches and based on the new AM2 socket, supporting DDR2 memories.
Home » Athlon 64 FX-62 Dual-Core Socket AM2 Review
Introduction
Contents
Athlon 64 FX-62 is right now the most high-end CPU from AMD, incorporating dual-core technology, socket AM2 (i.e., DDR2 memory support), 2.8 GHz internal clock and 1 MB L2 memory cache for each core. We had the chance of reviewing this beast and compare it to other dual-core CPUs from AMD: Athlon 64 X2 5000+ (socket AM2, 2.6 GHz, 512 KB L2 memory cache), Athlon 64 X2 4600+ (socket 939, 2.4 GHz, 512 KB L2 memory cache) and Athlon FX-60 (socket 939, 2.6 GHz, 1 MB L2 memory cache). Let’s see how this new CPU performs.
Figure 1: Athlon 64 FX-62.
Since it is based on a new pinout, you will need to replace your motherboard by a socket AM2 one if you want to use DDR2 memories with Athlon 64.
The memory controller integrated on AM2 CPUs can support DDR2-533, DDR2-667 and DDR2-800 memories. The problem, however, is how the memory bus clock is achieved. Instead of being generated through the CPU base clock (HTT clock, which is of 200 MHz), it divides the CPU internal clock. The value of this divider is half the value of the CPU multiplier.
For example, an AMD64 CPU with a clock multiplier of 12x will have a memory bus divider of 6. So this CPU will work at 2.4 GHz (200 MHz x 12) and its memories will work at 400 MHz (DDR2-800, 2,400 MHz / 6). Keep in mind that DDR and DDR2 memories are rated with double their real clock rate.
The problem is when the CPU clock multiplier is an odd number. For an AM2 CPU with a clock multiplier of 13x, theoretically its memory bus divider would be of 6.5. Since the AMD64 memory bus doesn’t work with “broken” dividers, it is rounded up to the next rounded number, seven in this case. So while this CPU will work at 2.6 GHz (200 MHz x 13), its memory bus will work at 371 MHz (742 MHz DDR) and not at 400 MHz (800 MHz DDR), making the CPU to not achieve the maximum bandwidth the DDR2 memory can provide.
This is the case of Athlon 64 X2 5000+. As it works internally at 2.6 GHz multiplying its HTT clock by 13x, it can access memory only up to 742 MHz and not 800 MHz. Athlon 64 FX-62, on the other hand, works internally at 2.8 GHz multiplying its HTT clock by 14x, allowing it to access the memory truly at 800 MHz. We will talk more about this later, as we thought it was important to take a closer look at this issue.
Here are some examples:
| CPU Internal Clock | CPU Multiplier | Memory Divider | Memory Bus |
| 2.8 GHz | 14x | 7 | 800 MHz |
| 2.6 GHz | 13x | 7 | 742 MHz |
| 2.4 GHz | 12x | 6 | 800 MHz |
| 2.2 GHz | 11x | 6 | 733 MHz |
| 2 GHz | 10x | 5 | 800 MHz |
| 1.8 GHz | 9x | 5 | 720 MHz |
1. 6 GHz |
8x | 4 | 800 MHz |
CPU Reviews
Reader Interactions
ModSynergy.com — Article 7 — AMD Athlon 64/FX Heatsink/Fan Installation Guide
AMD
Athlon 64/FX HSF Installation Guide
You
have purchased an AMD Athlon 64 or AMD Athlon FX processor but you don’t
know how to install the supplied heatsink/fan combination. This article
is geared towards helping you how to do just that. Follow along and you’ll
be installing your heatsink in no time.
1.
First off before you do anything, please apply your thermal compound of
choice over the IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader) featured on your AMD Athlon
64/FX line of processor. With your backplate in hand, remove the white
layer of film paper so that your backplate will expose the sticky insulator
material.
2. Place the backplate on the back of your motherboard.
You must align the two opposite ends for this to work properly. Pat down
the backplate after you are done. Now flip the motherboard socket-side
up.
3. Now place your black retention frame on top of the
protruded screw ends of the backplate.
4. Now with the supplied screws, mount those screws on
both sides with equal amount of pressure to both sides.
5. Now there are two ways to do the next step. I prefer
the way I am going to show you. Place the side with the tool-free clip
and clip it over the retention frame’s lug(s).
6. Now hold your heatsink/fan combination down with your
hand slightly making sure it is straight. Now push the tool-free clip
onto the outmost end lug to lock it into place.
7. You must push down the opposite side clip into place.
You should here a «click» sound so that the clip has been
put into place securely. Just push it down over the lug.
8. Plug the heatsink’s fan connector onto the proper
fan connector located on your motherboard. You are now finished.
Note:
You can choose whatever position you want to use first when installing
your HSF.
The retention frame allows the tool-free clip to be installed
via both ends. So for example one would install the tool-free clip closest
to their power supply, and another would choose to install the tool-free
clip side opposite from their power supply and closest to their chipset
heatsink.
Happy
K8 cooling! Take this as my teaser trailer into the AMD Athlon 64
processor and motherboard review 🙂
Tweets by @modsynergy
AMD Athlon 64 FX 57 Processor
AMD Athlon 64 FX 57 Processor — specifications, benchmarks, reviews
Specifications AMD Athlon 64 FX 57
General parameters
| Clock speed | 2. 8 GHz |
|---|---|
| Kernels | 1 |
| Socket | 939 |
Functions
| NX-bit (XD-bit) present | Yes |
|---|---|
| Instructions supported | MMX SSE SSE2 SSE3 |
| Support for dynamic frequency scaling (CPU Throttling) | Yes |
Parts and Features
| Threads | 1 thread |
|---|---|
| L2 cache | 1MB |
| Second level cache per core (L2) | 1 MB/core |
| Process | 90 nm |
| Maximum processors | 1 |
| Operating temperature | Unknown — 63°C |
Overclocking Athlon 64 FX 57
| Overclock review core | 0 |
|---|---|
| Acceleration clock | 3. 09 GHz |
| Water-cooled boost clock | 3.19 GHz |
| Air cooled boost clock | 3.09 GHz |
Power consumption
| Power consumption | 104W |
|---|---|
| Annual cost of electricity (NON-commercial use) | 25.05 $/year |
| Annual cost of electricity (commercial use) | 91.1 $/year |
| Output per W | 0.59pt/W |
| Average energy consumption | 84.5W |
Benchmarks Athlon 64 FX 57
PassMark
| Athlon 64 FX 57 | 730 |
|---|---|
| FX 8350 | 9.134 |
| Athlon 4000+ | 1.041 |
PassMark (Single Core)
| Athlon 64FX 57 | 832 |
|---|---|
| FX 8350 | 1.525 |
| Athlon 4000+ | 631 |
But something like that was on YouTube. Like maw filmed about it 
4 Hz. 1 cores available. The L1 cache is 128 KB, L2 1 MB and L3 1 MB. Power consumption at peak times can reach 89 watts.
This parameter is lower than that of 99% of goods 
3 million
