Performance Test:

Now for the fun part! I will be running a series of tests. The tests will be done initially with the CPU at default speed, then at idle and at load with Folding@Home. The same round of tests will be done with the CPU overclocked to 1.9GHz at 2.05v's. I will mainly be focusing on the 5v and 12v lines since they are the most crucial voltages when its comes to stability. Motherboard Monitor 5.2.0.0 will be used to read the voltages. System specs are as follows:

• AMD XP 1600+ AROIA-Y w/ Volcano 9 at max RPM
• Epox 8K3A+
• 512MB of Samsung Pc2700
• Western Digtial SE 120 GB HDD
• ATI Radeon 8500
• Hercules GTXP
• (4) Sunon 34CFM case fans
• Antec Tri Lite 32CFM case fan
• Lite On 16x48 DVD-ROM
• Lite On 24x10x40 CDRW
• Linksys 10/100 NIC

Results:

The second set of results is overclocked. Again, the idle is on the left and load is on the right. However, I was unable to reach 1.9GHz with stability this time around. The best I could manage was 1.83GHz at 2.0v which ran just fine all day long. I'm not sure if the PSU was to blame or if it was the Volcano 9 cooler. Chances are it is a combination of both. Check out those temps!

At defaults speeds, voltages are within the 5% tolerance. Note that as things get cranked up, how much the voltage falls. I was dissapointed to see the 5v rail go that low when under load at overclocked speeds. It is barely within tolerance just sitting at an idle. The 12v line seems to go up as the 5v line goes down. I'm no electronic wizard so I'm not quite sure why it does this. If anyone knows why, drop me an email I'm all ears. When I was trying to keep it stable at 1.9Ghz and 2.05v's (which this chip will do on a Antec 400W PSU and a Dr. Thermal EXTREME HSF), I actually saw the 5v line fall as low as 4.61v's. I also noticed that when I turned the V-core up .05v, the 5v line would drop by about .05v.