In the test 15 years ago: Nvidia's nForce 500 for AMD's Socket AM2 with DDR2 RAM

When the Athlon 64 was released, it was already clear that AMD would support the new DDR2 memory standard as soon as possible. In May 2006 the time had come and AMD presented the AM2 socket with DDR2 support (test). In terms of performance, however, the platforms didn't take much.

Table of contents

1 New AM2 processors with the same specifications
Without additional performance, but with more features
The nForce 500 offered a lot
Conclusion

New AM2 processors with the same specifications

The new socket also required new processors. AMD launched eight dual-core and nine single-core CPUs in various price and performance classes. All models had DDR2 support, but there were differences in the details. While the single-core offshoots only supported DDR2-667, the dual-core offshoots could handle faster DDR2-800. This was not a hardware limitation, but a limitation implemented by AMD in the BIOS. Apart from DDR2 support, the processors were virtually identical to their predecessors.

The processors at a glance Features Athlon 64 X2
Athlon 64 FX-62 Athlon 64
Sempron 64 Athlon 64 X2
Athlon 64 FX-60 Athlon 64
Athlon 64 FX Code name Windsor (1 MByte/512 kByte) Orleans (512 kByte)
Manila (256 kByte/128 kByte) Manchester (1 MByte)
Toledo (2 MByte) Venice (512 kByte)
San Diego (1 MByte) clock rate or
Model number
(clock in GHz) 3800+ (2.0 GHz, 2 × 512 kByte)
4000+ (2.0 GHz, 2 × 1 MByte)
4200+ (2.2 GHz, 2 × 512 kByte)
4400+ (2.2 GHz, 2 × 1 MByte)
4600+ (2.4 GHz, 2 × 512 kByte)
4800+ (2.4 GHz, 2 × 1 MByte)
5000+ (2.6 GHz, 2 × 512 kByte)
FX-62 (2.8 GHz, 2 × 1 MByte) Athlon 64
3800+ ( 2.4 GHz 512 kByte)
3500+ (2.2 GHz, 512 kByte)
3200+ (2.0 GHz, 512 kByte)
Sempron 64
3600+ (2.0 GHz, 256 kByte)
3500+ (2.0 GHz, 128 kByte)
3400+ (1.8 GHz, 256 kByte)
3200+ (1.8 GHz, 128 kByte)
3000+ (1.6 GHz, 256 kByte)
2800+ (1.6 GHz, 128 kByte) 3800+ (2.0 GHz)
4200+ (2.2 GHz)
4400+ (2.2 GHz)
4600+ (2.4 GHz)
4800+ ( 2.4 GHz)
FX-60 (2.6 GHz) 3000+ (1.8 GHz)
3200+ (2.0 GHz)
3500+ (2.2 GHz)
3700+ (2.2 GHz)
3800+ (2.4 GHz)
4000+ (2.4 GHz)
FX-55 (2.6 GHz)
FX-57 (2.8 GHz) production 90 nm Socket Socket AM2 (940) Socket 939 Dual-Core ✓ – ✓ – Multithreading – Peripheral interface 8 GByte/s HyperTransport 8 GByte/s HyperTransport
6.4 GByte/s HyperTransport 8 GByte/s HyperTransport 8 GByte/s HyperTransport memory controller integrated for
DDR2-800 integrated for
DDR2-667 integrated for
DDR-400 transistors 153.8 million (2 × 512 kByte) < br> 227.4 million (2 × 1 MByte) kA (128 kByte)
81.1 million (256 kByte)
81.1 million (512 kByte) 154 million (2 × 512 kByte)
233.2 million (2 × 1 MByte) 68.5 million (512 kByte)
114 million (1 MByte) chip size 183 mm³ (2 × 512 kByte)
230 mm² (2 × 1 MByte) kA (128 kByte)
103 mm² (256 kByte)
103mm² (512 kByte) 147 mm² (2 × 512 kByte)
199 mm² (2 × 1 MByte) 83 , 5 mm² (512 kByte)
115 mm² (1 MByte) L1 execution cache 2 × 64 kByte 64 kByte 2 × 64 kByte 64 kByte L1 data cache 2 × 64 kByte 64 kByte 2 × 64 kByte 64 kByte L2 cache 2 × 512 kByte
2 × 1,024 kByte 128 kByte
256 kByte
512 kByte 2 × 512 kByte
2 × 1,024 kByte 512 kByte
1,024 kByte L2 connection 128 bit L2 -Mode L1 exclusive cache a total of 1,280 kByte
2,304 kByte 256
384 kByte
640 kByte 1,280 kByte
2,304 kByte 640 kByte
1,152 kByte

Without additional performance, but with more features

Despite the new and faster memory, there was no increase in performance on the AM2 platform in practice. In the benchmarks, the performance differences between the same processors on Socket 939 and AM2 were within the scope of the measurement inaccuracy.

«Previous performance rating: Overall performance rating: Multimedia performance rating: Office performance rating: Packing performance rating: Rendering performance rating: Games performance rating: games (not all) Next»

Performance rating: total unit: percent
- - Athlon 64 FX-60 S939 DDR400 CL296.7
  - Pentium XE 965 S775 DDR2-667 CL595.6
  - Athlon 64 X2 5000+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL495,1
  - Athlon 64 X2 4800+ S939 DDR400 CL291,1
  - Pentium XE 955 S775 DDR2-667 CL590.7
  - Pentium D 960 S775 DDR2-667 CL590.1
  - Athlon 64 X2 4600+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL490,0
  - Athlon 64 X2 4600+ S939 DDR400 CL289,7
  - Pentium D 950 S775 DDR2-667 CL586,4
  - Athlon 64 X2 4400+ S939 DDR400 CL285,2
  - Athlon 64 X2 4200+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL483,9
  - Athlon 64 X2 4200+ S939 DDR400 CL283,8
  - Athlon 64 FX-57 S939 DDR400 CL283,0
  - Pentium XE 840 S775 DDR2-667 CL582,7
  - Pentium D 940 S775 DDR2-667 CL582,2
  - Athlon 64 X2 3800+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL479,2
  - Athlon 64 X2 3800+ S939 DDR400 CL278,5
  - Pentium D 930 S775 DDR2-667 CL578,4
  - Pentium 4 670 S775 DDR2-667 CL577,1
  - Pentium D 920 S775 DDR2-667 CL574,1
Performance rating: Multimedia Unit: Percent
- - Athlon 64 FX-60 S939 DDR400 CL292,8
  - Pentium XE 965 S775 DDR2-667 CL592,4
  - Athlon 64 X2 5000+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL491,9
  - Pentium XE 955 S775 DDR2-667 CL586,1
  - Athlon 64 X2 4600+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL486.1
  - Athlon 64 X2 4800+ S939 DDR400 CL285.9
  - Athlon 64 X2 4600+ S939 DDR400 CL285,2
  - Pentium D 960 S775 DDR2-667 CL584,8
  - Pentium D 950 S775 DDR2-667 CL579,8
  - Athlon 64 X2 4200+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL479,2
  - Athlon 64 X2 4400+ S939 DDR400 CL279,0
  - Pentium XE 840 S775 DDR2-667 CL578,4
  - Athlon 64 X2 4200+ S939 DDR400 CL278 , 4
  - Athlon 64 FX-57 S939 DDR400 CL277,6
  - Pentium D 940 S775 DDR2-667 CL574,6
  - Athlon 64 X2 3800+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL473,4
  - Athlon 64 X2 3800+ S939 DDR400 CL272,3
  - Pentium D 930 S775 DDR2-667 CL571,0
  - Pentium 4 670 S775 DDR2-667 CL570.9
  - Pentium D 920 S775 DDR2-667 CL566.2
Performance rating: Office unit: percent
- - Athlon 64 FX-60 S939 DDR400 CL296,7
  - Pentium XE 965 S775 DDR2-667 CL595.7
  - Athlon 64 X2 5000+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL494.9
  - Athlon 64 X2 4800+ S939 DDR400 CL291,8
  - Pentium XE 955 S775 DDR2-667 CL591,0
  - Pentium D 960 S775 DDR2-667 CL590,2
  - Athlon 64 X2 4600+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL490,0
  - Athlon 64 X2 4600+ S939 DDR400 CL289,7
  - Pentium D 950 S775 DDR2-667 CL586,4
  - Athlon 64 X2 4400+ S939 DDR400 CL286,3
  - Athlon 64 X2 4200+ S939 DDR400 CL284,7
  - Athlon 64 X2 4200+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL484,2
  - Pentium XE 840 S775 DDR2-667 CL583,2
  - Pentium D 940 S775 DDR2-667 CL583,0
  - Pentium 4 670 S775 DDR2- 667 CL581,7
  - Athlon 64 FX-57 S939 DDR400 CL280,2
  - Athlon 64 X2 3800+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL479,8
  - Athlon 64 X2 3800+ S939 DDR400 CL279.7
  - Pentium D 930 S775 DDR2-667 CL579.0
  - Pentium D 920 S775 DDR2-667 CL575,1
Performance rating: packing unit: percent
- - Athlon 64 FX-57 S939 DDR400 CL2100,0
  - Athlon 64 FX-60 S939 DDR400 CL294,3
  - Athlon 64 X2 5000+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL490,8
  - Athlon 64 X2 4800+ S939 DDR400 CL286,5
  - Pentium XE 965 S775 DDR2-667 CL586,4
  - Pentium D 960 S775 DDR2- 667 CL586,0
  - Athlon 64 X2 4600+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL484,2
  - Athlon 64 X2 4600+ S939 DDR400 CL283,8
  - Pentium D 950 S775 DDR2-667 CL582.8
  - Pentium XE 955 S775 DDR2-667 CL582.5
  - Pentium 4 670 S775 DDR2-667 CL581,2
  - Athlon 64 X2 4400+ S939 DDR400 CL279,1
  - Pentium D 940 S775 DDR2-667 CL578,2
  - Athlon 64 X2 4200+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL476.7
  - Athlon 64 X2 4200+ S939 DDR400 CL275.5
  - Pentium D 930 S775 DDR2-667 CL574,5
  - Pentium XE 840 S775 DDR2-667 CL572,4
  - Athlon 64 X2 3800+ SAM2 DDR2- 800 CL472,0
  - Athlon 64 X2 3800+ S939 DDR400 CL271,0
  - Pentium D 920 S775 DDR2-667 CL569,8
Performance rating: rendering unit: percent
- - Pentium XE 965 S775 DDR2-667 CL596,8
  - Pentium XE 955 S775 DDR2-667 CL589.8
  - Athlon 64 FX-60 S939 DDR400 CL286,3
  - Athlon 64 X2 5000+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL486,3
  - Pentium D 960 S775 DDR2-667 CL585,1
  - Pentium XE 840 S775 DDR2-667 CL583,5
  - Pentium D 950 S775 DDR2-667 CL580,3
  - Athlon 64 X2 4800+ S939 DDR400 CL280,2
  - Athlon 64 X2 4600+ S939 DDR400 CL280 , 0
  - Athlon 64 X2 4600+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL480,0
  - Pentium D 940 S775 DDR2-667 CL575,6
  - Athlon 64 X2 4400 + S939 DDR400 CL273,5
  - Athlon 64 X2 4200+ S939 DDR400 CL273,3
  - Athlon 64 X2 4200+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL473 , 1
  - Pentium D 930 S775 DDR2-667 CL570,8
  - Athlon 64 X2 3800+ S939 DDR400 CL267,0
  - Athlon 64 X2 3800+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL466.8
  - Pentium D 920 S775 DDR2-667 CL566.2
  - Pentium 4 670 S775 DDR2-667 CL556.7
  - Athlon 64 FX-57 S939 DDR400 CL250,4
performance rating: games unit: percent
- - Athlon 64 FX-60 S939 DDR400 CL299,7
  - Athlon 64 X2 4800+ S939 DDR400 CL298,3
  - Athlon 64 X2 5000+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL498,2
  - Athlon 64 X2 4600+ S939 DDR400 CL297,1
  - Athlon 64 X2 4600+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL496 , 9
  - Athlon 64 X2 4400+ S939 DDR400 CL296,3
  - Athlon 64 FX-57 S939 DDR400 CL296,2
  - Athlon 64 X2 4200+ S939 DDR400 CL295,1
  - Athlon 64 X2 4200+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL494,5
  - Athlon 64 X2 3800+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL493,0
  - Pentium XE 965 S775 DDR2-667 CL592,9
  - Athlon 64 X2 3800+ S939 DDR400 CL291,9
  - Pentium D 960 S775 DDR2-667 CL591 , 7
  - Pentium XE 955 S775 DDR2-667 CL590,8
  - Pentium D 950 S775 DDR2-667 CL590,3
  - Pentium D 940 S775 DDR2-667 CL588,3
  - Pentium D 930 S775 DDR2-667 CL585.7
  - Pentium 4 670 S775 DDR2-667 CL584.3
  - Pentium XE 840 S775 DDR2-667 CL584,1
  - Pentium D 920 S775 DDR2-667 CL583,2
Performance rating: games (not all) Unit: percent
- - Athlon 64 FX-60 S939 DDR400 CL299,6
  - Athlon 64 X2 4800+ S939 DDR400 CL298,5
  - Athlon 64 X2 4600+ S939 DDR400 CL298,0
  - Athlon 64 FX-57 S939 DDR400 CL297 , 6
  - Athlon 64 X2 4400+ S939 DDR400 CL297,3
  - Athlon 64 X2 4200+ S939 DDR400 CL296,7
  - Pentium XE 965 S775 DDR2-667 CL596.5
  - Pentium XE 955 S775 DDR2-667 CL595,4
  - Athlon 64 X2 3800+ S939 DDR400 CL294,7
  - Pentium XE 840 S775 DDR2-667 CL592,8
  - Pentium 4 670 S775 DDR2-667 CL592,4
  - Pentium D 920 S775 DDR2-667 CL591,2
  - Athlon 64 X2 5000+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL421,2
  - Athlon 64 X2 4600+ SAM2 DDR2- 800 CL420.8
  - Athlon 64 X2 4200+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL419,5
  - Athlon 64 X2 3800+ SAM2 DDR2-800 CL418,8
  - Pentium D 960 S775 DDR2-667 CL518,7
  - Pentium D 950 S775 DDR2-667 CL518,0
  - Pentium D 940 S775 DDR2-667 CL517 , 1
  - Pentium D 930 S775 DDR2-667 CL516,4

The nForce 500 offered a lot

The advantage of the AM2 platform were the new chipsets and the associated features. At the start of the platform, Nvidia presented four chipsets: nForce 550, nForce 570 Ultra, nForce 570 SLI and nForce 590 SLI (test). These offered a variety of connections, support for multiple graphics cards and a few other features.

For example, the nForce 590 SLI was able to overclock the PCIe as well as the HyperTransport connection and thus to overclock the bandwidth 25 percent increase. However, this was only possible when using one or more GeForce 7900 GTX. Three of the four chipsets were able to “team up” their two native Gbit Ethernet connections, which effectively doubled the bandwidth.

nForce 500 Series nForce 590 SLI nForce 570 SLI nForce 570 Ultra nForce 550 Segment Enthusiast SLI performance SLI performance, without SLI mainstream CPU Socket AM2
Athlon 64 FX
Athlon 64 Socket AM2
Athlon 64 FX
Athlon 64 Socket AM2
Athlon 64 FX
Athlon 64 Socket AM2
Athlon 64
Sempron SLI yes, 2 × x16 yes, 1 × x16, 2 × x8 no LinkBoost yes no SLI-Ready Memory yes no Max.overclocking yes no FirstPacket yes no DualNet yes no Native GigaBit LAN yes, 2 × yes, 1 × LAN teaming yes no TCP/IP acceleration yes no MediaShield yes SATA/PATA 6/2 4/2 SATA 3 GByte/s yes RAID modes 0, 1, 0 + 1, 5 0, 1, 0 + 1 nTune 5.0 yes PCIe lanes/Channels 46/9 28/6 20/5 Division 16, 16, 8,
1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 16, 8, 1, 1, 1, 1 16, 1, 1, 1, 1 USB 2.0 10 PCI slots 5 audio HD audio (Azalia)

Conclusion

Anyone considering the AM2 socket in order to potentially gain performance from the faster DDR2 memory could discard this idea. The costs – since the CPU, mainboard and RAM had to be replaced – were in no way related to the benefits. It looked different for users who wanted to build a new system. Here it made sense to put on the AM2 socket, since future processors should appear exclusively for this. In addition, the new chipsets had features that might be of interest to some users.

In the “Tested 15 years ago” category, the editorial team has been looking into the test archive every Saturday since July 2017. The last 20 articles that have appeared in this series are listed below:

The best Radeon X1900 XTX came with a Zalman cooler
PCIe x8 versus PCIe x16 for multi-GPU systems
ATi's X1900 GT bit its teeth on Nvidia's 7900 GT
PhysX accelerator for 299 euros from Ageia
The GeForce 7600 GS was a stunner for 125 euros
HTPC case from Lian Li and Silverstone
The GeForce 7900 GTX in 90 nm and with a higher clock rate
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi for more audio quality and FPS
Intel's Pentium EE 965 was faster and more economical
Silentwinter got the Athlon 64 going with RAM-OC
ATi's all-in-wonder Radeons with TV tuner
Entry-level graphics cards were loud or slow
Noctua's first CPU coolers NH-U9 and NH-U12
The GeForce 7800 GS breathed life into AGP again
ATi's Radeon X1900 XTX was fast, hot and loud
Dual-core CPUs from AMD and Intel in a duel
ATi CrossFire was better in the second attempt
The 1st thermal paste made of liquid metal for the PC
Two GeForce 7800 GTX 512 in the SLI network
When 2 GB of RAM were generously dimensioned

Even more content of this kind and many more reports and anecdotes can be found in the Ret ro-corner in the forum of ComputerBase.