PCMark 2004 Pro is a much-needed upgrade to the standard 2002 version, and along with adapting to the ever-changing hardware world, FutureMark has also added some new tests. The PCMark 2004 design still cuts a line between purely synthetic and application-based benchmarks, and provides a more general view of computer performance. PCMark 2004 performs general use tasks such as image compression, grammar check, and audio conversion, while combining this with a selection of similar benchmarks for individual system components. As we're dealing with processor and subsystem performance, the main tests we'll be looking at are the System, CPU and Memory results.
PCMark 2004 Pro shows us an almost perfect separation between the various AMD processors, as well as showing that the newer 90nm Athlon 64 3500+ is virtually equivalent to the performance level of the 130nm model. The updated processor does squeeze out a slight performance victory, but the percentage gap is almost nonexistent. We also see a continued trend of the Athlon 64 3200+ (939-pin) showing a noticeable performance advantage compared to the Athlon 64 3000+, almost as if 2.0 GHz or higher is where the Socket 939 architecture starts to shine.
The PCMark 2004 Pro Memory benchmarking section is where we see the main advantage of the Socket 939 design, and all of the dual-channel DDR, 939-pin processors show a significant advantage compared to the single-channel DDR Athlon 64 3400+. When taken alone, this benchmark does bring into question the AMD model numbers, but as the Socket 754 models run at a higher clock speed (approximately 200 MHz) than their same-name Socket 939 counterparts, it does tend to even out.
The PCMark 2004 Pro CPU testing again shows us the value of a higher clock speed. The three 2.2 GHz processors finish in a virtual dead-heat, and the 2.0 GHz Athlon 64 3200+ and 1.8 GHz Athlon 64 3000+ models fall right in line. As the memory benchmarks gave the advantage to 939-pin models, the higher relative clock speed of the Socket 754 processors help make up the difference.
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