At a very basic level, the benchmark testing illustrated quite clearly that the Duron 1 GHz' new Morgan core is a definite improvement over existing Duron Spitfires. The performance advantage was present in every benchmark, and most clearly with multimedia tests such as Content Creation Winstone or games like Quake 3. On the flip side, the Duron 1 GHz, while very fast, is still not quite a match for an Athlon of the same clock speed.

Although AMD has updated the core for the Duron 1 GHz launch, overclocking will be business as usual. Whether you get an unlocked processor or jack it via the "pencil trick", we don't foresee overclockers missing a beat with this new Duron. Our reference CPU was of the unlocked variety, but it is unclear whether all available versions will also sport this feature. AMD has stated that due to potential problems with chip yield due to bridge cutting, high-end Athlons are shipping unlocked. Only the future will tell us whether this policy will extend to the Duron 1 GHz and higher models as well.

If you remember back to our Duron 950 review, you will remember that we had a bit of trouble overclocking that CPU past the 1.2 GHz limit. Our tests with the Duron 1 GHz point to similar results, though with a bit of good news peppered in there as well. Due to the Duron 1 GHz continuing to use the 0.18-micron die size, this new processor should not be looked at as the "next wave" in overclocking. Couple that with the increase in core voltage and it's quite apparent that even the Morgan core may be reaching the end of the road not far above 1.0 GHz as well.

In our overclock testing, the Duron 1 GHz performed flawlessly at 1.1 GHz and then at 1.15 GHz, and both speeds were attainable using the default 1.75V core voltage. After that it got a bit more difficult, and even though the processor would boot at 1.2 and 1.25 GHz without issue, it would refuse to load Windows properly. To alleviate this problem, we jacked up the core voltage first to 1.775, then 1.8 and finally to 1.825 volts with the last option allowing Windows to load and applications to be run at 1.2 GHz. Still, even at that high a voltage, the Duron 1 GHz was not happy at the 1.2 GHz speed and would exhibit problems with certain games. Not wanting to ruin a perfectly good CPU by going too far out into the voltage stratosphere, we turned in our overclocking keys and shut the test rig down.

We also do not believe this to be a cooling issue, since the Duron's heat levels didn't really increase that much from their initial readings somewhere in the mid to upper-40 degree Celsius range. As with our Duron 950, core heat jumped from the 40-42 degree level at default speeds, to the upper 40's when overclocked to 1.15 GHz or higher. This suggests some improvements in core heat dissipation, but nothing close to what the Athlon 4 is reportedly capable of. It is almost as if the improvements were nullified by the increase in core voltage from 1.6V to 1.75V for the new Duron 1 GHz.

Note: As with all CPU overclocking, you pay your money and you take your chances, and the above overclocking results should not be taken as indicative of any other CPU that the one reviewed and tested herein.

To better illustrate the potential advantages of overclocking the Duron 1 GHz, we have run a few benchmarks including SiSoft Sandra and Quake 3. All these overclocking benchmark tests have been performed using Windows 98SE: