Efficiency Analysis: Atom D510 Vs. Atom D525/ION2
Table of contents
- 1. Can More Clock Speed Improve Atom's Efficiency?
- 2. In The Blue Corner: The Atom D525 Challenger
- 3. In The Red Corner: Atom D510
- 4. Round 1: Synthetic Benchmarks
Intel's Atom D525 offers a faster clock rate than its predecessor at the same 13 W TDP. Obviously, the new dual-core chip is going to be faster. But after we determined that the Core i3 is more efficient, can Atom D525 usurp the desktop contender?
Intel recently added a faster Atom dual-core model to its lineup. The Atom D525 overtakes its predecessor, the D510, thanks to a 1.8 GHz clock speed (as opposed to the D510's 1.66 GHz).
But this isn't the only change. Both new Atom models, the dual-core D525 and single-core D425, support up to 4 GB of DDR3-800 memory. The chips still employ Hyper-Threading and come with the Pineview core’s integrated graphics unit. Finally, the 512 KB L2 cache per core remains unchanged.
As a quick bit of clarification, while the Atom N-series is designed for netbooks, the D family usually goes into nettops.
We tested Jetway's NC98-525-LF integrated motherboard, a fully-featured mini-ITX platform with an Atom D525. Jetway adds an Nvidia ION2 for additional graphics horsepower. This might not be important for 3D applications due to the chipset's inadequate performance capabilities for this demanding segment, but ION2 helps to smooth video playback at resolutions up to 1080p.
Despite its modest 1.8 GHz clock speed, even the fastest Atom D525 is still much slower than any desktop processor, even the relatively poky Intel Celeron. Desktop chips are much faster per clock, but Atom is hard to beat when it comes to power consumption. Atom allows manufacturers to create low-power systems.
But low power doesn't always translate into high efficiency. The article Efficiency Analysis: Core i3 Trumps Atom On The Desktop provides a great insight into performance per watt, comparing an entry-level Core i3 processor and the Atom D510 dual-core. Now it's time to see how much better the Atom D525 actually is.
This duel compares the Atom D510 against the Atom D525 in synthetic benchmarks, application benchmarks, and our power consumption and efficiency test suite. Let's see what the new Atom dual-core can do versus the model that came before.
Latest CPU News
Latest CPU reviews
- 24/05 – Overclocking Core i7-3770K: Learning To Live With Compromise
- 22/05 – Core i5-3570K, -3550, -3550S, And -3570T: Ivy Bridge Efficiency
- 15/05 – AMD A10-4600M Review: Mobile Trinity Gets Tested
- 14/05 – Core i7-3720QM: Ivy Bridge Makes Its Mark On Mobility
- 23/04 – Intel Core i7-3770K Review: A Small Step Up From Sandy Bridge
So my guess is that an i3 system would still be better for a home theatre PC where you might want to do some video transcoding, etc.
Yes I agree aje21..it's just the cost.
For example there is the Intel i3-330UM (1.4GHz, 2 cores + 2 threading units). This has Intergrated, on-chip GPU and memory controller (not to be confused with on-die). Maximum TDP is just 18 Watts.
To be honest though, if I were looking to build a budget HTPC rig that could also do some transcoding, I don't think I'd be looking at these Ion or even i3 solutions; their low power would not be a big enough draw, especially if the i3's GPU can exploit GPGPU functions very well, if at all. There's too much desktop competition, such as AMD's energy-efficient Athlon II range in combination with 785G or better motherboards: better upgrade potential, native HD and GPGPU support..and also decent power characteristics .
Looking at Atom's HD apparent lack of HD and multimedia capabilities, it seems the only thing they have going for them is nVidia hardware. But..I have to say that I am impressed with what you can get for basic use; I had to run an Acer Aspire One AOD250 netbook for a while, sporting a single-core Atom @ 1.6GHz. One of the best netbook's I've ever used for basic use.
Tip: if you do own an Acer Aspire One and your audio is choppy, try this fix: http://winhlp.com/node/10