Memory performance

Our memory bandwidth results make a good case for the 3500+'s higher performance rating. The 3500+'s dual-channel memory controller offers nearly double the bandwidth of the 3400+ in Sandra, but its advantage is less pronounced in Cachemem's bandwidth tests.

The 3500+'s Linpack performance nicely highlights how the chip differs from the 3400+. Notice how the 3500+'s performance begins to trail off as matrix sizes approach 512KB. The 3400+ doesn't take a dive until matrix sizes flirt with 1MB, but it's a sharp dive. The 3500+'s dual-channel memory controller more gracefully shoulders the burden of larger matrices.

Cachemem's latency tests make a compelling case for on-die memory controllers. The Athlon 64 family as a whole rules this test, and the 3500+ is right up there.