AMD has released new software which will enhance the video performance of games running on the Athlon 64 FX processor. It is called the AMD Dual-Core Optimizer. This software can be used for games which overlook Windows’ time-stamp counter, which can have an effect on frame rates.
AMD feels that the OS can compensate for the impact power management systems have on the frequency with which the CPU’s timer is updated but the processor can’t. This causes problems on a dual-core machine as well as a multi-processor machine. The Optimizer will correct this by duplicating what the OS does. It makes sure that the correct timing information is passed on.
According to the website:
AMD Dual-Core Optimizer – The AMD Dual-Core Optimizer can help improve some PC gaming video performance by compensating for those applications that bypass the Windows API for timing by directly using the RDTSC (Read Time Stamp Counter) instruction. Applications that rely on RDTSC do not benefit from the logic in the operating system to properly account for the affect of power management mechanisms on the rate at which a processor core’s Time Stamp Counter (TSC) is incremented. The AMD Dual-Core Optimizer helps to correct the resulting video performance effects or other incorrect timing effects that these applications may experience on dual-core or multiple processor systems.