Milan (Italy) - It is fair to say that Barcelona has not turned out the CPU core many hoped it would be and lots of people inside AMD would rather forget about this evolutionary step and quickly move on to the next architecture. Custom PC was able to squeeze some more information out of AMD about this next-gen architecture. It’s not much, but we now know for sure that it will be "completely different" from what AMD is selling today.
This confirmation comes from Giuseppe Amato, AMD’s technical director of sales & marketing for the EMEA region, one of the very few executives in the company who occasionally provide straight-forward answers.
"If I look at the next generation architecture of our CPU, then it will definitely not be, how can I say, comparable with the Phenom. It will look completely different," Custom PC quoted Amato. Of course, this does not really come as a surprise and was previously indicated. However, Amato also noted that the new architecture, which is expected to end up in the Bulldozer core, will "solve problems that today we think can never be addressed by hardware."
This comment is likely to fuel a new rumor mill and if it was up to us, we’d be betting the farm on addressing bandwidth challenges and simplify virtualization. We also believe that we could be seeing a GPU influence and AMD may be applying its Fusion LEGO concept to this new architecture - in order to apply massively parallel designs.
AMD would do well to introduce a brand new architecture, and not soon enough. The company has been losing market share to Intel over the last year, and much of what it gained during the Athlon days have been lost. AMD has also posted many consecutive losses in revenue in the order of billions of dollars. AMD recently announced a brand new initiative to produce and sell its own brand of computers. Company executives say that they have thought about it long and hard, and feel that it makes sense for AMD to introduce a business class group of computers with a guaranteed 24-months life cycle, something AMD says is a concern for most businesses.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
AMD officially announced the new family name for the 45nm Phenoms and Phenom II, at the firm’s Financial Analyst Day last week. More interestingly, re
ZoomBack in September there were industry reports that AMD was going to change their Phenom X4 and X3 model number scheme from a 4-digit model number to a 5-digit model number. This no longer appears to be the case, but there has been no official word from AMD about these model numbers yet.
Reported 45nm Phenom II 700/800/900 Processor Roadmap
Model Cores Frequency Codename Socket Total Cache TDP Release Date
X4 945 4 3.0GHz Deneb AM3 8 MB *125W Q2 2009
X4 940 4 3.0GHz Deneb AM2+ 8 MB 125W Jan. 8 2009
X4 925 4 2.8GHz Deneb AM3 8 MB 95W Feb. 2009
X4 920 4 2.8GHz Deneb AM2+ 8 MB 125W Jan. 8 2009
X4 910 4 2.6GHz Deneb AM3 8 MB 95W Feb. 2009
X4 810 4 2.6GHz Deneb AM3 6 MB 95W Feb. 2009
X4 805 4 2.5GHz Deneb AM3 6 MB 95W Feb. 2009
X3 720 3 2.8GHz Propus AM3 7.5 MB 95W Feb. 2009
X3 710 3 2.6GHz Propus AM3 7.5 MB 95W Feb. 2009
*Expreview reports the Phenom II X4 945 as a 125W part. While the source did not specify, the 945 is assumed to have an unlocked multiplier as it is the flagship model. The Phenom II X4 940 and 920 will also have unlocked multipliers.
An interesting thing to note is the similarity between this naming scheme and that used by Intel’s Core i7 family of processors, specifically the Phenom II X4 920 and 940. Hopefully this won’t be a source of confusion for the less knowledgeable crowd should they decide to build their own system. At least the 3-digit model numbers are easier to say and remember than the 5-digit numbers.
April will reportedly see the launch of the mainstream triple- and quad-core Phenom II X3 400 and X4 600 series, and June the budget dual-core X2 200 series chips.
We contacted AMD and a representative told us that while the name changes are true, the processor model numbers cannot be confirmed at this time. We were also told that official numbers will be unveiled very shortly
Reported 45nm Phenom II 700/800/900 Processor Roadmap
Model Cores Frequency Codename Socket Total Cache TDP Release Date
X4 945 4 3.0GHz Deneb AM3 8 MB *125W Q2 2009
X4 940 4 3.0GHz Deneb AM2+ 8 MB 125W Jan. 8 2009
X4 925 4 2.8GHz Deneb AM3 8 MB 95W Feb. 2009
X4 920 4 2.8GHz Deneb AM2+ 8 MB 125W Jan. 8 2009
X4 910 4 2.6GHz Deneb AM3 8 MB 95W Feb. 2009
X4 810 4 2.6GHz Deneb AM3 6 MB 95W Feb. 2009
X4 805 4 2.5GHz Deneb AM3 6 MB 95W Feb. 2009
X3 720 3 2.8GHz Propus AM3 7.5 MB 95W Feb. 2009
X3 710 3 2.6GHz Propus AM3 7.5 MB 95W Feb. 2009
*Expreview reports the Phenom II X4 945 as a 125W part. While the source did not specify, the 945 is assumed to have an unlocked multiplier as it is the flagship model. The Phenom II X4 940 and 920 will also have unlocked multipliers.
An interesting thing to note is the similarity between this naming scheme and that used by Intel’s Core i7 family of processors, specifically the Phenom II X4 920 and 940. Hopefully this won’t be a source of confusion for the less knowledgeable crowd should they decide to build their own system. At least the 3-digit model numbers are easier to say and remember than the 5-digit numbers.
April will reportedly see the launch of the mainstream triple- and quad-core Phenom II X3 400 and X4 600 series, and June the budget dual-core X2 200 series chips.
We contacted AMD and a representative told us that while the name changes are true, the processor model numbers cannot be confirmed at this time. We were also told that official numbers will be unveiled very shortly
Phenom 9950 Cracks The 4GHz Barrier On LN2
At the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, members of AwardFabrik.de managed to break 4GHz using liquid nitrogen cooling on an AMD Phenom 9950 processor. CPU-Z did not correctly validate the clockspeed however, and the AwardFabrik team are still unsure why this was the case. Zoom
Nevertheless, at a clock speed of 3952MHz, the team broke a SuperPi 1M record for AMD CPUs - 19.954 seconds - which is quite impressive for an AMD system considering SuperPi heavily favors the Core 2 architecture. Other hardware used included a Foxconn A79-S motherboard and an OCZ 1000W power supply.
Intel will soon change the overclocking scene with Core i7. Intel’s platform will finally lose its ancient Front Side Bus and adopt the QuickPath Interconnect for a high-bandwidth, point-to-point connection with the chipset which is dedicated to I/O traffic. The new interconnect will mean enthusiasts currently using Intel systems will have to break old habits and learn new methods to successfully overclock their CPU. This interconnect is reportedly quite temperamental when the reference clock is run much over its default speed of 133MHz, so this may pose problems for overclockers when using CPUs with upwards locked multipliers. Newer BIOS and motherboard revisions should improve stability of the QPI when overclocked.
SuperPi 1M may soon become obsolete with the current world record sitting at 7 seconds and quickly running out of headroom for faster times. Nehalem’s improved single-threaded performance when in Turbo Mode may push that world record further.
Nevertheless, at a clock speed of 3952MHz, the team broke a SuperPi 1M record for AMD CPUs - 19.954 seconds - which is quite impressive for an AMD system considering SuperPi heavily favors the Core 2 architecture. Other hardware used included a Foxconn A79-S motherboard and an OCZ 1000W power supply.
Intel will soon change the overclocking scene with Core i7. Intel’s platform will finally lose its ancient Front Side Bus and adopt the QuickPath Interconnect for a high-bandwidth, point-to-point connection with the chipset which is dedicated to I/O traffic. The new interconnect will mean enthusiasts currently using Intel systems will have to break old habits and learn new methods to successfully overclock their CPU. This interconnect is reportedly quite temperamental when the reference clock is run much over its default speed of 133MHz, so this may pose problems for overclockers when using CPUs with upwards locked multipliers. Newer BIOS and motherboard revisions should improve stability of the QPI when overclocked.
SuperPi 1M may soon become obsolete with the current world record sitting at 7 seconds and quickly running out of headroom for faster times. Nehalem’s improved single-threaded performance when in Turbo Mode may push that world record further.
AMD Plans to Release Eight-Core Processors Until 2009
Advanced Micro devices hardly managed to pose a threat for the chip manufacturer Intel lately, but recent information shows that the company is far from waving the surrender flag. Intel's
pre-briefing conference for the upcoming Spring Developers Forum in China revealed Intel's next goals on the company's roadmap. However, AMD might have quite some hidden aces up its sleeve.
According to Randy Allen, Corporate Vice President of the Server and Workstation Division at AMD, Intel's Nehalem chip is just the company's attempt at catching up with AMD's existing technology. He claims that the Barcelona server processors are currently shipping to a large amount of OEM and system integrators worldwide, and it is expected to sell extremely well.
The upcoming Nehalem chips will come with Intel's Quick Path Interconnect, which is a clone of AMD's HyperTransport 3.0 technology, and this is just one of the aspects that Intel is trying to copy. The Nehalem architecture also was inspired from AMD's cache structure, with small per-core Level 1 and Level 2 caches, that are both connected to a large shared Level 3 cache pool.
"We have level three cache, we've had integrated memory since 2003 and high speed serial links since 2006. I don't think there is anything new here," claimed Allen.
As far as the upcoming six-cored monster in the Dunnington family is concerned, AMD claims that they have the right weapons to defeat it. AMD's upcoming Shanghai chip will be manufactured at the 45-nanometer process node, and Allen claims that it will come with extra features, such as an enhanced HyperTransport interconnect and native support for DDR3 memory.
"We'll have four cores by the end of the year and you can expect to see eight cores in the 2009 timeframe," Allen concluded.
pre-briefing conference for the upcoming Spring Developers Forum in China revealed Intel's next goals on the company's roadmap. However, AMD might have quite some hidden aces up its sleeve.
According to Randy Allen, Corporate Vice President of the Server and Workstation Division at AMD, Intel's Nehalem chip is just the company's attempt at catching up with AMD's existing technology. He claims that the Barcelona server processors are currently shipping to a large amount of OEM and system integrators worldwide, and it is expected to sell extremely well.
The upcoming Nehalem chips will come with Intel's Quick Path Interconnect, which is a clone of AMD's HyperTransport 3.0 technology, and this is just one of the aspects that Intel is trying to copy. The Nehalem architecture also was inspired from AMD's cache structure, with small per-core Level 1 and Level 2 caches, that are both connected to a large shared Level 3 cache pool.
"We have level three cache, we've had integrated memory since 2003 and high speed serial links since 2006. I don't think there is anything new here," claimed Allen.
As far as the upcoming six-cored monster in the Dunnington family is concerned, AMD claims that they have the right weapons to defeat it. AMD's upcoming Shanghai chip will be manufactured at the 45-nanometer process node, and Allen claims that it will come with extra features, such as an enhanced HyperTransport interconnect and native support for DDR3 memory.
"We'll have four cores by the end of the year and you can expect to see eight cores in the 2009 timeframe," Allen concluded.
Making Sense of AMD's Processor Road Map
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) Thursday gave journalists and analysts a peek at its road map of upcoming processors, including more details on the company's quad-core processors and plans for a family of server chips with 16 cores.
However, each of the processors and chip packages on AMD's road map are tagged with code names that do little to explain what each chip actually does. To help you make sense of what each code name represents, here's a quick overview of what AMD has in store, and when each chip is expected to hit the market:
Barcelona: The code name given to AMD's upcoming Quad-Core Opteron processors, made using a 65-nanometer (nm) process. AMD plans to ship the first Barcelona chips next month, with the first servers based on the processors appearing on the market in September.
Bobcat: Code name for a future low-power CPU architecture for mobile devices such as ultramobile PCs and consumer electronics products. Will consume from 1 watt to 10 watts of power. Due in 2009.
Bulldozer: Code name for a CPU core designed for servers and clients that consumes from 10 watts to 100 watts of power. Set for release in 2009.
Eagle: Code name for an upcoming notebook chip package based on the Falcon processor. To ship in 2009.
Falcon: Code name for the first Fusion chip that will combine a CPU and graphics processor. Designed for laptops, Falcon will offer up to four Bulldozer cores. Due to ship in 2009.
Fusion: The code name for AMD processors that combine multiple components with the aim of lowering power consumption and improving performance. The first Fusion chips, called Falcon, will ship in 2009.
Griffin: Code name for an upcoming dual-core mobile processor. To ship in 2008.
Hardcastle: The code name given to upcoming chip packages designed for business users, including Perseus and Puma.
Leo: Code name for a desktop chip package based on the 45nm Phenom processor, which will offer 6MB of cache. Set for release in 2008.
Perseus: Upcoming desktop chip package designed for business users. To ship in 2008.
Phenom: The brand name for AMD's quad-core desktop processors, which are slated to start shipping during the fourth quarter of 2007.
Puma: Chip package for laptops based on the Griffin processor. To debut in 2008.
Ridgeback: Code name for AMD's 45nm desktop processors. Will include 6MB of cache. To be released in mid-2008.
Sandtiger: The code name for a family of server chips with eight to 16 cores that will be released in 2009. Will be produced using a 45nm process and include supp
(Double Data Rate 3) memory. Due in 2009.
Shanghai: Code name for the 45-nanometer successor to Barcelona. The quad-core Shanghai will offer some architectural improvements over Barcelona, as well as 6MB of cache. To be released in mid-2008.
Spider: Desktop chip package based on 65nm Phenom processors with 2MB of cache. To be released in 2007.
AMD’s CPU Roadmap, 2008-2011
While speaking at their annual financial analyst day today, AMD provided members of the press a glimpse of their latest CPU and GPU roadmaps. AMD’s GPU update was rather slim, with the company reiterating previously disclosed guidance from CEATEC for next year: DirectX 11 and 40-nm are all on tap for release with their next-generation RV870 GPU in 2009.
Because these details were already disclosed last month in Japan, the real news wasn’t made in graphics, rather AMD has made sweeping changes to their CPU roadmap. The following chart quickly summarizes the changes:
As you can see, AMD has totally reworked their mobile CPU roadmap, with four new cores slated for release between now and the end of 2010, “Caspian”, “Conesus”, “Champlain”, and “Geneva”. The desktop roadmap is dominated by Deneb, which we now know has been officially branded as Phenom II. Then in 2011, AMD plans to introduce Orochi for high-end desktops as well as their first CPU-GPU hybrid processors (AMD refers to them as APUs or accelerated processing units) that combine traditional CPU processing with graphics duties. These processors are codenamed “Llano” and “Ontario”.
Previously AMD’s roadmap indicated we’d see the first CPU-GPU APUs in 2009 with the introduction of their Swift processors. At the time of AMD’s ATI
acquisition in 2006, the company made the case that their 45-nm manufacturing process was the right time for the CPU to gain graphics functionality, now the company feels that the tech isn’t feasible until they shrink to 32-nm with Llano and Ontario, with the Swift core disappearing entirely from AMD’s new roadmap.
Until we see the introduction of the first APUs however, AMD plans to service the mobile segment with more conventional 45-nm processors.
Up first will be Caspian, Conesus, and Huron, all slated to be introduced in the second half of 2009.
Caspian is AMD’s solution for mainstream notebooks
. Like today’s Griffin-based Turion X2 CPUs, the Caspian core will feature two processing cores with 2MB of cache and DDR2 memory. Unfortunately AMD wouldn’t provide further details on Caspian’s architecture (i.e. is the core simply a die-shrink of Griffin or are its origins based on Phenom II), when asked the company declined to answer the question. However, the “S1G3” (socket 1 generation 3) designation in the second chart implies that it’s definitely more advanced than just a simple die-shrink of Griffin, although it may not be quite as complex as Phenom II to keep power consumption and die size down.
Caspian is AMD’s solution for mainstream notebooks
. Like today’s Griffin-based Turion X2 CPUs, the Caspian core will feature two processing cores with 2MB of cache and DDR2 memory. Unfortunately AMD wouldn’t provide further details on Caspian’s architecture (i.e. is the core simply a die-shrink of Griffin or are its origins based on Phenom II), when asked the company declined to answer the question. However, the “S1G3” (socket 1 generation 3) designation in the second chart implies that it’s definitely more advanced than just a simple die-shrink of Griffin, although it may not be quite as complex as Phenom II to keep power consumption and die size down.
Caspian will ship with AMD’s next-generation Tigris platform, which replaces today’s Puma. Tigris will feature a new RS880M North Bridge + SB710 South Bridge. Once again AMD wasn’t specific on details when it comes to RS880M, so we don’t know if it’s derived from RV770 or RV870 technology. AMD also expects manufacturers to offer Tigris-based notebooks with discrete graphics, presumably using upcoming Mobility Radeon 4000 parts.
Moving further down the rung, for the ultraportable/mini-notebook (netbook) segment, AMD plans to offer Conesus in 2H’09. Yesterday, rumors were swirling that AMD would offer a CPU to rival Intel’s Atom CPU. Today AMD reiterated their position on the topic: NO! The company still feels consumers want a more fully-fledged notebook experience with no compromises; as anyone who has tried to seriously game or encode a video on a netbook can tell you, Intel’s Atom CPU really isn’t up to the task for these duties. Rather than offer a dedicated CPU for the netbook segment, AMD plans to counter with lower priced ultraportable systems based around Conesus and Huron.
Conesus is a dual-core part with 1MB of cache and DDR2, while Huron is a single-core CPU. Conesus will rely on AMD’s upcoming Congo platform, which consists of RS780M + SB710 South Bridge, while Huron will ship with Yukon, which will utilize RS690E + SB600. To minimize power consumption we’d guess that these chipsets will be built using TSMC’s 40-nm manufacturing process, although AMD wouldn’t provide specifics on that topic either.
Graphics cards News
AMD plots 16-core super-CPU for 2009
"Bulldozer" to be "highest performing processor core" ever
is preparing an all-new PC processor with up to 16 execution cores. Due out in the first half of 2009, the new architecture is codenamed Bulldozer. In an official announcement, AMD said Bulldozer will be its first substantially new CPU core since the original Athlon 64 processor of 2003. And it'll be the first ground up architectural redesign since the K7 Athlon of 1999.
In that context, it's likely the Bulldozer architecture will provide the foundations of AMD CPUs for many years to come. In other words, the architecture is rather important. The news is the latest in a flurry of announcements from AMD's PR machine in the past week. AMD has already revealed plans for a second-gen quad-core processor known as Shanghai and demoed its upcoming Phenom quad-core desktop chip running at 3GHz.
Meanwhile, the world is still waiting for Barcelona, AMD's first generation quad-core CPU , to appear. AMD has promised that Barcelona will launch later this August.
Bulldozer is the name, crushing Intel is the game
But what about Bulldozer? The big news is that it will form the basis of AMD's first massively multi-core PC processor with up to 16 execution cores. Bulldozer will also be fully compatible with AMD's so-called M-SPACE modular CPU design.
Along with traditional PC processors, therefore, expect to see AMD Fusion CPUs powered by Bulldozer cores but also offering a range of specialised processing units. Think graphics processing cores and high-definition video decoding engines and you'll get an idea of the sort of additional functionality Bulldozer-based Fusion processors will deliver.
As for the main execution cores themselves, they retain the same basic out-of-order superscalar design as AMD's existing PC processors. However, Bulldozer will utilise a deeper instruction pipeline. That's a measure traditionally introduced to allow higher clockspeeds. However, deeper pipelines typically also reduce clock-for-clock performance.
Bulldozer also receives a range of new instructions designed to accelerate media processing and performance in high performance computer clusters. With as many as 16 cores humming away, keeping Barcelona fed with data will obviously be a tough task. In response, AMD says the chip will benefit from "highly scalable memory and I/O performance".
Specifically, that means a new version of AMD's Direct Connect technology along with four HyperTransport 3.0 links per processor. Support for ultra fast DDR3 memory as well as AMD's G3MX memory extender technology will further boost the data and bandwidth available to Bulldozer. AMD's G3MX technology is designed to allow increased system memory without resorting to Intel 's power-hungry FBDIMM approach.
How fast is she, mister?
It all sounds pretty impressive on paper. But how fast will this 16-core chip be in practice? Well, according to AMD, Bulldozer is designed to be nothing less than "the highest performing single and multi-threaded compute core in history".
If AMD is to be believed, Bulldozer will improve upon every metric of CPU performance. From performance per watt to outright multi-threaded performance and old school single-threaded oomph, it's promised Bulldozer will be the new king.
Of course, by 2009 Intel will be shipping some fairly exotic kit of its own. A major revision of Intel's Core architecture, complete with an integrated memory controller and HyperTransport-bashing Common Serial Interface, is pencilled in for 2008 with a further revised variant in 2009.
What's more, with that longer instruction pipeline in mind, it will be interesting to see how Bulldozer pulls off improved single-threaded performance. Rumours are currently circulating that Bulldozer may be capable of thread-fusing or using multiple cores to compute a single thread. Thread fusing is one of the holy grails of PC processing. If Bulldozer is indeed capable of such a feat, the future could be very bright indeed for AMD.
"Bulldozer" to be "highest performing processor core" ever
is preparing an all-new PC processor with up to 16 execution cores. Due out in the first half of 2009, the new architecture is codenamed Bulldozer. In an official announcement, AMD said Bulldozer will be its first substantially new CPU core since the original Athlon 64 processor of 2003. And it'll be the first ground up architectural redesign since the K7 Athlon of 1999.
In that context, it's likely the Bulldozer architecture will provide the foundations of AMD CPUs for many years to come. In other words, the architecture is rather important. The news is the latest in a flurry of announcements from AMD's PR machine in the past week. AMD has already revealed plans for a second-gen quad-core processor known as Shanghai and demoed its upcoming Phenom quad-core desktop chip running at 3GHz.
Meanwhile, the world is still waiting for Barcelona, AMD's first generation quad-core CPU , to appear. AMD has promised that Barcelona will launch later this August.
Bulldozer is the name, crushing Intel is the game
But what about Bulldozer? The big news is that it will form the basis of AMD's first massively multi-core PC processor with up to 16 execution cores. Bulldozer will also be fully compatible with AMD's so-called M-SPACE modular CPU design.
Along with traditional PC processors, therefore, expect to see AMD Fusion CPUs powered by Bulldozer cores but also offering a range of specialised processing units. Think graphics processing cores and high-definition video decoding engines and you'll get an idea of the sort of additional functionality Bulldozer-based Fusion processors will deliver.
As for the main execution cores themselves, they retain the same basic out-of-order superscalar design as AMD's existing PC processors. However, Bulldozer will utilise a deeper instruction pipeline. That's a measure traditionally introduced to allow higher clockspeeds. However, deeper pipelines typically also reduce clock-for-clock performance.
Bulldozer also receives a range of new instructions designed to accelerate media processing and performance in high performance computer clusters. With as many as 16 cores humming away, keeping Barcelona fed with data will obviously be a tough task. In response, AMD says the chip will benefit from "highly scalable memory and I/O performance".
Specifically, that means a new version of AMD's Direct Connect technology along with four HyperTransport 3.0 links per processor. Support for ultra fast DDR3 memory as well as AMD's G3MX memory extender technology will further boost the data and bandwidth available to Bulldozer. AMD's G3MX technology is designed to allow increased system memory without resorting to Intel 's power-hungry FBDIMM approach.
How fast is she, mister?
It all sounds pretty impressive on paper. But how fast will this 16-core chip be in practice? Well, according to AMD, Bulldozer is designed to be nothing less than "the highest performing single and multi-threaded compute core in history".
If AMD is to be believed, Bulldozer will improve upon every metric of CPU performance. From performance per watt to outright multi-threaded performance and old school single-threaded oomph, it's promised Bulldozer will be the new king.
Of course, by 2009 Intel will be shipping some fairly exotic kit of its own. A major revision of Intel's Core architecture, complete with an integrated memory controller and HyperTransport-bashing Common Serial Interface, is pencilled in for 2008 with a further revised variant in 2009.
What's more, with that longer instruction pipeline in mind, it will be interesting to see how Bulldozer pulls off improved single-threaded performance. Rumours are currently circulating that Bulldozer may be capable of thread-fusing or using multiple cores to compute a single thread. Thread fusing is one of the holy grails of PC processing. If Bulldozer is indeed capable of such a feat, the future could be very bright indeed for AMD.
AMD Athlon II X2 Processor Details
• The AMD Athlon II X2 250 performs exceptionally well when combined with AMD chipsets and integrated graphics solutions to create an all-AMD platform. Platforms featuring all-AMD technology can deliver up to twice the graphics performance of those with Intel integrated graphics.¹
• Windows® 7 is optimized for multi-core processors like AMD Athlon™ II processors to give consumers an amazingly fast, simple and engaging PC experience.** For example, Windows 7 is tuned to make the most of these new processors’ power management features, such as AMD PowerNow!™ 3.0 technology. AMD power management technologies, in combination with Windows 7, can help OEMs and partners to build exceptionally green, cool and quiet PCs.
• Based on AMD’s acclaimed 45nm process technology, the AMD Athlon II dual-core processor has a TDP of 65W and can slash power consumption by up to 50 percent when doing basic tasks, up to 40 percent when running heavy workloads and up to 50 percent when at idle.²
AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Details
• AMD Black Edition processors, like the AMD Phenom™ II X2 550, help users to take control and unleash the maximum potential of Dragon platform technology’s unprecedented performance tuning capabilities.* The same massive headroom that set world records in recent months is at users’ finger tips, offering impressive performance at a price the competition can’t beat.³
• Users can also maximize their overclocking experience by utilizing the new features and capabilities of AMD OverDrive™ 3.0, designed to enable quick and effective tuning of their PC experience for optimal performance.*
• With dual-, triple- or quad-core processors, AMD provides platform level solutions at multiple price points, each of which exceeds expectations for virtually any user.
• Windows® 7 is optimized for multi-core processors like AMD Athlon™ II processors to give consumers an amazingly fast, simple and engaging PC experience.** For example, Windows 7 is tuned to make the most of these new processors’ power management features, such as AMD PowerNow!™ 3.0 technology. AMD power management technologies, in combination with Windows 7, can help OEMs and partners to build exceptionally green, cool and quiet PCs.
• Based on AMD’s acclaimed 45nm process technology, the AMD Athlon II dual-core processor has a TDP of 65W and can slash power consumption by up to 50 percent when doing basic tasks, up to 40 percent when running heavy workloads and up to 50 percent when at idle.²
AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Details
• AMD Black Edition processors, like the AMD Phenom™ II X2 550, help users to take control and unleash the maximum potential of Dragon platform technology’s unprecedented performance tuning capabilities.* The same massive headroom that set world records in recent months is at users’ finger tips, offering impressive performance at a price the competition can’t beat.³
• Users can also maximize their overclocking experience by utilizing the new features and capabilities of AMD OverDrive™ 3.0, designed to enable quick and effective tuning of their PC experience for optimal performance.*
• With dual-, triple- or quad-core processors, AMD provides platform level solutions at multiple price points, each of which exceeds expectations for virtually any user.
AMD Introduces Next Generation AMD Athlon™ II Processor, Adds Dual Core to Record-Setting AMD Phenom™ II
AMD Athlon™ II processor delivers new native dual-core architecture, efficient 45nm technology and 3 GHz performance at an affordable price
AMD Phenom™ II X2 Black Edition processor combines value and unlocked potential for gamers and tuners on a budget
COMPUTEX 2009 (TAIPEI, Taiwan) --6/2/2009 Bringing its acclaimed 45nm technology to new high-volume processor designs, AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced two new dual-core desktop processors. Building on 10 years of AMD Athlon™ processor innovation, the new 45nm AMD Athlon™ II X2 250 processor gives mainstream consumers exceptional performance, efficiency and value. For enthusiasts and overclockers, AMD also announces the AMD Phenom™ II X2 550 Black Edition processor, the first ever dual-core AMD Phenom II CPU.* With this latest addition to the AMD Phenom II processor family, users can now experience the power of AMD platform technology, codenamed “Dragon,” with dual-, triple- and quad-core configurations.
AMD Phenom™ II X2 Black Edition processor combines value and unlocked potential for gamers and tuners on a budget
COMPUTEX 2009 (TAIPEI, Taiwan) --6/2/2009 Bringing its acclaimed 45nm technology to new high-volume processor designs, AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced two new dual-core desktop processors. Building on 10 years of AMD Athlon™ processor innovation, the new 45nm AMD Athlon™ II X2 250 processor gives mainstream consumers exceptional performance, efficiency and value. For enthusiasts and overclockers, AMD also announces the AMD Phenom™ II X2 550 Black Edition processor, the first ever dual-core AMD Phenom II CPU.* With this latest addition to the AMD Phenom II processor family, users can now experience the power of AMD platform technology, codenamed “Dragon,” with dual-, triple- and quad-core configurations.
AMD Phenom FX CPU Expected in 2009
Looking to put pressure on Intel once again in the high-end market, sources say AMD plans on releasing the AMD Phenom FX in mid-2009 on its new AM3 socket platform. AMD previously acknowledged that AM3 processors will work in AM2 sockets but not the reverse.
AMD is attempting to bring back their FX-line of processors in mid-2009 according to documents Tom’s Hardware saw. Although little is known about the specifications of these processors, we do know they will be based on the Deneb FX core, feature four processing engines, have shared level-three cache and be based on a 45 nm manufacturing process.
The FX-branding used by AMD in the past had represented products of unmatched performance for enthusiasts who were willing to spend a hefty premium to have the extra performance. The Athlon FX line-up was the last to use processors with the FX-branding and were in production from 2003 to 2006. The Athlon FX processors featured unlocked multipliers and offered the highest clockings of the AMD processors available.
With the great success of Intel’s Core 2 Duo processors in 2006, AMD lost the performance crown it once had held and was forced to focus on mid and entry-level offerings instead, ending production of the Althon FX. AMD continued to offer processors that featured unlocked processors with its Black Edition line-up of Athlon and Phenom processors, which were offered at a fair price for those looking for an overclockable processor and still loyal to AMD. Much the same as AMD’s FX processors, Intel’s Extreme Edition processors offer high clock rates and unlocked multipliers, with similarly high prices.
If history serves us well, these upcoming FX processors will likely carry the name AMD Phenom FX, carry with them a steep price and offer clock-speeds higher than their future mainstream brethren. Future AMD processors produced using 45nm process technology are expected to reach 3.0GHz in speed, possibly putting the AMD Phenom FX processors at over 3GHz.
AMD is attempting to bring back their FX-line of processors in mid-2009 according to documents Tom’s Hardware saw. Although little is known about the specifications of these processors, we do know they will be based on the Deneb FX core, feature four processing engines, have shared level-three cache and be based on a 45 nm manufacturing process.
The FX-branding used by AMD in the past had represented products of unmatched performance for enthusiasts who were willing to spend a hefty premium to have the extra performance. The Athlon FX line-up was the last to use processors with the FX-branding and were in production from 2003 to 2006. The Athlon FX processors featured unlocked multipliers and offered the highest clockings of the AMD processors available.
With the great success of Intel’s Core 2 Duo processors in 2006, AMD lost the performance crown it once had held and was forced to focus on mid and entry-level offerings instead, ending production of the Althon FX. AMD continued to offer processors that featured unlocked processors with its Black Edition line-up of Athlon and Phenom processors, which were offered at a fair price for those looking for an overclockable processor and still loyal to AMD. Much the same as AMD’s FX processors, Intel’s Extreme Edition processors offer high clock rates and unlocked multipliers, with similarly high prices.
If history serves us well, these upcoming FX processors will likely carry the name AMD Phenom FX, carry with them a steep price and offer clock-speeds higher than their future mainstream brethren. Future AMD processors produced using 45nm process technology are expected to reach 3.0GHz in speed, possibly putting the AMD Phenom FX processors at over 3GHz.
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