AMD launches its 45nm Opteron processors

AMD launches its 45nm Opteron processors

AMD has now announced the official debut of its first 45nm processors, the 'Shanghai' quad-core Opterons. Still making use of Socket F (1207), the 45nm server CPUs feature HyperTransport, the CoolCore technology, which reduces power to unused sections of each processor to further reduce power consumption., 6MB of L3 cache (up from the 2 MB of 65nm Opterons), an integrated DDR2 memory controller, lower power requirements and generally more processing power.

AMD launches its 45nm Opteron processors

"Flawless execution in bringing the 45nm Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor to market early results in new performance leadership on x86 servers," said Randy Allen, senior vice president, Computing Solutions Group, AMD. "In concert with our OEM and solution provider partners, AMD is addressing the need for enterprises to focus on their bottom line while giving them the innovations they need to build for the future. This enhanced AMD Opteron processor represents the most dramatic performance and performance-per-watt increases for AMD products since the introduction of the world’s first x86 dual-core processors by AMD nearly four years ago. Simply put, the Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor is the right technology at the right time."

The first wave of 45nm processors has already reached stores and the offers of server builders and it includes no less than nine models, all detailed below. Prices are for 1000-unit tray quantities.

AMD taking a $948 million charge in Q2

One week before announcing its results for the second quarter of this year, Advanced Micro Devices aka AMD has revealed that it is taking a massive $948 million charge for the three month period with most of the sum, $880 million, being a write down of the goodwill value of its 2006 $5.4 billion purchase, ATi Technologies. This is the second time AMD cut down on the intangible value of ATi, with the first round being of $1,608 billion and affecting AMD's Q4 2007 results.

The Q2 charges also include $32 million in restructuring costs and $24 million in relation to Spansion stock. AMD has previously stated that it will turn to profit this year.

AMD 45nm Phenom pictures and SuperPI results

Although not coming soon enough, AMD's 45nm quad-core Phenom processors, will (hopefully) make their way into stores later this year and a new engineering samples have already started to pop up for some early hype. Just below, you can see two of the upcoming Phenom X4 codename Deneb CPUs, clocked at 2.2 and 2.3 GHz. Both come in an AM2+ package, have a integrated DDR2 (and probably DDR3) memory controller, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache, three times more than the currently selling Agena quads.
Pictures itocp.com.

AMD intros three more Phenom X4 processors

Coming just as Q3 kicks off the Phenom X4 9950 Black Edition, X4 9350e and 9150e are ready to pretty much close the circle of AMD's quad-core 65nm desktop offer and let the company prepare the 45nm Deneb and Propus processors. Topping out at 2.6 GHz, the Phenom X4 9950 BE is the highest-clocked AMD quad-core and it features an unlocked multiplier, 2MB of L2 cache, 2MB of shared L3 cache and a not so attractive TDP of 140W.

Those who want something 'cooler,' literally, AMD is releasing the energy-efficient Phenon X4 9350e and 9150e CPUs, both bragging with a 65W TDP and clocked at 2.0 and 1.8 GHz respectively. All three Agena processors are AM2+ and AM2 compatible but please note that the 9950 BE will not be supported but many new or old motherboards. Asus and MSI have already released lists with the boards that can handle the 140W CPU.

Price wise, the Phenom 9950 BE will take the 9850's place at $235 while the latter goes down to $205 with the X4 9350e and 9150e being set to debut at $195 and $175 respectively. For more info about the performance of AMD's new processors check out HotHardware's article.source:tcmagazine

AMD AM3 CHIPSET IN Q1 2009

In Q4 2008 , AMD will present the 45 nm processors (socket AM3) with the integrated DDR3 memory controller .Such processors will work in socket AM2 or Socket AM2+ motherboards, since the memory controller will support also DDR-2.


Associate get some slide from AMD road-map, this company intends to present a chipset for AM3 platform in the first half 2009. These chipset will support DDR-3. In Q1 2009 , AMD will release the chipset RD790, which will occupy the place of present AMD 790FX, and will use the south bridge SB750. The latter, will be released in Q3 2008. In the second quarter 2009 , AMD will show the chipset RD890, which will be combined with the new south bridge SB800. In the integrated segment AMD will release the chipset RS880.

AMD's Phenom X3 8000 Series: Two Cores vs Three Cores

AMD's Phenom X3 8000

AMD has been pretty active on the CPU front lately, last month we saw the Phenom re-launch with the B3-stepping 50-series quad-core processors and today AMD is unveiling its 50-series triple-core parts.

	Cores	Stepping	Clock Speed	TDP	L2 Cache	L3 Cache	1 Ku Price
AMD Phenom X4 9850	4	B3	2.5GHz	125W	2MB	2MB	$235
AMD Phenom X4 9750	4	B3	2.4GHz	125W	2MB	2MB	$215
AMD Phenom X4 9550	4	B3	2.2GHz	95W	2MB	2MB	$209
AMD Phenom X3 8750	3	B3	2.4GHz	95W	1.5MB	2MB	$195
AMD Phenom X3 8650	3	B3	2.3GHz	95W	1.5MB	2MB	$165
AMD Phenom X3 8450	3	B3	2.1GHz	95W	1.5MB	2MB	$145

Note that all three of the triple-core parts are 50-series CPUs, meaning they are based on the B3 stepping and do not suffer from the TLB erratum that plagued the early Phenom processors. AMD continues to ship B2 stepping CPUs, but most of them are to OEMs that aren't as concerned with the performance hit associated with the software TLB fix.

Pricing is also pretty interesting, as the top end Phenom X3 8750 is only $20 cheaper than the quad-core Phenom X4 9750 despite running at the same clock speed. The X3 8650 and 8450 are far more interesting as both of them are priced closer to $150.

There's now some overlap between AMD's triple-core Phenom and dual-core Athlon X2 offerings in terms of price, have a look:

	Cores	Clock Speed	TDP	L2 Cache	L3 Cache	1 Ku Price
AMD Phenom X3 8750	3	2.4GHz	95W	1.5MB	2MB	$195
AMD Phenom X3 8650	3	2.3GHz	95W	1.5MB	2MB	$165
AMD Phenom X3 8450	3	2.1GHz	95W	1.5MB	2MB	$145
AMD Athlon X2 6400+	2	3.2GHz	125W	2MB	0MB	$178
AMD Athlon X2 6000+	2	3.0GHz	125W	2MB	0MB	$167
AMD Athlon X2 5600+	2	2.8GHz	89W	2MB	0MB	$146

The Athlon X2s still hold a tremendous clock speed advantage, but Phenom can do more work per clock. It will be interesting to see if three Phenom cores at 2.1GHz are a better buy than two Athlon X2 cores at 2.8GHz.

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