AMD Q4'06 & Q1'07 Dual-Core Roadmap

[Kougar]

Here's AMD's official roadmap, covers the Socket F FX70 series and socket AM2 launches. The FX64 and FX66 have been removed from the roadmaps completely, by Q1'07 if you want a FX chip you'll be needing an entirely new 1207pin LGA motherboard.

Three new 4x4 processors will arrive with the upcoming November launch of AMD’s enthusiast 4x4 platform. New Athlon Socket-F 64 FX processors include the FX-74, FX-72 and FX-70. These processors will be clocked at 3.0 GHz, 2.8 GHz and 2.6 GHz respectively. All three processors will have a 2x1MB L2 cache configuration and be based on AMD’s Windsor core with a 2000 MHz Hyper Transport frequency. AMD rates the three processors with a 125 watt TDP. Features such as AMD64, NX Bit and Virtualization technologies are supported.

AMD’s mainstream dual-core lineup will receive a couple new updates as well. Also arriving in November will be new Athlon 64 X2 6000+, 5600+, and 5400+. This will be AMD’s first new Athlon 64 X2 processor launch since the launch of the socket AM2 platform—Athlon 64 X2 5200+ excluded. These processors will have 3.0 GHz and 2.8 GHz clock speeds respectively.

Athlon 64 X2 models 6000+ and 5600+ will have a 2x1MB L2 cache configuration while the lower X2 5400+ will have a 2x512KB configuration. AMD rates the TDP for the Athlon 64 X2 6000+ as 125 watts while the lower 5600+ and 5400+ receive 89 watt ratings. Availability is expected in November with no mention of Energy Efficient models.

AMD's 65nm processors received a small reorder; the 4600+ is gone, but AMD has added a new 5000+ chip instead. The 65nm chips are expected to sample in December 2006, with official shipments still slated for Q1'07.

The entire article is available at: http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4422 (http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4422)

http://images.dailytech.com/nimage/2665_large_q407_roadmap.png

[werty316]

Quite disappointing since you need a new board which won't be cheap.

[darkorb]

so am2 buyers lose?

[Kougar]

AM2 buyers don't really lose, they get 2.8ghz and 3 ghz non-FX chips. X2 5400+, X2 5600+, and X2 6000+.

[vfrex]

Heh, I don't see how not being able to buy the FX line is a loss. If I wanted a netburst like power consumption, I would get one! The only thing worth mentioning on that roadmap is the shrink to 65nm on a total of 4 X2 processors. Bah.

[werty316]

But AM2 users don't get the 4x4.

[vfrex]

Isn't the point of 4x4 to allow for effective dual socket? Why would current AM2 board owners care about dual socket?

[Kougar]

FX IS "4x4" now. Not many pay for $1k processors, and since the FX/4x4 line will start out at or near $1k, and go even higher. I think the majority of users that can afford it won't have any problem also buying a matching 4x4 motherboard.

[werty316]

Isn't the point of 4x4 to allow for effective dual socket? Why would current AM2 board owners care about dual socket?
AMD's true quadcore, the K8L won't be out sometime in 2007 and since it uses a higher HT using current AM2 boards won't take advantage of the extra bandwidth.

Give this a read: http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/cpu_gpu_roadmap_07/

A quick splurge from the article:HT 3.0 runs at 2.6GHz, providing up to 20.8GB/sec of peak bandwidth. In comparison Athlon 64's HT 1.0 tops out at 1GHz, yielding up to 8.0GB/sec peak bandwidth. According to DigiTimes, the new Altair chips will reside in AMD’s Socket “AM2+”. In all honesty though, we’re not 100% confident in the codename of this new CPU, as it breaks with AMD’s current naming convention. Back in June of this year, AMD announced a collaborative effort with Altair Engineering, which may have led to some of the confusion. In any case, the DigiTimes article mentions two Altair lines, one high-end SKU for enthusiasts that will sell under the high-end Athlon 64 FX brand and a desktop variant of Altair that will go under the Athlon 64 X4 designation. The DigiTimes article also says that these Altair chips are expected to be compatible with AM2 motherboards, but if you want the added bandwidth provided by HT 3.0, you'll want to get an AM2+ motherboard.

[vfrex]

Werty, I'm still not understanding your point. You're claiming that AM2 users are SOL because 4x4 isn't available on AM2. I'm saying that 4x4 is purely a dual processor platform. There are no dual socket AM2 motherboards. Nobody who bought AM2 lost out on 4x4, because nobody who bought AM2 got a dual socket board or intended to go dual socket. From the article you quote:

4x4 is AMD’s two processor, dual-core solution for hardware enthusiasts. The CPUs will all ship with 1MB of L2 cache per core (2x1MB L2) and will be clocked at 3.0GHz, 2.8GHz, and 2.6GHz respectively.

and

Update 10/4/06: This news article from HKEPC is similar to the DigiTimes report, yet it provides more info on Altair and Antares. According to the HKEPC article the Altair CPU intended for the FX line will be built on a new "F+" socket, presumably F+ being AMD's 1207-pin F socket that has been adapted to include support for HT 3.0. This FX CPU would be AMD's first quad-core 4x4 CPU: two quad-core CPUs running in one PC for a grand total of eight processing cores between the two CPUs! The desktop X4 Altair chip would run at the same clock speeds as the FX Altair (2.7-2.9GHz), only it would be used in AM2 and AM2+ systems, with just 1 CPU in the system.

So as I'm understanding this, AM2 users will still have two upgrade paths in terms of a single CPU solution:

1) 65nm X2 line
2) First generation K8L

I'm just confused as to what this release of 4x4 brings to the table over current Dual-Core Dual-Socket Operton solutions aside from higher clock speeds.

[GIBSON]

1207 pins! that's a nice increase!

[werty316]

Werty, I'm still not understanding your point. You're claiming that AM2 users are SOL because 4x4 isn't available on AM2. I'm saying that 4x4 is purely a dual processor platform. There are no dual socket AM2 motherboards. Nobody who bought AM2 lost out on 4x4, because nobody who bought AM2 got a dual socket board or intended to go dual socket. From the article you quote:

and

So as I'm understanding this, AM2 users will still have two upgrade paths in terms of a single CPU solution:

1) 65nm X2 line
2) First generation K8L

I'm just confused as to what this release of 4x4 brings to the table over current Dual-Core Dual-Socket Operton solutions aside from higher clock speeds.:lol: plain and simple: 1207 Socket F is used for the 4x4. The K8L which is a quadcore CPU is expect/suppose to be compatible with AM2 boards even though the AM2 boards use a slower HT which will limit full bandwidth of the K8L of 20.8GB/sec compared to the current AM2 HT at 8.0GB/sec.

[Kougar]

Some just leaked ATI slides show their future chipset plans... ATI is already set to build HT3 standard AM2 -> AM2+ chipsets.

[werty316]

Some just leaked ATI slides show their future chipset plans... ATI is already set to build HT3 standard AM2 -> AM2+ chipsets.
Take a look/read up on it here: http://www.ocwforums.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=55270

By Q1'07 ATi is going for "3 graphics" and Q3'07 "4 graphics"!!! :shock:

AMD to enter K8L era in 2H 2007

In 2H 2007, AMD is entering a new K8L era. Besides the Quad Core, K8L architecture will be introduced to all of the product lines. With great compatibility of Hyper-Transport, whatever K8 or K8L processors will also be supported in both AM2 and AM2+ main board.

According to the latest roadmap for Desktop processor from AMD, the first AMD’s K8L based Quad Core Altair will be available in Q3 2007. With 65nm SOI technology, Altair is introduced as Athlon 64 FX and Athlon 64 X4. The Athlon 64 FX (Socket F+) one is designed for performance enthusiast with 4x4 platform supported, while the Athlon 64 X4 (Socket AM2+) one targets for the mainstream segment with SMP (Symmetric Multi-Processor) technology. Altair would be clocked somewhere between 2.7-2.9GHz, with 512KB L2 Cache for each core such that 2MB L2 Cache in total, and shared 2M L3 Cache. With 65nm SOI technology, its TDP is designed in 125W.

Alongside with Altair, there are also K8L based Dual-Core Antares coming in Q3 2007 and Arcturus coming in Q4 2007. Starting from 2GHz to 2.9GHz, Antares features 512KB L2 Cache for each core and 2MB shared L3 Cache. 2.0GHz & 2.1GHz versions will have 35W TDP, while 2.4GHz to 2.7GHz versions have 65W TDP, and 2.6GHz to 2.9GHz versions have 89W TDP. The first release will only have versions between 2.6GHz and 2.9GHz, while others will be releasing in late Q3 2007.

When we look deep in Arcturus, there are many similarities between Arcturus and Antares. The biggest difference is that Arcturus has no L3 Cache, just 512KB Cache for each core. Starting from 2.1GHz to 2.3GHz, Arcturus is the replacement to single-core Orleans Athlon 64, and with 65W TDP only. On beyond Q4 2007, single core products are only left for the value market, and there is new K8L Spica corresponding to this market.

Socket AM2+ is now confirmed to be the upgraded interface for all K8L products. As AM2+ and AM2 are compatible to each other, K8 or K8L processors will also be supported in both AM2 and AM2+ main board, just different in the bandwidth of I/O.

In addition, the AM3, which was planned to release in 2H 2007, is now postponed to introduced to 45nm models.

http://www.hkepc.com/bbs/itnews.php?tid=679375&starttime=0&endtime=0

[Kougar]

4 GPUs? They must mean using a PCIe 16x slot for something else, I can't imagine anyone wanting let alone being capable of running four DX10 cards for quad-whatever.

Now Dual-GPUs + a 3rd for physics they have been talking about for a good while now... but four slots? GPU + GPU+ Physics GPU + PCIe RAID card is the only thing I can see using that arrangement.

[GIBSON]

LOL 4*PCI-e = 2*quadcore = octacore = 2Kw PSU :lol:

[Kougar]

2 kilowatt PSUs? Psh, I'm getting a 1 gigawatt PSU for Xmas next year ;)

[Xero (1)ne]

arent the next-gen cpu's supposed to be more energy effecient?

[Kougar]

arent the next-gen cpu's supposed to be more energy effecient?

CPUs, yes. Infact Intel has some truly amazing numbers on their energy efficient quad-core Clovertown.

But GPUs use far, far more power than a CPU nowadays... and with DX10 it will only get worse. ;)

[GIBSON]

Yup, kougar's absolutely correct. With a few DX10 cards installed, I don't think you'll have to turn the heating on during winter :lol:

[Xero (1)ne]

Yup, kougar's absolutely correct. With a few DX10 cards installed, I don't think you'll have to turn the heating on during winter :lol:
i dont turn on the heat anyways;-)
i live in the basement and last year with the windows open and snow in my room i got my temp down to 19*c:mrgreen: