Desktop PCs and laptop/notebook computers that run a dual-core processor are not much more expensive than those that run a single-core processor. Therefore, for the best future-proofing, buying a PC or notebook with a dual-core processor is the best choice. However, it won't be long before that choice moves to a computer running a quad-core processor.
On November 14, 2006, Intel added to the confusing number of choices by making quad-core processors available. A quad-core processor has four processor cores housed in a single unit, and systems running them can be used in network servers and in desktop PCs. All too soon, laptop computers will also be running them.
The review that starts on the following page deals with a Gateway FX530XT computer, designed for PC gaming, that has a Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 quad-core processor, the four cores of which run at 2.66GHz. The other specifications are a RAM memory FSB that has an effective speed of 1066MHz FSB, and a 2x4MB cache. The graphics cards are two ATI Radeon X1950 cards set up to use ATI's CrossFire technology. Each card has 512MB GDDR4 of memory and supports DVI HDCP, VGA (via adapter) and TV-Out connections.
In November 2007, AMD brought its quad-core Phenom range of quad-core processors to the market.
AMD Phenom Quad-Core Processors -
http://www.amd.com/...0,,30_118_15331_15332,00.html
Are Intel And IBM Cheating With Their Quad-Core Processors? -
http://www.informationweek.com/.../are_intel_and_i.html
Intel Core2 Quad Processors -
"Leaders of the pack seeking monster performance, look no further. With four execution cores, the Intel® Core™2 Quad processor blows through processor-intensive tasks in demanding multitasking environments and makes the most of highly threaded applications. Whether you're creating multimedia, annihilating your gaming enemies, or running compute-intensive applications at one time, new quad-core processing will change the way you do everything. Pioneer the new world of quad-core and unleash the power of multithreading." - http://www.intel.com/products/processor/core2quad/index.htm
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Monitoring and optimising applications on dual-core, quad-core, and multiple-processor systems
Windows XP and Windows Vista set running processes to run on all of the available processors by default. In Windows XP and Windows Vista, which both support dual-core, quad-core, and multiple-processor systems, you can set which of the processors runs a particular program or application. This is known as setting the processor affinity. However, note well that you should not use any third-party utility to set the processor affinity for operating system files, because doing so could cause system instability, system crashes, and data or system loss.
Here is how you set the processor affinity for Windows Explorer:
Press the Ctrl + Alt + Del key combination to bring up the Windows Task Manager. Open the Processes tab with the mouse pointer. Windows Explorer is explorer.exe. Right-click on explorer.exe under Processes, and choose Set Affinity. This brings up the Processor Affinity window, which has boxes for 32 processors (CPU0 to CPU31). In a dual-core system, which uses two processors, the two processors are called CPU0 and CPU1. They are both enabled by default, which is the best setting for Windows Explorer, but, because explorer.exe is a Windows program, not a system file, you could choose to have just one of the processors running it by removing one of the enabling check marks to disable that processor from running it. You can assign a processor to run any of the processes (programs and applications) listed under Processes.
Here is how you set the processor affinity for Windows Explorer:
Press the Ctrl + Alt + Del key combination to bring up the Windows Task Manager. Open the Processes tab with the mouse pointer. Windows Explorer is explorer.exe. Right-click on explorer.exe under Processes, and choose Set Affinity. This brings up the Processor Affinity window, which has boxes for 32 processors (CPU0 to CPU31). In a dual-core system, which uses two processors, the two processors are called CPU0 and CPU1. They are both enabled by default, which is the best setting for Windows Explorer, but, because explorer.exe is a Windows program, not a system file, you could choose to have just one of the processors running it by removing one of the enabling check marks to disable that processor from running it. You can assign a processor to run any of the processes (programs and applications) listed under Processes.
WOWing Your 32-Bit Applications with 64-Bit Windows Part 1 -
AMD has now made triple-core (X3) and quad-core (X4) processors available. This article compares them and the alternatives from Intel. Note that Intel does not have triple-core processors.
New AMD Phenom X3 Vs. Phenom X4 -
See the Using Windows Vista section on this site for more information on it.
When two or more applications are running on a dual-core or a quad-core system, the work can be shared by the two or four processor cores. However, a single application won't run faster on a dual-core/quad-core system unless it has been programmed to do so by splitting it into threads that can be shared between the two/four cores. A multithreaded application is one that has been programmed to run on two or more processor cores. Such applications are currently (April, 2007) still rare.
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor for Desktop -
Intel Core Duo Processors - http://www.intel.com/products/processor/coreduo/
If you are using software that hasn't been written to take advantage of two processor cores, you can make use of SMP Seesaw by Mike Lin.
"SMP Seesaw is a small utility for dual CPU workstations that allows the user to finely tune how Windows balances the processing load between the two CPUs."
New AMD Phenom X3 Vs. Phenom X4 -
See the Using Windows Vista section on this site for more information on it.
When two or more applications are running on a dual-core or a quad-core system, the work can be shared by the two or four processor cores. However, a single application won't run faster on a dual-core/quad-core system unless it has been programmed to do so by splitting it into threads that can be shared between the two/four cores. A multithreaded application is one that has been programmed to run on two or more processor cores. Such applications are currently (April, 2007) still rare.
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor for Desktop -
Intel Core Duo Processors - http://www.intel.com/products/processor/coreduo/
If you are using software that hasn't been written to take advantage of two processor cores, you can make use of SMP Seesaw by Mike Lin.
"SMP Seesaw is a small utility for dual CPU workstations that allows the user to finely tune how Windows balances the processing load between the two CPUs."
Computer Shopper Intel and AMD processor reviews
Computer Shopper issue 244 (available from around March 20, 2008) in its processor reviews of Intel and AMD processors gave the following Intel processors its Budget Buy, Best Buy and Ultimate awards:
1. - Intel Pentium Dual Core E2160 (dual-core processor) - Budget Buy award - Priced at £44 in March 2008 - Click here! to read the review of this class of processor.
2. - Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 (dual-core processor) - Best Buy award - Priced at £125 in March 2008 - Click here! to read the review of this class of processor.
3. - Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 (quad-core processor) - Ultimate award- Priced at £204 in March 2008 - Click here! to read the review of this class of processor.
Computer Shopper 2007 Awards
The Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 dual-core processor received the Best Component award in the Computer Shopper 2007 Awards. It was priced at just over £100 in October 2007.
The Computer Shopper 2007 Awards gave the Best Intel Motherboard award to the Abit IP35 Pro board. The Best AMD Motherboard award went to the MSI K9AGM2 board.
Using a laptop/notebook Pentium M notebook processor in a desktop PC
If you want a quiet desktop computer that uses only a minimal amount of power and that runs so cool that it can be fitted with a passive heatsink (one without a fan), ATX desktop PC motherboards are available that use the processors normally only found in laptop/notebook computers. It is also possible to buy an adapter that fits to particular standard motherboards that allows a mobile notebook processor to be used.
Click here! to go directly to information on these motherboards, processors, and adapters on Page 3 of this article.
The choice doesn't end there. Both AMD and Intel have made dual-core processors available, which are single units that house two processor cores with the same clock speed. Moreover, Intel first made quad-core processors available (its Core 2 Quad range) in January 2007. AMD made its Phenom range of quad-core processors available in November 2007.
Note that all of the dual-core processors made by AMD and Intel are 64-bit processors that can run 32-bit and 64-bit software, which includes a 64-bit operating system, such as Windows XP Professional x64 Edition • Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition and Linux.
Note that a 64-bit operating system can also run 32-bit software with ease. However, note that some 32-bit software might not run on a 64-bit operating system, and all 16-bit software will not run on one.
1. - Intel Pentium Dual Core E2160 (dual-core processor) - Budget Buy award - Priced at £44 in March 2008 - Click here! to read the review of this class of processor.
2. - Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 (dual-core processor) - Best Buy award - Priced at £125 in March 2008 - Click here! to read the review of this class of processor.
3. - Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 (quad-core processor) - Ultimate award- Priced at £204 in March 2008 - Click here! to read the review of this class of processor.
Computer Shopper 2007 Awards
The Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 dual-core processor received the Best Component award in the Computer Shopper 2007 Awards. It was priced at just over £100 in October 2007.
The Computer Shopper 2007 Awards gave the Best Intel Motherboard award to the Abit IP35 Pro board. The Best AMD Motherboard award went to the MSI K9AGM2 board.
Using a laptop/notebook Pentium M notebook processor in a desktop PC
If you want a quiet desktop computer that uses only a minimal amount of power and that runs so cool that it can be fitted with a passive heatsink (one without a fan), ATX desktop PC motherboards are available that use the processors normally only found in laptop/notebook computers. It is also possible to buy an adapter that fits to particular standard motherboards that allows a mobile notebook processor to be used.
Click here! to go directly to information on these motherboards, processors, and adapters on Page 3 of this article.
The choice doesn't end there. Both AMD and Intel have made dual-core processors available, which are single units that house two processor cores with the same clock speed. Moreover, Intel first made quad-core processors available (its Core 2 Quad range) in January 2007. AMD made its Phenom range of quad-core processors available in November 2007.
Note that all of the dual-core processors made by AMD and Intel are 64-bit processors that can run 32-bit and 64-bit software, which includes a 64-bit operating system, such as Windows XP Professional x64 Edition • Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition and Linux.
Note that a 64-bit operating system can also run 32-bit software with ease. However, note that some 32-bit software might not run on a 64-bit operating system, and all 16-bit software will not run on one.
THE LATEST PROCESSOR NEWS
Intel's new Socket LGA1366 Core i7 quad-core desktop PC processors are now available
December 5, 2008. - Intel has released three of its new Socket LGA1366 quad-core Core i7 processors.
The new processors, which are built using the latest 45nm fabrication process, differ in several significant ways from Intel's Core 2 Duo dual-core and Core 2 Quad quad-core processors. The traditional frontside bus that links the processor to the RAM memory on the motherboard has been replaced by the new QuickPath interface - a memory controller built into the processor, which operates in a similar way to the HyperTransport memory controller that has been built into AMD processors for several years. Unfortunately, QuickPath only supports the latest DDR3 RAM memory, so you won't be able to reuse any DDR2 memory that you may have. Moreover, the DDR3 memory can be run in triple-channel mode instead of the dual-channel mode that AMD's processors support. This means that instead of using two memory modules in conjunction, as is the case with dual-channel mode, three modules of the same capacity and type can be run from the controller at the same time in order to increase performance. For this reason, Socket 1366 motherboards have six memory slots so that two sets of three modules can be run in triple-channel mode.
As with the Core 2 Quad range of processors, all of the Core i7 processors have four processor cores (in effect four processors housed in a single unit), which makes running multiple applications easy, because each application can have its own core processing it. Moreover, all of the Core i7 processors also use Hyper-Threading Technology that was introduced by Intel's Pentium 4 processors. Using it, each core can process two threads of information at the same time, in effect adding four virtual cores, which boosts performance significantly, but doesn't double it.
All of the Core i7 processors have 256K of Level 2 (L2) cache for each core, which share 8MB of Level 3 (L3) cache.
Despite using the same 45nm fabrication process as the latest Core 2 Quad processors, the new Core i7 quad-core processors have a higher power requirement (130W) compared to that of the Core 2 Quad processors (95W), which means that a bigger heatsink and fan unit is required to keep the processor cool, which, in turn, means a noisier PC.
Computer Shopper reviewed the Core i7 920, which runs at 2.66GHz, in issue 251. It was only give a a two-star rating due to the high cost of DDR3 memory and the motherboards that run them, plus the fact that the prototype system Computer Shopper used had a lower benchmark performance than an equivalent Core 2 Quad Q9550 processor. The advice was not to rush out and buy Core i7 until finalised motherboards and updated drivers can be used to put them to the test.
Here is the review:
http://www.computershopper.co.uk/reviews/238866/intel-core-i7-920.html
Intel's new Socket LGA1366 Core i7 quad-core processors due out later this month
November 5, 2008. - The latest quad-core processor chip from Intel, code-named Nehalem and officially named Core i7, is aimed at high-end desktop PCs for power users and PC gamers. Unlike the Core2 Quad quad-core processors, which are really two dual-core processors connected together, the new processors, like all of AMD's quad-core processors, have four individual cores connected together.
The new processors feature a turbo mode that is not like the turbo mode button found on computers during the 1980s. The turbo mode of Core i7 processors works automatically and results in increased single-core performance when all of the cores are not in use, achieving higher single-core performance.
Instead of the Front Side Bus (FSB) that PCs have been using for decades, the new processors use the new QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) technology to communicate with the motherboard's Northbridge chip.
For the first time, Intel has integrated the memory controller into the processor, which AMD processors have had for several years. Because the new processors have a new socket (Socket LGA1366), use DDR3 RAM memory, and use an integrated memory controller and other new technology, the motherboards that run Core 2 processors are not compatible with the motherboards that run Core i7 processors and vice versa. A processor cooler is included with the retail boxed product.
When Intel launches the range of Core i7 processors officially later this month, several PC manufacturers will begin shipping desktop PCs that run them. The company has been making the new processors available to hardware vendors and websites since September. Test reports are very favourable, describing the performance as blazingly, blindingly and blisteringly fast. However, there is next to no information available on the new processors on Intel's website. That should change after the official release.
Eight-core Core i7 processors and two-core and four-core models for laptop/notebook PCs are expected to be made available in the second half of 2009. Three Core i7 models are to be released initially - the Core i7 920 (2.66 GHz), the Core i7 940 (2.93GHz), and the Core i7 965 Extreme (3.20 GHz).
As Intel prepares the launch its new Socket LGA1366 desktop PC processors in November, Asus has already made a motherboard available for them
October 9, 2008. - Intel is preparing for the launch of its new Core i7 processors in November 2008. This is how Intel describes the processors on its website: "These processors will feature Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology, also known as simultaneous multi-threading, and are capable of handling eight software "threads" on four processor cores."
The processors have not been made available to reviewers yet, but the motherboard manufacturer, Asus, has already made its P6T Deluxe motherboard with the X58 chipset, which has the new LGA1366 processor socket, available to reviewers world-wide and ready for the market when Intel makes the Core i7 processors available.
The new motherboard provides new power-saving and overclocking technology. As an optional extra a device known as the OC Palm is available that provides overclocking on-the-fly during gaming or benchmarking. You can see an image of the device attached to a USB port on this page:
New ASUS P6T DELUXE with Super Hybrid Engine Delivers Maximum Overclocking and Energy Efficiency -
"The P6T DELUXE adopts the usage of TurboV—an advanced overclocking tool that utilizes a micro-controller to provide precise overclocking adjustments, and allow users to conveniently adjust the CPU ratio (multiplier)* for instant CPU upgrades for real-time performance enhancements. TurboV can also provide adjustments to the NB voltage, NB-PCIe voltage, CPU PLL voltage and DRAM voltage in 0.02V micro-intervals." -
http://www.asus.com/news_show.aspx?id=12949
Apart from that page, there is no other information on the board on the Asus site yet. To locate reviews of this motherboard enter asus p6T deluxe in the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio THE LATEST PROCESSOR NEWS
Intel's new Socket LGA1366 Core i7 quad-core desktop PC processors are now available
December 5, 2008. - Intel has released three of its new Socket LGA1366 quad-core Core i7 processors.
The new processors, which are built using the latest 45nm fabrication process, differ in several significant ways from Intel's Core 2 Duo dual-core and Core 2 Quad quad-core processors. The traditional frontside bus that links the processor to the RAM memory on the motherboard has been replaced by the new QuickPath interface - a memory controller built into the processor, which operates in a similar way to the HyperTransport memory controller that has been built into AMD processors for several years. Unfortunately, QuickPath only supports the latest DDR3 RAM memory, so you won't be able to reuse any DDR2 memory that you may have. Moreover, the DDR3 memory can be run in triple-channel mode instead of the dual-channel mode that AMD's processors support. This means that instead of using two memory modules in conjunction, as is the case with dual-channel mode, three modules of the same capacity and type can be run from the controller at the same time in order to increase performance. For this reason, Socket 1366 motherboards have six memory slots so that two sets of three modules can be run in triple-channel mode.
As with the Core 2 Quad range of processors, all of the Core i7 processors have four processor cores (in effect four processors housed in a single unit), which makes running multiple applications easy, because each application can have its own core processing it. Moreover, all of the Core i7 processors also use Hyper-Threading Technology that was introduced by Intel's Pentium 4 processors. Using it, each core can process two threads of information at the same time, in effect adding four virtual cores, which boosts performance significantly, but doesn't double it.
All of the Core i7 processors have 256K of Level 2 (L2) cache for each core, which share 8MB of Level 3 (L3) cache.
Despite using the same 45nm fabrication process as the latest Core 2 Quad processors, the new Core i7 quad-core processors have a higher power requirement (130W) compared to that of the Core 2 Quad processors (95W), which means that a bigger heatsink and fan unit is required to keep the processor cool, which, in turn, means a noisier PC.
Computer Shopper reviewed the Core i7 920, which runs at 2.66GHz, in issue 251. It was only give a a two-star rating due to the high cost of DDR3 memory and the motherboards that run them, plus the fact that the prototype system Computer Shopper used had a lower benchmark performance than an equivalent Core 2 Quad Q9550 processor. The advice was not to rush out and buy Core i7 until finalised motherboards and updated drivers can be used to put them to the test.
Here is the review:
http://www.computershopper.co.uk/reviews/238866/intel-core-i7-920.html
Intel's new Socket LGA1366 Core i7 quad-core processors due out later this month
November 5, 2008. - The latest quad-core processor chip from Intel, code-named Nehalem and officially named Core i7, is aimed at high-end desktop PCs for power users and PC gamers. Unlike the Core2 Quad quad-core processors, which are really two dual-core processors connected together, the new processors, like all of AMD's quad-core processors, have four individual cores connected together.
The new processors feature a turbo mode that is not like the turbo mode button found on computers during the 1980s. The turbo mode of Core i7 processors works automatically and results in increased single-core performance when all of the cores are not in use, achieving higher single-core performance.
Instead of the Front Side Bus (FSB) that PCs have been using for decades, the new processors use the new QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) technology to communicate with the motherboard's Northbridge chip.
For the first time, Intel has integrated the memory controller into the processor, which AMD processors have had for several years. Because the new processors have a new socket (Socket LGA1366), use DDR3 RAM memory, and use an integrated memory controller and other new technology, the motherboards that run Core 2 processors are not compatible with the motherboards that run Core i7 processors and vice versa. A processor cooler is included with the retail boxed product.
When Intel launches the range of Core i7 processors officially later this month, several PC manufacturers will begin shipping desktop PCs that run them. The company has been making the new processors available to hardware vendors and websites since September. Test reports are very favourable, describing the performance as blazingly, blindingly and blisteringly fast. However, there is next to no information available on the new processors on Intel's website. That should change after the official release.
Eight-core Core i7 processors and two-core and four-core models for laptop/notebook PCs are expected to be made available in the second half of 2009. Three Core i7 models are to be released initially - the Core i7 920 (2.66 GHz), the Core i7 940 (2.93GHz), and the Core i7 965 Extreme (3.20 GHz).
As Intel prepares the launch its new Socket LGA1366 desktop PC processors in November, Asus has already made a motherboard available for them
October 9, 2008. - Intel is preparing for the launch of its new Core i7 processors in November 2008. This is how Intel describes the processors on its website: "These processors will feature Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology, also known as simultaneous multi-threading, and are capable of handling eight software "threads" on four processor cores."
The processors have not been made available to reviewers yet, but the motherboard manufacturer, Asus, has already made its P6T Deluxe motherboard with the X58 chipset, which has the new LGA1366 processor socket, available to reviewers world-wide and ready for the market when Intel makes the Core i7 processors available.
The new motherboard provides new power-saving and overclocking technology. As an optional extra a device known as the OC Palm is available that provides overclocking on-the-fly during gaming or benchmarking. You can see an image of the device attached to a USB port on this page:
New ASUS P6T DELUXE with Super Hybrid Engine Delivers Maximum Overclocking and Energy Efficiency -
"The P6T DELUXE adopts the usage of TurboV—an advanced overclocking tool that utilizes a micro-controller to provide precise overclocking adjustments, and allow users to conveniently adjust the CPU ratio (multiplier)* for instant CPU upgrades for real-time performance enhancements. TurboV can also provide adjustments to the NB voltage, NB-PCIe voltage, CPU PLL voltage and DRAM voltage in 0.02V micro-intervals." -
http://www.asus.com/news_show.aspx?id=12949
Apart from that page, there is no other information on the board on the Asus site yet. To locate reviews of this motherboard enter asus p6T deluxe in the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled).
Intel Core i7 (Nehalem): Architecture By AMD? -
Intel's new Socket LGA1366 quad-core processors. -
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/Intel-i7-nehalem,review-31375.html
Processors and the sockets they can be fitted into on a computer's motherboard started to become confusing back in the days when the maximum speed of a PC processor was 200MHz and 233MHz, and Intel dropped using Super Socket 7 (SS7), while AMD went on using it all the way up to 550MHz for its K6-2 and K6-3 processors.
Today, Intel's single-core Pentium 4 processor has reached a clock speed of 3.8GHz, which is twenty times faster than 200MHz. However, due to heating problems, the clock speed has halted and both AMD and Intel have opted to develop dual-core and quad-core processors (two processor cores and four processor cores housed as a single unit) instead of attempting to overcome the problem of overheating that comes into play with clock speeds of 4.0GHz and higher.
On top of that, AMD and Intel have added 64-bit processors to their existing ranges of 32-bit processors. They can run on a 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems, and can run 32-bit and 64-bit software, so it won't be long before 32-bit processors are no longer manufactured.
There are eight bits in a byte of binary computer code. The higher the number of bits of binary code (data) that a processor can process at a time, the more powerful it is. 64-bit processors, running on a 64-bit operating system that is running 64-bit software can process twice as much data at the same time as 32-bit processors running on a 32-bit operating system that is running 32-bit software. However, when processing 64-bit software a 64-bit operating system requires twice as much RAM memory as a 32-bit operating system running 32-bit software.
On top of that, laptop/notebook computers can use the processors used in desktop computers, or use processors specially designed for low power consumption so that battery life is extended and overheating problems do not occur. Both AMD and Intel have ranges of mobile processors for laptops/notebooks. Moreover, it is also possible to buy motherboards that allow a mobile notebook processor to be used in a desktop PC.
December 5, 2008. - Intel has released three of its new Socket LGA1366 quad-core Core i7 processors.
The new processors, which are built using the latest 45nm fabrication process, differ in several significant ways from Intel's Core 2 Duo dual-core and Core 2 Quad quad-core processors. The traditional frontside bus that links the processor to the RAM memory on the motherboard has been replaced by the new QuickPath interface - a memory controller built into the processor, which operates in a similar way to the HyperTransport memory controller that has been built into AMD processors for several years. Unfortunately, QuickPath only supports the latest DDR3 RAM memory, so you won't be able to reuse any DDR2 memory that you may have. Moreover, the DDR3 memory can be run in triple-channel mode instead of the dual-channel mode that AMD's processors support. This means that instead of using two memory modules in conjunction, as is the case with dual-channel mode, three modules of the same capacity and type can be run from the controller at the same time in order to increase performance. For this reason, Socket 1366 motherboards have six memory slots so that two sets of three modules can be run in triple-channel mode.
As with the Core 2 Quad range of processors, all of the Core i7 processors have four processor cores (in effect four processors housed in a single unit), which makes running multiple applications easy, because each application can have its own core processing it. Moreover, all of the Core i7 processors also use Hyper-Threading Technology that was introduced by Intel's Pentium 4 processors. Using it, each core can process two threads of information at the same time, in effect adding four virtual cores, which boosts performance significantly, but doesn't double it.
All of the Core i7 processors have 256K of Level 2 (L2) cache for each core, which share 8MB of Level 3 (L3) cache.
Despite using the same 45nm fabrication process as the latest Core 2 Quad processors, the new Core i7 quad-core processors have a higher power requirement (130W) compared to that of the Core 2 Quad processors (95W), which means that a bigger heatsink and fan unit is required to keep the processor cool, which, in turn, means a noisier PC.
Computer Shopper reviewed the Core i7 920, which runs at 2.66GHz, in issue 251. It was only give a a two-star rating due to the high cost of DDR3 memory and the motherboards that run them, plus the fact that the prototype system Computer Shopper used had a lower benchmark performance than an equivalent Core 2 Quad Q9550 processor. The advice was not to rush out and buy Core i7 until finalised motherboards and updated drivers can be used to put them to the test.
Here is the review:
http://www.computershopper.co.uk/reviews/238866/intel-core-i7-920.html
Intel's new Socket LGA1366 Core i7 quad-core processors due out later this month
November 5, 2008. - The latest quad-core processor chip from Intel, code-named Nehalem and officially named Core i7, is aimed at high-end desktop PCs for power users and PC gamers. Unlike the Core2 Quad quad-core processors, which are really two dual-core processors connected together, the new processors, like all of AMD's quad-core processors, have four individual cores connected together.
The new processors feature a turbo mode that is not like the turbo mode button found on computers during the 1980s. The turbo mode of Core i7 processors works automatically and results in increased single-core performance when all of the cores are not in use, achieving higher single-core performance.
Instead of the Front Side Bus (FSB) that PCs have been using for decades, the new processors use the new QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) technology to communicate with the motherboard's Northbridge chip.
For the first time, Intel has integrated the memory controller into the processor, which AMD processors have had for several years. Because the new processors have a new socket (Socket LGA1366), use DDR3 RAM memory, and use an integrated memory controller and other new technology, the motherboards that run Core 2 processors are not compatible with the motherboards that run Core i7 processors and vice versa. A processor cooler is included with the retail boxed product.
When Intel launches the range of Core i7 processors officially later this month, several PC manufacturers will begin shipping desktop PCs that run them. The company has been making the new processors available to hardware vendors and websites since September. Test reports are very favourable, describing the performance as blazingly, blindingly and blisteringly fast. However, there is next to no information available on the new processors on Intel's website. That should change after the official release.
Eight-core Core i7 processors and two-core and four-core models for laptop/notebook PCs are expected to be made available in the second half of 2009. Three Core i7 models are to be released initially - the Core i7 920 (2.66 GHz), the Core i7 940 (2.93GHz), and the Core i7 965 Extreme (3.20 GHz).
As Intel prepares the launch its new Socket LGA1366 desktop PC processors in November, Asus has already made a motherboard available for them
October 9, 2008. - Intel is preparing for the launch of its new Core i7 processors in November 2008. This is how Intel describes the processors on its website: "These processors will feature Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology, also known as simultaneous multi-threading, and are capable of handling eight software "threads" on four processor cores."
The processors have not been made available to reviewers yet, but the motherboard manufacturer, Asus, has already made its P6T Deluxe motherboard with the X58 chipset, which has the new LGA1366 processor socket, available to reviewers world-wide and ready for the market when Intel makes the Core i7 processors available.
The new motherboard provides new power-saving and overclocking technology. As an optional extra a device known as the OC Palm is available that provides overclocking on-the-fly during gaming or benchmarking. You can see an image of the device attached to a USB port on this page:
New ASUS P6T DELUXE with Super Hybrid Engine Delivers Maximum Overclocking and Energy Efficiency -
"The P6T DELUXE adopts the usage of TurboV—an advanced overclocking tool that utilizes a micro-controller to provide precise overclocking adjustments, and allow users to conveniently adjust the CPU ratio (multiplier)* for instant CPU upgrades for real-time performance enhancements. TurboV can also provide adjustments to the NB voltage, NB-PCIe voltage, CPU PLL voltage and DRAM voltage in 0.02V micro-intervals." -
http://www.asus.com/news_show.aspx?id=12949
Apart from that page, there is no other information on the board on the Asus site yet. To locate reviews of this motherboard enter asus p6T deluxe in the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio THE LATEST PROCESSOR NEWS
Intel's new Socket LGA1366 Core i7 quad-core desktop PC processors are now available
December 5, 2008. - Intel has released three of its new Socket LGA1366 quad-core Core i7 processors.
The new processors, which are built using the latest 45nm fabrication process, differ in several significant ways from Intel's Core 2 Duo dual-core and Core 2 Quad quad-core processors. The traditional frontside bus that links the processor to the RAM memory on the motherboard has been replaced by the new QuickPath interface - a memory controller built into the processor, which operates in a similar way to the HyperTransport memory controller that has been built into AMD processors for several years. Unfortunately, QuickPath only supports the latest DDR3 RAM memory, so you won't be able to reuse any DDR2 memory that you may have. Moreover, the DDR3 memory can be run in triple-channel mode instead of the dual-channel mode that AMD's processors support. This means that instead of using two memory modules in conjunction, as is the case with dual-channel mode, three modules of the same capacity and type can be run from the controller at the same time in order to increase performance. For this reason, Socket 1366 motherboards have six memory slots so that two sets of three modules can be run in triple-channel mode.
As with the Core 2 Quad range of processors, all of the Core i7 processors have four processor cores (in effect four processors housed in a single unit), which makes running multiple applications easy, because each application can have its own core processing it. Moreover, all of the Core i7 processors also use Hyper-Threading Technology that was introduced by Intel's Pentium 4 processors. Using it, each core can process two threads of information at the same time, in effect adding four virtual cores, which boosts performance significantly, but doesn't double it.
All of the Core i7 processors have 256K of Level 2 (L2) cache for each core, which share 8MB of Level 3 (L3) cache.
Despite using the same 45nm fabrication process as the latest Core 2 Quad processors, the new Core i7 quad-core processors have a higher power requirement (130W) compared to that of the Core 2 Quad processors (95W), which means that a bigger heatsink and fan unit is required to keep the processor cool, which, in turn, means a noisier PC.
Computer Shopper reviewed the Core i7 920, which runs at 2.66GHz, in issue 251. It was only give a a two-star rating due to the high cost of DDR3 memory and the motherboards that run them, plus the fact that the prototype system Computer Shopper used had a lower benchmark performance than an equivalent Core 2 Quad Q9550 processor. The advice was not to rush out and buy Core i7 until finalised motherboards and updated drivers can be used to put them to the test.
Here is the review:
http://www.computershopper.co.uk/reviews/238866/intel-core-i7-920.html
Intel's new Socket LGA1366 Core i7 quad-core processors due out later this month
November 5, 2008. - The latest quad-core processor chip from Intel, code-named Nehalem and officially named Core i7, is aimed at high-end desktop PCs for power users and PC gamers. Unlike the Core2 Quad quad-core processors, which are really two dual-core processors connected together, the new processors, like all of AMD's quad-core processors, have four individual cores connected together.
The new processors feature a turbo mode that is not like the turbo mode button found on computers during the 1980s. The turbo mode of Core i7 processors works automatically and results in increased single-core performance when all of the cores are not in use, achieving higher single-core performance.
Instead of the Front Side Bus (FSB) that PCs have been using for decades, the new processors use the new QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) technology to communicate with the motherboard's Northbridge chip.
For the first time, Intel has integrated the memory controller into the processor, which AMD processors have had for several years. Because the new processors have a new socket (Socket LGA1366), use DDR3 RAM memory, and use an integrated memory controller and other new technology, the motherboards that run Core 2 processors are not compatible with the motherboards that run Core i7 processors and vice versa. A processor cooler is included with the retail boxed product.
When Intel launches the range of Core i7 processors officially later this month, several PC manufacturers will begin shipping desktop PCs that run them. The company has been making the new processors available to hardware vendors and websites since September. Test reports are very favourable, describing the performance as blazingly, blindingly and blisteringly fast. However, there is next to no information available on the new processors on Intel's website. That should change after the official release.
Eight-core Core i7 processors and two-core and four-core models for laptop/notebook PCs are expected to be made available in the second half of 2009. Three Core i7 models are to be released initially - the Core i7 920 (2.66 GHz), the Core i7 940 (2.93GHz), and the Core i7 965 Extreme (3.20 GHz).
As Intel prepares the launch its new Socket LGA1366 desktop PC processors in November, Asus has already made a motherboard available for them
October 9, 2008. - Intel is preparing for the launch of its new Core i7 processors in November 2008. This is how Intel describes the processors on its website: "These processors will feature Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology, also known as simultaneous multi-threading, and are capable of handling eight software "threads" on four processor cores."
The processors have not been made available to reviewers yet, but the motherboard manufacturer, Asus, has already made its P6T Deluxe motherboard with the X58 chipset, which has the new LGA1366 processor socket, available to reviewers world-wide and ready for the market when Intel makes the Core i7 processors available.
The new motherboard provides new power-saving and overclocking technology. As an optional extra a device known as the OC Palm is available that provides overclocking on-the-fly during gaming or benchmarking. You can see an image of the device attached to a USB port on this page:
New ASUS P6T DELUXE with Super Hybrid Engine Delivers Maximum Overclocking and Energy Efficiency -
"The P6T DELUXE adopts the usage of TurboV—an advanced overclocking tool that utilizes a micro-controller to provide precise overclocking adjustments, and allow users to conveniently adjust the CPU ratio (multiplier)* for instant CPU upgrades for real-time performance enhancements. TurboV can also provide adjustments to the NB voltage, NB-PCIe voltage, CPU PLL voltage and DRAM voltage in 0.02V micro-intervals." -
http://www.asus.com/news_show.aspx?id=12949
Apart from that page, there is no other information on the board on the Asus site yet. To locate reviews of this motherboard enter asus p6T deluxe in the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled).
Intel Core i7 (Nehalem): Architecture By AMD? -
Intel's new Socket LGA1366 quad-core processors. -
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/Intel-i7-nehalem,review-31375.html
Processors and the sockets they can be fitted into on a computer's motherboard started to become confusing back in the days when the maximum speed of a PC processor was 200MHz and 233MHz, and Intel dropped using Super Socket 7 (SS7), while AMD went on using it all the way up to 550MHz for its K6-2 and K6-3 processors.
Today, Intel's single-core Pentium 4 processor has reached a clock speed of 3.8GHz, which is twenty times faster than 200MHz. However, due to heating problems, the clock speed has halted and both AMD and Intel have opted to develop dual-core and quad-core processors (two processor cores and four processor cores housed as a single unit) instead of attempting to overcome the problem of overheating that comes into play with clock speeds of 4.0GHz and higher.
On top of that, AMD and Intel have added 64-bit processors to their existing ranges of 32-bit processors. They can run on a 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems, and can run 32-bit and 64-bit software, so it won't be long before 32-bit processors are no longer manufactured.
There are eight bits in a byte of binary computer code. The higher the number of bits of binary code (data) that a processor can process at a time, the more powerful it is. 64-bit processors, running on a 64-bit operating system that is running 64-bit software can process twice as much data at the same time as 32-bit processors running on a 32-bit operating system that is running 32-bit software. However, when processing 64-bit software a 64-bit operating system requires twice as much RAM memory as a 32-bit operating system running 32-bit software.
On top of that, laptop/notebook computers can use the processors used in desktop computers, or use processors specially designed for low power consumption so that battery life is extended and overheating problems do not occur. Both AMD and Intel have ranges of mobile processors for laptops/notebooks. Moreover, it is also possible to buy motherboards that allow a mobile notebook processor to be used in a desktop PC.
An introduction to the processors made by AMD and Intel
Another name for a computer's processor is central processing unit (CPU). Installed in a printed circuit board (PCB) called a motherboard (also known as a mainboard), the processor processes the programmed software instructions of applications and utilities, such as MS Word, and Norton AntiVirus, according to the programmed instructions provided by the computer's operating system, which is usually a version of Windows or Linux or Apple's Mac OS X.
There are only two major manufacturers of desktop PC and laptop PC processors - AMD and Intel. However, there are many major manufacturers of the motherboards that these processors run on. You cannot run an Intel processor on an AMD-based motherboard and vice versa. Visit the Motherboards, PC Cases and Power Supplies pages on this site for more information on them. Use your browser's Back button to return to this page.
With the arrival of its Core 2 processor technology, Intel named both its desktop PC and laptop PC processors Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad (four cores). The laptop processor start with a T, such as T7100. Desktop processors start with an E, such as E8500, and X for the extreme (extremely fast and expensive) version, a Q for quad-core, such as Q6700, and QX for the extreme version, such as QX9770.
November 18, 2008. - Intel has released three of its new Socket LGA1366 quad-core Core i7 processors. Here is a good review:
Intel Core i7 - http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/233892/intel-core-i7.html
And here is the information on the new processors on Intel's website:
Intel® Core™ i7 Processor -
http://www.intel.com/products/processor/corei7/...
The major motherboard manufacturers have brought out motherboards that support the new Intel desktop PC processors.
Asus - http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=179
MSI - http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php...
Gigabyte - http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/...
User manuals are available from all three of those manufacturers, so you can download copies and have a look at what is on offer.
If you are thinking of buying a desktop PC which has a particular make and model of processor, you can visit the following two pages to view tables containing all of the technical specifications (clock speed, supported instruction sets, cache, etc.) and other information, such as the dates of release, of all of the processors made by AMD and Intel up to the present. The further down the list a processor appears, the more recent it is.
Desktop CPU Comparison Guide - AMD processors -
http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=337&pgno=0
Desktop CPU Comparison Guide - Intel processors -
http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=337&pgno=4
This page provides a comparison of laptop/notebook PC processors:
Comparison of Mobile Processors -
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Processors-Benchmarklist.2436.0.html
If any of the above links don't work, try entering a suitable search using the relevant keywords in the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled).
The Tom's Hardware Guide processor charts can give you a good idea how different processors compare with each other.
Updated CPU Charts 2008: AMD Versus Intel -
"The new CPU charts for 2008 from Tom’s Hardware have, at long last, arrived. There are 18 entries from AMD and 36 processors from Intel, which were put to the test using a fresh gauntlet of benchmarks. For more meaningful comparisons and the most consistent benchmark results, our testing platforms were fully re-equipped. The graphics card used was a powerful MSI N280GTX-T2D1G-OC based on the Nvidia GeForce GTX 280." -
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/amd-intel-pc-processor,review-31355.html
Mobile [laptop/notebook] CPU Charts -
"Tom's Interactive Mobile CPU Charts focus on popular mobile processors, which are used in laptops and notebooks because of their increased energy efficiency." -
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/charts/processors/3d-studio-max-9,463.html
If your desktop PC has an Intel-based motherboard, you can use:
Intel Processors and Boards Compatibility Tool -
Find the Intel processors that will work with your PC's Intel-based motherboard. Find motherboards boards that will work with your PC's processor. Check the compatibility of a motherboard and processor.
http://processormatch.intel.com/COMPDB/Default.aspx
The images at the top of this page show an AMD Athlon 64 processor (right) and the packaging that the retail product comes in (left). A heatsink and fan cooling unit is included in the package. If you want to use thermal paste to improve the transfer of heat from the processor to the heatsink, you'll have to buy some, because none is included in the package. The array of pins that fit into the motherboard's processor socket are on the reverse side of the processor. The processor in the image is for advertising purposes only, it is not what it looks like in reality. Images of the top and bottom of the real thing are shown further down this page.
AMD Athlon 64 processors are fitted into and run from Socket 939 and Socket AM2/AM2+ motherboards. Visit the Annotated images of ATX Socket LGA775, Socket A and Socket 939 motherboards page on this site to see annotated images of those three socket-type motherboards.
The following online video shows a desktop PC being built with an Asus P5E64 WS Professional motherboard and an Intel Core 2 Quad QX9770 quad-core processor. It shows you where the motherboard is installed in the case and where the processor is installed in the motherboard in a desktop PC.
Video: How To Build An Intel QX9770 QuadCore PC -
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2008/02/...
There are only two major manufacturers of desktop PC and laptop PC processors - AMD and Intel. However, there are many major manufacturers of the motherboards that these processors run on. You cannot run an Intel processor on an AMD-based motherboard and vice versa. Visit the Motherboards, PC Cases and Power Supplies pages on this site for more information on them. Use your browser's Back button to return to this page.
With the arrival of its Core 2 processor technology, Intel named both its desktop PC and laptop PC processors Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad (four cores). The laptop processor start with a T, such as T7100. Desktop processors start with an E, such as E8500, and X for the extreme (extremely fast and expensive) version, a Q for quad-core, such as Q6700, and QX for the extreme version, such as QX9770.
November 18, 2008. - Intel has released three of its new Socket LGA1366 quad-core Core i7 processors. Here is a good review:
Intel Core i7 - http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/233892/intel-core-i7.html
And here is the information on the new processors on Intel's website:
Intel® Core™ i7 Processor -
http://www.intel.com/products/processor/corei7/...
The major motherboard manufacturers have brought out motherboards that support the new Intel desktop PC processors.
Asus - http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=179
MSI - http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php...
Gigabyte - http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/...
User manuals are available from all three of those manufacturers, so you can download copies and have a look at what is on offer.
If you are thinking of buying a desktop PC which has a particular make and model of processor, you can visit the following two pages to view tables containing all of the technical specifications (clock speed, supported instruction sets, cache, etc.) and other information, such as the dates of release, of all of the processors made by AMD and Intel up to the present. The further down the list a processor appears, the more recent it is.
Desktop CPU Comparison Guide - AMD processors -
http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=337&pgno=0
Desktop CPU Comparison Guide - Intel processors -
http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=337&pgno=4
This page provides a comparison of laptop/notebook PC processors:
Comparison of Mobile Processors -
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Processors-Benchmarklist.2436.0.html
If any of the above links don't work, try entering a suitable search using the relevant keywords in the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled).
The Tom's Hardware Guide processor charts can give you a good idea how different processors compare with each other.
Updated CPU Charts 2008: AMD Versus Intel -
"The new CPU charts for 2008 from Tom’s Hardware have, at long last, arrived. There are 18 entries from AMD and 36 processors from Intel, which were put to the test using a fresh gauntlet of benchmarks. For more meaningful comparisons and the most consistent benchmark results, our testing platforms were fully re-equipped. The graphics card used was a powerful MSI N280GTX-T2D1G-OC based on the Nvidia GeForce GTX 280." -
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/amd-intel-pc-processor,review-31355.html
Mobile [laptop/notebook] CPU Charts -
"Tom's Interactive Mobile CPU Charts focus on popular mobile processors, which are used in laptops and notebooks because of their increased energy efficiency." -
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/charts/processors/3d-studio-max-9,463.html
If your desktop PC has an Intel-based motherboard, you can use:
Intel Processors and Boards Compatibility Tool -
Find the Intel processors that will work with your PC's Intel-based motherboard. Find motherboards boards that will work with your PC's processor. Check the compatibility of a motherboard and processor.
http://processormatch.intel.com/COMPDB/Default.aspx
The images at the top of this page show an AMD Athlon 64 processor (right) and the packaging that the retail product comes in (left). A heatsink and fan cooling unit is included in the package. If you want to use thermal paste to improve the transfer of heat from the processor to the heatsink, you'll have to buy some, because none is included in the package. The array of pins that fit into the motherboard's processor socket are on the reverse side of the processor. The processor in the image is for advertising purposes only, it is not what it looks like in reality. Images of the top and bottom of the real thing are shown further down this page.
AMD Athlon 64 processors are fitted into and run from Socket 939 and Socket AM2/AM2+ motherboards. Visit the Annotated images of ATX Socket LGA775, Socket A and Socket 939 motherboards page on this site to see annotated images of those three socket-type motherboards.
The following online video shows a desktop PC being built with an Asus P5E64 WS Professional motherboard and an Intel Core 2 Quad QX9770 quad-core processor. It shows you where the motherboard is installed in the case and where the processor is installed in the motherboard in a desktop PC.
Video: How To Build An Intel QX9770 QuadCore PC -
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2008/02/...
Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors leave Barcelona
AMD has released its long-awaited native quad-core processor, previously codenamed "Barcelona".
Describing the new Quad-Core AMD Opteron as the "world's most advanced x86 processor", AMD claims it as the first native x86 quad-core microprocessor, meaning the four processing cores share a single die of silicon.
The company also highlights other aspects of the 55- and 75-watt server chips. It claims gains for energy efficiency, a 50 percent increase in integer and floating-point performance, and improved virtualisation support. Note that the server chips also share the same power and thermal envelopes as their dual-core predecessors.
"Today marks one of the great milestones in microprocessor achievement as AMD again raises expectations for industry-standard computing," said AMD chairman and chief executive officer, Hector Ruiz. "We've worked closely with our customers and partners to design a new generation of processing solutions embodied by today's Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor - a four-way winner in performance, energy efficiency, virtualisation and investment protection. Early customer response has been extremely positive."
leshing out the details on the energy efficiency claims, AMD highlights the use of proprietary "CoolCore Technology" (turning off unused parts of the processor) an independent core-specific enhancement to its PowerNow! Technology (allowing cores to vary their clock frequency depending on application requirements) and Dual Dynamic Power Management (DDPM), which allows the cores and memory controllers to operate on different voltages, again determined by usage.
Sun, HP, IBM and Dell will be among those shipping systems based on the new server chip will be shipping. Details of AMD's pricing for the Quad-Core Opteron will be found at www.amd.com/pricing (based on 1,000 unit orders).
More information on AMD's quad-core processing can be found on the company's website.
For its part, Intel released updated quad-core server microprocessors last week - the Quad-Core Xeon 7300 series, its first multi-processor (MP) chips based on its now standard Core micro-architecture.
See also: Electronics Weekly's focus on microprocessors, a roundup of content related to microprocessor technologies and developments.
Describing the new Quad-Core AMD Opteron as the "world's most advanced x86 processor", AMD claims it as the first native x86 quad-core microprocessor, meaning the four processing cores share a single die of silicon.
The company also highlights other aspects of the 55- and 75-watt server chips. It claims gains for energy efficiency, a 50 percent increase in integer and floating-point performance, and improved virtualisation support. Note that the server chips also share the same power and thermal envelopes as their dual-core predecessors.
"Today marks one of the great milestones in microprocessor achievement as AMD again raises expectations for industry-standard computing," said AMD chairman and chief executive officer, Hector Ruiz. "We've worked closely with our customers and partners to design a new generation of processing solutions embodied by today's Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor - a four-way winner in performance, energy efficiency, virtualisation and investment protection. Early customer response has been extremely positive."
leshing out the details on the energy efficiency claims, AMD highlights the use of proprietary "CoolCore Technology" (turning off unused parts of the processor) an independent core-specific enhancement to its PowerNow! Technology (allowing cores to vary their clock frequency depending on application requirements) and Dual Dynamic Power Management (DDPM), which allows the cores and memory controllers to operate on different voltages, again determined by usage.
Sun, HP, IBM and Dell will be among those shipping systems based on the new server chip will be shipping. Details of AMD's pricing for the Quad-Core Opteron will be found at www.amd.com/pricing (based on 1,000 unit orders).
More information on AMD's quad-core processing can be found on the company's website.
For its part, Intel released updated quad-core server microprocessors last week - the Quad-Core Xeon 7300 series, its first multi-processor (MP) chips based on its now standard Core micro-architecture.
See also: Electronics Weekly's focus on microprocessors, a roundup of content related to microprocessor technologies and developments.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
AMD CPU Roadmap Update
Fall is now upon us, and as usual marketing efforts are in full swing to get us ready for the season of spending - or giving, if you prefer. Computer hardware manufacturers are also hard at work to get their latest products out in time for the holiday rush. 2004 has been a relatively exciting year in the technology sector, with the launch of socket 939 and 775, PCI Express, and even DDR2, as well as a plethora of CPU and graphics chip rollouts, but it's not over yet. You may have already heard about some recent CPU launches by AMD, and there are a few remaining products that will launch before the year is up. Roadmaps are really about the future, though, so we will also take a look at AMD's tentative product lineup for the next year or so, starting with the Athlon 64 line.
AMD Athlon 64 Roadmap
Processor Clock Speed L2 Cache Socket Launch Date
Athlon FX-57 ??? ??? Socket 939 Q3'05
Athlon FX-55 2.6 GHz 1024KB Socket 939 Soon
Athlon FX-53 2.4 GHz 1024KB Socket 939 Now
Athlon FX-53 2.4 GHz 1024KB Socket 940 Now
Athlon FX-51 2.2 GHz 1024KB Socket 940 Now
Athlon 64 >=4200+ ??? ??? Socket 939 Q3'05
Athlon 64 >=4000+ ??? ??? Socket 939 Q2'05
Athlon 64 4000+ 2.4 GHz 1024KB Socket 939 Soon
Athlon 64 3800+ 2.4 GHz 512KB Socket 939 Now
Athlon 64 3700+ 2.4 GHz 1024KB Socket 754 Now
Athlon 64 3500+ 2.2 GHz 90nm 512KB Socket 939 Now
Athlon 64 3500 +
2.2 GHz 512KB Socket 939 Now
Athlon 64 3400+ 2.4 GHz 512KB Socket 754 Now
Athlon 64 3400+ 2.2 GHz 1024KB Socket 754 Now
Athlon 64 3200+ 2.2 GHz 512KB Socket 754 Now
Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0 GHz 90nm 512KB Socket 939 Now
Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0 GHz 1024KB Socket 754 Now
Athlon 64 3000+ 2.0 GHz 512KB Socket 754 Now
Athlon 64 3000+ 1.8 GHz 1024KB Socket 754 Now
Athlon 64 3000+ 1.8 GHz 90nm 512KB Socket 939 Now
Athlon 64 2800+ 1.8 Ghz 512KB Socket 754 Now
In case you missed it, a couple weeks ago AMD (quietly) launched their first 90 nm Athlon 64 parts. Surprisingly, these parts launched at clock speeds at or below the current Athlon 64 offerings. The new models are the 3000+, 3200+ and 3500+ with clock speeds of 1.8 GHz, 2.0 GHz, and 2.2 GHz. Whether that was simply AMD being conservative or AMD trying to lower the cost of entry for socket 939 is difficult to say, but our early tests indicate that the 90 nm parts have plenty of headroom when paired with a quality OEM heatsink. The price on the 3500+ is actually slightly higher than the 130 nm version, once you factor in the cost of an after market HSF, but since enthusiasts are likely as not to purchase a quality HSF for their CPU it isn't a major concern. The 3000+ and 3200+, on the other hand, are priced to move at under $200, removing price as a barrier for entry into the socket 939 world. With the large amount of overlap in AMD's product names, it can be somewhat confusing, so remember to double check that you are getting the right CPU for your motherboard. We will have some articles that provide more information on these new CPU parts in the near future.
In addition to the recent 90 nm parts, AMD has the 4000+ and FX-55 scheduled for launch in the very near future. These are still 130 nm parts, although 90 nm parts are likely to become available at some point. We also have the 90 nm parts codenamed "San Diego" and "Venice" coming out in the first half of 2005. These are not the same as the currently shipping 90 nm parts, as they will include SSE3 support - 11 of the 13 PNI instructions will be supported; absent are the two instructions that relate to HyperThreading, which obviously does not affect performance on non-HyperThreading processors. These chips may include other tweaks to the Athlon 64 design as well, but we do not have any information on that yet - it does appear that the current 90 nm parts are nothing more than a die shrink of the Clawhammer, Sledgehammer and Newcastle cores.
In the second half of 2005, we will see the launch of the dual core "Toledo" processor, also with SSE3 support. While we do not list it here, dual core Opteron chips will be introduced for socket 940 before the socket 939 versions. There isn't a whole lot of detail on AMD's Athlon 64 plans for Q2 '05 and Q3 '05, other than that they will have >=4000+ and >=4200+ parts. The FX-57 is scheduled to launch around the same time as the Toledo core; so without speculating too much it would make sense if the FX-57 were to come with a dual core variant. If it is, clock speed is basically a complete unknown at this time, even for speculation. We'll be sure to update you with any information that becomes available.
If you're looking at that table and wondering where the future socket 754 Athlon 64 chips are, we have some bad news for you. As of now, we have no information on any future Athlon 64 CPUs for the platform. They may exist and we simply haven't heard about them, but more likely the 2.4 GHz 1 MB L2 3700+ will be the top end Athlon 64 processor for the platform. AMD has already begun to shift socket 754 into the value segment with the Sempron 3100+, and as you will see below, the future updates for the platform all bear the Sempron name.
AMD Sempron Roadmap
Processor Clock Speed Socket Launch Date
Sempron 3400+ ??? Socket 754 Q3'05
Sempron 3300+ ??? Socket 754 Q1'05
Sempron 3100+ 1.8 GHz Socket 754 Now
Sempron 3000+ ??? Socket 754 Q1'05
Sempron 2800+ ??? Socket 754 Q1'05
Sempron 2600+ ??? Socket 754 Q1'05
Sempron 3000+ 2.00 GHz 512K Socket A Soon
Sempron 2800+ 2.0 GHz Socket A Now
Sempron 2600+ 1.83 GHz Socket A Now
Sempron 2500+ 1.75 GHz Socket A Now
Sempron 2400+ 1.67 GHz Socket A Now
Sempron 2300+ 1.58 GHz Socket A Now
Sempron 2200+ 1.5 GHz Socket A Now
Current plans for socket 754 include processors scaling up to 3400+ speeds - which we guess will be 2.2 GHz - with the most of the new models scheduled for introduction in March '05. We are getting conflicting reports on the clock number, but 2.2GHz seems in line with most of our sources.
The Sempron 3100+ chips that we have tested are usually able to reach 2.4 GHz without difficulty, so they should be able to produce plenty of cores. Previous socket 754 processors have always come in 200 MHz increments, but we might see the return of 100MHz increments with the Sempron line. With the price of the socket 754 chips trending to well under $100, overclocking enthusiasts will likely find a lot of bang for the buck out of the Sempron line. Unfortunately, in addition to the reduced amount of cache, all of the Semprons lack 64-bit support. That isn't a major concern yet, but it could be in another six months when we see the launch of Windows XP-64 and 64-bit applications. For those that are interested in 64-bit computing, you will want to spend the extra money for the Athlon 64.
Besides the currently shipping as well as planned "Sempron-754" chips listed above, we also have 90 nm versions on the way, codenamed Palermo. Palermo will continue to include 256K of L2 cache, but like the future 90 nm Athlon 64 chips, it will include support for SSE3. We could also hope that Palermo might reactivate the 64-bit support in these chips, but we would be somewhat surprised to see that happen. It just does not seem to match AMD's current market segmentation philosophy. Also worth pointing out is that Sempron chips for socket 939 have disappeared from the roadmaps; they may have been cancelled, or else they might just be missing. We'll keep you posted on any developments in that area.
Finally, we have additional bad news for those who still love their socket A motherboards. As you can see in the chart, the Sempron 3000+ is the only future processor for the platform. Oddly enough, AMD will also go back to the Barton core for this model, so it will perform similarly to the XP 2800+ - it's only 83 MHz slower. The Athlon XP line is scheduled to end production in early in 2005, according to the roadmaps we've seen, and if you look at current prices on the parts it already appears to be well underway. As for the Sempron processor on socket A, even that is scheduled to reach the end of the line by the second half of 2005.
The platform still offers reasonable performance, of course, but if you want to purchase a motherboard that will last through a couple more inexpensive CPU upgrades, socket A is not recommended. The introduction of the lower model Sempron-754 chips looks to be planned to take over as the socket A models are phased out. This is actually a good thing, as the integrated memory controller on socket 754 and later AMD chips helps out a lot with performance, and we will now see that feature pushed down into the value computing segment.
About the only weak point in AMD's plans right now is their continued use of 200 mm wafers. Their 65 nm parts are scheduled to finally make the switch to 300 mm wafers, which should boost their output capacity by roughly 125% at each fabrication facility that uses the larger wafers. In the mean time, they continue to provide high performance processors that compare very favorably with their Intel counterparts. Competition breeds lower prices, making this a great time for the computing enthusiast.
AMD Athlon 64 Roadmap
Processor Clock Speed L2 Cache Socket Launch Date
Athlon FX-57 ??? ??? Socket 939 Q3'05
Athlon FX-55 2.6 GHz 1024KB Socket 939 Soon
Athlon FX-53 2.4 GHz 1024KB Socket 939 Now
Athlon FX-53 2.4 GHz 1024KB Socket 940 Now
Athlon FX-51 2.2 GHz 1024KB Socket 940 Now
Athlon 64 >=4200+ ??? ??? Socket 939 Q3'05
Athlon 64 >=4000+ ??? ??? Socket 939 Q2'05
Athlon 64 4000+ 2.4 GHz 1024KB Socket 939 Soon
Athlon 64 3800+ 2.4 GHz 512KB Socket 939 Now
Athlon 64 3700+ 2.4 GHz 1024KB Socket 754 Now
Athlon 64 3500+ 2.2 GHz 90nm 512KB Socket 939 Now
Athlon 64 3500 +
2.2 GHz 512KB Socket 939 Now
Athlon 64 3400+ 2.4 GHz 512KB Socket 754 Now
Athlon 64 3400+ 2.2 GHz 1024KB Socket 754 Now
Athlon 64 3200+ 2.2 GHz 512KB Socket 754 Now
Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0 GHz 90nm 512KB Socket 939 Now
Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0 GHz 1024KB Socket 754 Now
Athlon 64 3000+ 2.0 GHz 512KB Socket 754 Now
Athlon 64 3000+ 1.8 GHz 1024KB Socket 754 Now
Athlon 64 3000+ 1.8 GHz 90nm 512KB Socket 939 Now
Athlon 64 2800+ 1.8 Ghz 512KB Socket 754 Now
In case you missed it, a couple weeks ago AMD (quietly) launched their first 90 nm Athlon 64 parts. Surprisingly, these parts launched at clock speeds at or below the current Athlon 64 offerings. The new models are the 3000+, 3200+ and 3500+ with clock speeds of 1.8 GHz, 2.0 GHz, and 2.2 GHz. Whether that was simply AMD being conservative or AMD trying to lower the cost of entry for socket 939 is difficult to say, but our early tests indicate that the 90 nm parts have plenty of headroom when paired with a quality OEM heatsink. The price on the 3500+ is actually slightly higher than the 130 nm version, once you factor in the cost of an after market HSF, but since enthusiasts are likely as not to purchase a quality HSF for their CPU it isn't a major concern. The 3000+ and 3200+, on the other hand, are priced to move at under $200, removing price as a barrier for entry into the socket 939 world. With the large amount of overlap in AMD's product names, it can be somewhat confusing, so remember to double check that you are getting the right CPU for your motherboard. We will have some articles that provide more information on these new CPU parts in the near future.
In addition to the recent 90 nm parts, AMD has the 4000+ and FX-55 scheduled for launch in the very near future. These are still 130 nm parts, although 90 nm parts are likely to become available at some point. We also have the 90 nm parts codenamed "San Diego" and "Venice" coming out in the first half of 2005. These are not the same as the currently shipping 90 nm parts, as they will include SSE3 support - 11 of the 13 PNI instructions will be supported; absent are the two instructions that relate to HyperThreading, which obviously does not affect performance on non-HyperThreading processors. These chips may include other tweaks to the Athlon 64 design as well, but we do not have any information on that yet - it does appear that the current 90 nm parts are nothing more than a die shrink of the Clawhammer, Sledgehammer and Newcastle cores.
In the second half of 2005, we will see the launch of the dual core "Toledo" processor, also with SSE3 support. While we do not list it here, dual core Opteron chips will be introduced for socket 940 before the socket 939 versions. There isn't a whole lot of detail on AMD's Athlon 64 plans for Q2 '05 and Q3 '05, other than that they will have >=4000+ and >=4200+ parts. The FX-57 is scheduled to launch around the same time as the Toledo core; so without speculating too much it would make sense if the FX-57 were to come with a dual core variant. If it is, clock speed is basically a complete unknown at this time, even for speculation. We'll be sure to update you with any information that becomes available.
If you're looking at that table and wondering where the future socket 754 Athlon 64 chips are, we have some bad news for you. As of now, we have no information on any future Athlon 64 CPUs for the platform. They may exist and we simply haven't heard about them, but more likely the 2.4 GHz 1 MB L2 3700+ will be the top end Athlon 64 processor for the platform. AMD has already begun to shift socket 754 into the value segment with the Sempron 3100+, and as you will see below, the future updates for the platform all bear the Sempron name.
AMD Sempron Roadmap
Processor Clock Speed Socket Launch Date
Sempron 3400+ ??? Socket 754 Q3'05
Sempron 3300+ ??? Socket 754 Q1'05
Sempron 3100+ 1.8 GHz Socket 754 Now
Sempron 3000+ ??? Socket 754 Q1'05
Sempron 2800+ ??? Socket 754 Q1'05
Sempron 2600+ ??? Socket 754 Q1'05
Sempron 3000+ 2.00 GHz 512K Socket A Soon
Sempron 2800+ 2.0 GHz Socket A Now
Sempron 2600+ 1.83 GHz Socket A Now
Sempron 2500+ 1.75 GHz Socket A Now
Sempron 2400+ 1.67 GHz Socket A Now
Sempron 2300+ 1.58 GHz Socket A Now
Sempron 2200+ 1.5 GHz Socket A Now
Current plans for socket 754 include processors scaling up to 3400+ speeds - which we guess will be 2.2 GHz - with the most of the new models scheduled for introduction in March '05. We are getting conflicting reports on the clock number, but 2.2GHz seems in line with most of our sources.
The Sempron 3100+ chips that we have tested are usually able to reach 2.4 GHz without difficulty, so they should be able to produce plenty of cores. Previous socket 754 processors have always come in 200 MHz increments, but we might see the return of 100MHz increments with the Sempron line. With the price of the socket 754 chips trending to well under $100, overclocking enthusiasts will likely find a lot of bang for the buck out of the Sempron line. Unfortunately, in addition to the reduced amount of cache, all of the Semprons lack 64-bit support. That isn't a major concern yet, but it could be in another six months when we see the launch of Windows XP-64 and 64-bit applications. For those that are interested in 64-bit computing, you will want to spend the extra money for the Athlon 64.
Besides the currently shipping as well as planned "Sempron-754" chips listed above, we also have 90 nm versions on the way, codenamed Palermo. Palermo will continue to include 256K of L2 cache, but like the future 90 nm Athlon 64 chips, it will include support for SSE3. We could also hope that Palermo might reactivate the 64-bit support in these chips, but we would be somewhat surprised to see that happen. It just does not seem to match AMD's current market segmentation philosophy. Also worth pointing out is that Sempron chips for socket 939 have disappeared from the roadmaps; they may have been cancelled, or else they might just be missing. We'll keep you posted on any developments in that area.
Finally, we have additional bad news for those who still love their socket A motherboards. As you can see in the chart, the Sempron 3000+ is the only future processor for the platform. Oddly enough, AMD will also go back to the Barton core for this model, so it will perform similarly to the XP 2800+ - it's only 83 MHz slower. The Athlon XP line is scheduled to end production in early in 2005, according to the roadmaps we've seen, and if you look at current prices on the parts it already appears to be well underway. As for the Sempron processor on socket A, even that is scheduled to reach the end of the line by the second half of 2005.
The platform still offers reasonable performance, of course, but if you want to purchase a motherboard that will last through a couple more inexpensive CPU upgrades, socket A is not recommended. The introduction of the lower model Sempron-754 chips looks to be planned to take over as the socket A models are phased out. This is actually a good thing, as the integrated memory controller on socket 754 and later AMD chips helps out a lot with performance, and we will now see that feature pushed down into the value computing segment.
About the only weak point in AMD's plans right now is their continued use of 200 mm wafers. Their 65 nm parts are scheduled to finally make the switch to 300 mm wafers, which should boost their output capacity by roughly 125% at each fabrication facility that uses the larger wafers. In the mean time, they continue to provide high performance processors that compare very favorably with their Intel counterparts. Competition breeds lower prices, making this a great time for the computing enthusiast.
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