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Hardware More AMD 65nm Updates
Anh Tuan Huynh (Blog) - July 10, 2006 1:25 PM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 66 comment(s) - last by PrinceGaz.. on Jul 12 at 7:36 AM
100MHz granularity, DDR2-800 for all

DailyTech has come across an AMD update that outlines minor upgrades 65nm processors will receive. Athlon 64 X2 and Sempron processors will be getting 65nm Fab process treatments. Single-core AMD Athlon products will remain on a 90nm Fab process with no foreseeable 65nm future. With the new 65nm Fab process AMD will be able to increase frequency increases of 100MHz increments unlike the 200MHz increments of current products. This will be interesting as AMD can theoretically abandon all 2x1MB parts in favor of 2x512KB parts with 100MHz frequency differences. DDR2-800 support will be brought to all 65nm processors including the Sempron. This should bring welcomed performance improvements to the AMD Sempron product lineup.

New 65nm products will be compatible with existing motherboards as long as proper BIOS are available to identify the new CPUID and take advantage of the new features. Production of 65nm AMD Athlon 64 X2 products are expected towards the end of the year in December. AMD Sempron processors will begin sampling in Q1’07 while production is expected to begin in Q2’07. All 65nm products will be Socket AM2 based only and remain based on AMD’s K8 architecture and are not related to AMD’s upcoming K8L architecture. As previously reported, AMD Athlon 64 FX products will continue to use a 90nm Fab process in the near future.


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Who Cares?
By zombiexl on 7/10/2006 2:34:13 PM , Rating: 3
AS an AMD fan I'm really turned off by the fact that AMD doesnt seem to have anything to compete with Intel's next offering.

Does AMD really think that simple being able to move in 100mhz increments and adding ddr2 to the semperon are good enough responses to Intel?

Honestly I'd liek them both to have chips that perform similar so that we can all benefit from a price war..




RE: Who Cares?
By Goty on 7/10/2006 2:41:18 PM , Rating: 5
Well, there is one advantage to AMD not being quite as competitive anymore: we're probably going to get a pricing structure similar to that of the AthlonXP days. If that turns out to be the case, I'll probably stick with AMD for the fact that I'm a broke college student. AMD may suffer in the short run, but I doubt anyone can predict exactly how things are going to shape up down the road.


RE: Who Cares?
By zombiexl on 7/10/2006 2:55:00 PM , Rating: 2
I'm all for a bargain. I usually buy based on price vs. performance. I'm waiting for Intel to launch before I decide what I'll buy, but I'm also concerned that AMD still seems to think their dual cores are worth 2x as much as intel's.


RE: Who Cares?
By Hare on 7/10/2006 6:20:55 PM , Rating: 2
That's because they are (for now). Pentium D is a terrible chip (heat performance per mhz).


RE: Who Cares?
By DallasTexas on 7/10/2006 7:01:53 PM , Rating: 1
"..That's because they are (for now). Pentium D is a terrible chip (heat performance per mhz)..."

Possibly. In comparison to Core2 DUO, it seems like AMD now has it's own "PentiumD" - AMD64 X2 !

WOuld you now say that the X2 is then a "terrible chip" by comparison? ...I didn't think so.


RE: Who Cares?
By zombiexl on 7/10/2006 10:14:41 PM , Rating: 2
The X2 is great(now), but how will it stack up against Core2. Early reports dont look good. The price/performance crown seems to be ready to move over to Intel for at least 6-12 months.


RE: Who Cares?
By Locutus465 on 7/11/2006 12:25:19 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Possibly. In comparison to Core2 DUO, it seems like AMD now has it's own "PentiumD" - AMD64 X2 !


Not quite, the Pentium D was simply an inefficient design. From an era when Intel was under the impression that they'd win over the compitition with better marketing rather than technology.

The X2 is a solid design, but all indications are that Intel has learned their lessons and came up with something which is, apparently, better.

On the other hand, AMD may simply need to tweek the X2 to compete with Core2 (i.e. make it wider). Intel had to scrap netburst...


RE: Who Cares?
By Deathspawner on 7/11/2006 10:59:31 AM , Rating: 2
My D 820 at 3.92GHz hits 71ºC on water. So I agree.


RE: Who Cares?
By PrinceGaz on 7/12/2006 7:36:03 AM , Rating: 2
Jeez, if it didn't have to be a closed-loop system with specially treated water, you could hook it up to the water-mains and use it as your home's water-heater. The water coming out of the water-block is probably about as hot as normal household hot water!


RE: Who Cares?
By bamacre on 7/10/2006 3:02:27 PM , Rating: 5
This may not be pointed at you inparticular, but lately I've seen this from AMD fans...

In comparing Pentium D 900's to AMD X2's, "The Pentium D's are cheaper, but the X2's are faster, so I'll go with the X2."

In comparing AMD X2's to Intel C2D, "The C2D is faster, but the X2's are cheaper, so I'll go with the X2."

:D


RE: Who Cares?
By smitty3268 on 7/10/2006 3:13:08 PM , Rating: 2
Yes, I have seen that as well. Of course, I've seen the same kind of switch occuring in Intel fans in the opposite direction. :)

Right now I think I'd recommend the 900's for a cheaper machine and wait on anything more expensive. In a few months, though, the X2 should be looking good for the cheaper machines while Conroes are used for higher end machines.


RE: Who Cares?
By bamacre on 7/10/2006 4:28:08 PM , Rating: 2
Yeah, I think so, too. It really depends on how these price drops work out and the real pricing/availability of the C2D's. The cheapest C2D's may be much better options than the X2's, but we just won't know until we see stuff on the shelves and their included price tags.

AMD is really going to have to get that X2 3800+ down in price to compete with the cheapest C2D. Even then, the higher clocked X2's are going to have some extremely tough competition with C2D.

Nevertheless, AMD's single cores are easy recomendations. Intel really has nothing to compete with AMD here, not on price nor performance. The 3800+ single core is already a great buy for $140 shipped (ZZF). It's a hell of a lot faster than a Pentium 630/631, and significantly cheaper.

But it is really nice to see some good competition for the dual core cpu's because that is where the eyes are focused. Consumers have needed this kind of competition for a long time. I guess we can thank Intel for finally bringing a top notch product to the table, and also AMD, for forcing them to do so.


RE: Who Cares?
By smitty3268 on 7/10/2006 5:07:11 PM , Rating: 2
Yes, AMD totally owns the single core market. The problem is that I would have a hard time recommending anyone to get a single core cpu right now except for the $500 boxes. I think we're in a transition period right now and in a year or two anyone without dual core is going to be missing out.


RE: Who Cares?
By cgrecu77 on 7/10/2006 10:08:58 PM , Rating: 2
for MOST home users a single core is better than a dual-core ... Most people only do trivial stuff with their computers, for example I recently upgrade my wife's box from a celeron to a A64 3200+ and she complained that it "feels" slower ...
The only place where home users need all the power is games and all evidence indicates that multi core will be useless for gaming in the near future ...
Of course, if the difference in price would be minor than dualcore is better, but as it is now, a A64 3700+ at $150 is a much better solution than X2 3800+ at $300 ...


RE: Who Cares?
By coldpower27 on 7/10/2006 10:30:45 PM , Rating: 2
This situation will not hold much longer, for typically usage a Pentium 4 with HT will be better for most task and fell more responsive.

July 23rd bring price cuts for Intel's Pentium 4's as well. Some will be under 100US.


RE: Who Cares?
By ElJefe69 on 7/11/2006 4:47:19 AM , Rating: 2
everything a dual core system does is faster in a windows environment. no lag, no stops, blips, crap popping up, little loads to slow you down, all computers should have been dual processor or dual core from the start. I remember a dual pentium pro machine on windows NT. was a sick thing to watch back then.


RE: Who Cares?
By AMDfreak on 7/10/2006 4:23:04 PM , Rating: 2
That's probably the case for the real fanboys. However, despite my name I'm builing a conroe system next. This will be my first Intel CPU since the 486, but I'm looking for max performance for the money and conroe is it.


RE: Who Cares?
By Tom Tom on 7/10/06, Rating: 0
RE: Who Cares?
By Nocturnal on 7/10/2006 3:16:54 PM , Rating: 2
You know honestly, I don't ever see the prices becoming so low like the Athlon XP days. I think AMD's ego is too big for that. They think they're the hot stuff right now and that they can charge whatever they want and people will still buy. That is why I'm jumping ship and moving over to Conroe. I just don't see this happening. They may prove me wrong but I don't see it happening anytime soon. Yes, I know that price cuts are just a few weeks away but still, they plan on making the 3600 X2 @ $150 and then what? The X2 3800+ still at $250ish? No way, that's just ridiculous.


RE: Who Cares?
By Loc13 on 7/10/2006 4:07:39 PM , Rating: 2
If i remember correctly, there's NO 3600 X2. And they're cutting the X2 3800+ will be cut down to around $160 the day after Conroe launches. That's a VERY GOOD DEAL, by the way. Please do your research before you write.