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"Barcelona" in 2007

AMD today demonstrated its quad-core Barcelona Opteron processors. The demonstration was shown on a quad quad-core system for a total of 16 cores. AMD touts its upcoming Barcelona Opteron quad-core processors as the world’s first native quad-core design. The native quad-core design packs four cores on a single die instead of Intel’s method of putting two dual-core dice on a single package.

Upgradability will be a key point in AMD’s quad-core strategy. AMD claims the upgrade from dual-core Opteron processors to quad-core processors is relatively straightforward. All that’s needed to plop a quad-core Barcelona processor in existing Socket F Opteron systems is a BIOS update—similar to Intel’s quad-core Clovertown upgradeability approach.

Interestingly enough AMD claims quad-core processors will have the same thermal and electrical envelope as its dual-core Opteron processors for greater performance-per-watt. The upcoming Barcelona core will be similar to AMD's upcoming Stars core processors for desktops which launches near the same timeframe.

AMD expects to deliver quad-core Barcelona processors beginning in mid-2007 for two to eight-way servers and workstations.


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Barcelona isn't "Stars"...
By Furen on 11/30/2006 7:25:14 PM , Rating: 3
The "Stars" codenames are for the desktop. Server parts are still given city codenames. The underlying architecture should be the same, though.




RE: Barcelona isn't "Stars"...
By archcommus on 12/1/2006 1:43:16 AM , Rating: 2
Mid-2007, not too far off, and native quad core, which Intel is not doing yet. It sure would be nice to see a competitive AMD next fall.


RE: Barcelona isn't "Stars"...
By laok on 12/1/2006 8:53:27 AM , Rating: 2
I hope AMD could win at the quad quad-core market. Intel has dual quad-core now, although not native, which looks pretty good. I think it still take some time for Intel to move core cpu to quad socket system.

I am a fan of neither Intel or AMD, but I really like to see real competition in th e cpu market.


RE: Barcelona isn't "Stars"...
By Furen on 12/1/2006 6:39:53 AM , Rating: 3
OMG, I hate it when the article is changed without putting a notice up or something. Now I sound like a retard just repeating part of the article. Throwing a bold "Updated" somewhere would help...


RE: Barcelona isn't "Stars"...
By Hippiekiller on 12/1/06, Rating: -1
RE: Barcelona isn't "Stars"...
By Hippiekiller on 12/1/06, Rating: -1
RE: Barcelona isn't "Stars"...
By Hippiekiller on 12/1/06, Rating: -1
RE: Barcelona isn't "Stars"...
By Hippiekiller on 12/1/06, Rating: -1
RE: Barcelona isn't "Stars"...
By Hippiekiller on 12/1/06, Rating: -1
By JarredWalton on 12/1/2006 12:16:59 PM , Rating: 3
Love the talking head in the video:

"Just replace an AMD Opteron 1000, 2000, or 8000 processor with a new quad core Opteron, and then update the BIOS...."

Ummm, isn't that backwards? Might want to update the BIOS *first*!

The whole "we're doing four cores on a single die instead of two dual core die in a package" is getting so stupid. After all, two smaller die don't really perform much worse, while it offers a LOT more flexibility in terms of manufacturing: better yields, ability to manufacture more or less quad core CPUs as the market dictates, faster time to market....

And of course Intel will have native quad core on a single die around the same time, only with 45 nm IIRC. Only reason AMD isn't doing two die in a package is because at 90nm the package would generate far too much heat.

Anyway, other than nebulous claims that performance will improve by up to 70% in some database applications and 40% in floating point (that's ALL? For doubling the number of cores?), the video contains nothing really useful.




"If you look at the last five years, if you look at what major innovations have occurred in computing technology, every single one of them came from AMD. Not a single innovation came from Intel." -- AMD CEO Hector Ruiz in 2007






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