AMD has confirmed that it is readying a six-core processor, codenamed Thuban, that is geared for consumer desktops. The component is based on the company's six-core Opteron series that was recently announced for server configurations.
AMD started the week today with a new whole platform for Opterons targeted at servers and the very high end of the computer market. Previously nicknamed Fiorano, the six-core Opteron with AMD chipset takes the company's existing server and workstation chips but adds a new chipset, the S5650, designed to scale for very heavy workloads. The technology now supports virtualization in hardware down to the very basic I/O interfaces and also brings the much faster PCI Express 2.0 interface and AMD's latest HyperTransport point-to-point interface between the processor and the rest of the system.
Chipmaker AMD on Monday announced it has released the six-core AMD Opteron EE processor with increased performance, but the same 40W ACP power band as the existing quad-core models. The 1.8GHz launch model is designed for 2U servers and supports all the hardware features of full-power Opterons, such as AMD-V virtualization of other operating systems in hardware as well as newer power management features. AMD estimates that a full server rack of the new part would use 18 percent less power than the earlier six-core Opteron 2425HE.
HP today stepped up the power of its xw9400 workstations with the addition of AMD's six-core Opteron 2400 series to the mix. Also nicknamed Istanbul, the chips give a system as many as 12 cores. HP maintains AMD's view that the chips offer about 34 percent more performance per watt when compared to earlier quad-cores, which often use the same amount of energy.
AMD on Tuesday introduced the latest component in its Opteron 1000 Series of server processors, the quad-core 'Suzuka.' Following the company's tradition of naming processors after Formula 1 tracks, 'Suzuka' is inspired by a circuit in Japan. The CPU is based on the same core as AMD's Shanghai products, with processor speeds of 2.5GHz, 2.7GHz and 2.9GHz. While the new offering aims to increase performance, the platform is also claimed to decrease power consumption.
AMD on Monday launched the latest AMD Opteron, codenamed 'Istanbul,' as the company's first six-core server processor utilizing Direct Connect architecture. The component is designed to balance performance with power consumption, with up to 34-percent more performance-per-watt than earlier generations running on the same platform.
Marking thh sixth-anniversary of the Opteron processor, AMD has outlined its future server architecture and its dual-path roadmap that will focus on both developing low-power processors as well as performance on a platform level. Having introduced its Opteron EE processor on Wednesday morning, says its next-generation "Istanbul" processors are now expected to ship in May and its "Magny-Cours" processors due in the first quarter of 2010. AMD promised that the "Istanbul" will be compatible will existing processor sockets but that "Magny-Cours" features a new format known as Direct Connect Architecture 2.0. In 2011, the company expects that it will deliver Opteron chips codenamed "Interlagos" with 16 cores on its high-end "Maranello" platform.
Hoping to compete on energy over speed, AMD today launched a new take on its pro-level processors in the form of the Opteron EE. The processors, which AMD claims are the lowest power quad-core x86 processor, are a functional match for the latest Opterons but use just 40W of average power; the use is less than the 55W of the already modified Opteron HE and far less than the 75W or more of full-power Opterons. The chipmaker considers the EE ideal for blades, rackmount servers and other systems which are often part of densely packed clusters.
AMD tonight showed slight improvement in its performance by reporting reduced losses for its first quarter of the year. The chip designer managed a net loss of $416 million; while worse than a net loss of $351 million for the first quarter of 2008, the figure is less than a third of the $1.4 billion loss reported just in the fall. It also notes that revenue was "flat" versus the fall and thus that its losses are under better control.
AMD Business Development head John Fruehe late yesterday confirmed plans for his company's first 6-core processor. Nicknamed "Istanbul," a variant of the company's current 45 nanometer Opteron processors is due in the second half of this year and should provide significantly more simultaneous computing power without hurting power use. Fruehe claims tests show the same levels of energy and heat as for existing quad-core Opterons.
AMD early Monday upped its claims to performance with a new set of Opteron HE quad-core processors. The new chips are the company's first of the type built on the current 45 nanometer "Shanghai" architecture and use just 55W of average power while also reportedly consuming about 20 percent less power than an equivalent Xeon when idle. The semiconductor firm touts the technology as ideal for servers but also makes it available for workstations.
Early tests conducted with Intel's upcoming Nehalem-based Xeons by TechRadar today show the processor running approximately twice as fast as its current equivalent. Based on the same basic design as Core i7 mainstream chips, a pair of 2.8GHz quad-core Xeon X5560 chips received a SPEC score of 160 in floating-point math tests versus 90 for two 3.4GHz Xeons from the current generation.
AMD's mainstream Phenom II processors should rekindle the competition with Intel for clock speed, according to a collection of reports of an AMD demonstration session. Based on the recently unveiled Shanghai architecture being used for new Opterons, the quad-core desktop chips should make a modest leap to 3GHz in official clock speeds but will have room for overclocking previously only available with Intel's Core 2 chips. An example tested by AMD is capable of running reliably at 4GHz with fan-based cooling and shows the company could upgrade the clock speed to match or beat Intel if necessary.
Intel today said it was concerned its patents might be at risk as a result of AMD's manufacturing split. The former company licenses its x86 chip architecture and other key technologies to AMD and has "serious questions" about whether those licenses will be honored if AMD's division into design and manufacturing companies is approved, according to Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy.
AMD this morning took a radical step to improve its fortunes by launching into its promised split into two separate companies. The plan will see AMD break off its semiconductor manufacturing business into a separate company, for now known as the The Foundry Company, and will result in the new company both assuming about $1.2 billion of AMD's debt and the Abu Dhabi-based firm Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC) supplying about $2.1 billion to both start up the new company as well as to help earn a majority stake in the project, which will also give it 55.6 percent of shares.
HP this morning used an educational conference as an opportunity to unveil a quad-core workstation inexpensive enough to be bought by anyone: the xw4550 uses a latest-generation 2GHz AMD Opteron to offer up performance which is normally off-limits to those in school or at work. The system can handle video editing and other heavy-duty tasks while still being durable and tamper-proof enough to sit in a public place, according to its creator. The system can appropriately be locked down in hardware and software.
AMD today seized on the Computex show to launch a new set of quad-core Opterons aimed at high-end home users and budget workstations or servers. The 1300 series is rated for just one processor socket and meant for users that are comfortable with four cores; the feature set is the same as for the full-power 2000- and 8000-series, including better power saving and support for virtualization and the company's signature HyperTransport bus.
AMD on Monday sought to push the limits of its high-end processors and launched new quad-core versions of the Opteron HE processor. All five new entries consume an average of just 55 watts, or much less than the 75 and 105 watts of power used by existing Opterons and less than some of their Intel Xeon equivalents. The cooler-running chips allow the system to run in both smaller workstation PCs as well as blades and rackmount servers, where many Opterons are often too hot for the tight spaces.
AMD on Wednesday unveiled definitive plans for 6- and 12-core Opteron processors, made with a 45nm fabrication process, which will be available most likely during 2009. TG Daily writes that the company will continue to support the Socket F (1207) platform through to its 6-core, single-die Istanbul, but will make a departure from the standard in 2010, when AMD unveils its Maranello platform. Production samples of the 45nm chips have already been made available to vendors.
Early supercomputer developer Cray said today that it was working with Intel for mutual help on advancing supercomputers. The teamwork will see Cray help Intel develop the technology for clusters as well as to improve the in-processor technology, such as newer generations of multi-core processors. In return, Cray will make its first use Intel's processors for its own supercomputers, replacing AMD Opterons and more specialized supercomputer chips.
HP this morning has marked the launch of NAB with two systems targeted at AV editors or most anyone who depends on very high end performance. A new version of the xw8600 uses Intel's latest 3.2GHz quad-core Xeon to handle very processor-intensive tasks such as media encoding; up to two each can fit in a single system to make it the most individually powerful desktop at HP, the company says. Systems built on the new chip vary in price but lift the price by about $2,460 both through the faster design as well as the requirement of using 4GB of 800MHz memory.
AMD today stepped closer towards equality with Intel today by revealing the first working examples of its own 45 nanometer processors. Co-developed with IBM, the chips combine AMD's own existing quad-core technology with the smaller, more efficient chip design to improve the amount of performance without increasing power and heat as a result. The company is still hesitant to reveal full details but explains that there will be both desktop-oriented processors, codenamed "Deneb," as well as server-grade "Shanghai" chips available; these are expected to translate to both single- and dual-socket upgrades to the Phenom desktop line as well as more efficient Opteron processors later in the year.
AMD has finally solved the outstanding issues with some of its quad-core Phenom and Opteron processors, according to the company's CEO. Hector Ruiz tells analysts that although the fixed B3 stepping CPU is still "running through the paces," the first engineering samples should ship to system builders within two to three weeks. Production in bulk will begin sometime this quarter, with finished computers going on sale by the end of the period.
