AMD about ready to bring the wood.

[Zebo]

"People Are Talking"
Ed Stroligo - 12/13/04


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


In One Corner

IBM and AMD are supposed to announce an improved SOI at a chip conference shortly. The Inquirer says that this will result in a substantial speed increase

This looks to be confirmation of what we've been talking about the last couple weeks (here and here if you need to get up to speed).

No doubt we'll get it straight from the horse's mouth very shortly, hopefully with more specifics.

There's still a lot of unanswered questions, mostly in the "when" and "how you can tell them apart from others" categories, but it's probably safe to say that by the time the seasons flip, we're probably looking at 3Ghz capable Hammers (which would translate to about 4.5GHz-4.8GHz in PIVese).

In The Other Corner

Intel will start putting out its lineup of 2Mb cache, x86-64-enabled processors starting in February. The maximum speed of those will eventually be 3.8Ghz (3.6Ghz for starters).

These chips will also have Enhanced Speedstep. Given that a more accurate name might be Enhanced Throttling, this is definitely not what the overclocking doctor ordered. Serious overclocking ought to be attempted only by the Mr. Freezes in the audience.

While these chips ought to be fine for your Joe Sixpack Dell box (the EM64T is good insurance against quick obsolescence); they're certainly going to get beaten by any near-, at-, or above 3GHz "regular" Hammer (and even a 3GHz Sempron will at worst be close).

That's in 32-bit. If these chips didn't have x86-64, it could have gotten really ugly in a few side-by-side comparisons. That's why Intel changed its tune on x86-64; they can keep it close against AMD with it despite their broken-down ramp. They can't without it.

Nonetheless, the only reasons why any overclocker interested in performance wouldn't go AMD in 2005 would be either blind hatred of the company or (a bit more rationally), the hope of eventually sticking in a dual-core tomorrow into an LGA775 mobo bought today (which I don't think is the best idea in the world for an overclocker; if cooling one Prescott is too much, what do you think cooling two near-Prescotts on a single die is going to be like?)

Early Word on Dualies

The Inquirer article also says that Intel ought to have word on dual-core pricing in February. It will probably be hard not to include speeds with that, but we'll probably see dual-cores running in a range of around 3Ghz each.

According to Intel's estimates, they'll get dual cores out the door in 2005, but they won't become big-time until 2006, when they expect 70% of desktop CPUs to be dualies.

Effectively, that means dualies won't go mainstream until 65nm, and frankly, the big question on dual cores is not about hardware, but whether the software folks will make something out of it, and how soon.


Ed

Plus more news i found in GH 25% speed increase with new IBM/AMD fab tech

http://www.vnunet.com/news/1160036

 

[jbh129]

kind of stinks for people buying 90nm AMD's right now if the performance increase is really 25%

 

[OzzieGT]

I just posted another related article here:

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...5140&enterthread=y


Meh, nevermind it looks like the same article posted at the bottom of Zebo's post...

 

[clarkey01]

"Rubs Chin" Hmmmmmmmmm

 

[Markfw]

Well, if you didn't think they already have total domination, they will very soon it appears.

 

[clarkey01]

Just need the capcity now and Advertisement and there on the way.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I won't be building again for quite awhile so the new sweethearts won't be mine for a good while However, the news of what Intel speculates the percentage of dual-core desktop systems will be is very encouraging since having just built myself a dual Opteron. I should think some are hard at work writting SMP supporting software already Hopefully game devs are among those starting to embrace it since there will finally be a big enough market for it to payoff :thumbsup:

 

[mechBgon]

I was surfing along last night and couldn't help but be a little wowed by this: poll result @ X-Bit There are more people who'd stick with whatever they've got, than would upgrade to either a P4/Radeon or P4/GeForce solution (if they had to pay for it, that is).

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
I was surfing along last night and couldn't help but be a little wowed by this: poll result @ X-Bit There are more people who'd stick with whatever they've got, than would upgrade to either a P4/Radeon or P4/GeForce solution (if they had to pay for it, that is).

I think the poll clearly reflects that the participants are actually reading the content of the tech sites they visit

 

[mechBgon]

So the mind-control helmets are working, then! :Q

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
So the mind-control helmets are working, then! :Q

Shat no! If they were working everyone would still be choosing Intel :laugh: And more precisely your favorite CPU evar! The Celeron! :lips:

 

[Zebo]

I agree with DP, when and if I get this 939 working proper this will be my last upgrade for 2.0 years I think.

Totally too. No Video card, no mem, no nuttin but maybe a plotter I need for biz.

It's just I feel a bit burned this go around. With my $430 AGP card going to be obselte, not speed wise but socket wise. Maybe my good memory will be replaced with DDR2 or skip right to DDR3. Socket 754 board/processor is going no where. In effect, when I go to sell this stuff it's takes a tremendous hit due to a massive change going on in the industry in the next year.

So I'll stick with 939, DDR, AGP. hope for a dual core 939 next christmas. If not I'll wait another year, hand comp down, and be looking into PCIe, DDR2/3, and whatever fantansitc chips are out then. Dual 3.2 probably...

 

[irwincur]

As soon as AMD can announce a serious path for multi core chips I will upgrade. Until then, I am waiting for socket specs and chip specs.

 

[Devlyn]

So I've got an AGP vid card, just purchased, and looking to upgrade the rest of my PC like yesterday. If you were looking at 754 or 939 would you hold out for these to come out? Or are we talking a long time before these will be hitting the market and they'll be coming out at significant increases over current 939 chips?

 

[cramerica]

And my once mighty P4 2.53 gets bloodily beaten even further down the totem pole...c'mon baby...two more years

 

[clarkey01]

Hmmm, my trusted 2000 xp needs some rest, I was going to upgrade soon but with so many new devlopments occuring recently Im holding my horses. I am going to wait till Sept 05. a 2.8 Ghz/ 3Ghz hammer system would be nice.

 

[RealityTime]

this is my next build I've been waiting for.. are these new hammers supposed to be 939 pin ? As soon as the dfi nf4 sli lanparty is out mid-january i'll be getting that, and I'm willing to wait for one of these cpus if they are coming in at 939 pin.. HOPE SO!

 

[Zebo]

I think they will be 939. it would be a huge PR disaster to switch sockets yet again and mobo makers will be pissed. Now when dual core comes out....I don't share the optimism of some 939 buyers who think it will be adapted to thier socket. Socket 900 rumors are strong. Plus I think they will have to change controllers for optimal performance. Anytime AMD switches controllers it nessesitates a new pin out (socket). One of the major downfalls of a on-board mem controller.

About SLI...Are you people really going to buy two video cards? I can see waiting for PCI express but two cards seems like a waste. And noise, OMG!!

 

[RealityTime]

Originally posted by: Zebo
I think they will be 939. it would be a huge PR disaster to switch sockets yet again and mobo makers will be pissed. Now when dual core comes out....I don't share the optimism of some 939 buyers who think it will be adapted to thier socket. Socket 900 rumors are strong. Plus I think they will have to change controllers for optimal performance. Anytime AMD switches controllers it nessesitates a new pin out (socket). One of the major downfalls of a on-board mem controller.

About SLI...Are you people really going to buy two video cards? I can see waiting for PCI express but two cards seems like a waste. And noise, OMG!!

I know it does seem excessive, my call on my next rig is definately the dfi nf4 lanparty, as I am fairly confident it will be the best nf4 board out as there prior lanparty was the best, along with one of these new hammers ( i might wait for a new mobo/dual core depending on when they are coming out and just how much more performance they offer) But I am VERY optimistic about one of these new hammers in the lanparty 4 ocing to maybe 3.4ghz . mmm.. 3.4ghz a64=power! As far as vid cards go, I think quake4 will be the next game to hammer the current gen of video hardware, particularly as id has said yes it will use the d3 engine, but enhanced greatly as well as involving large outdoor and indoor areas, which of course will be a lot more hardware intensive than d3 was, along with vehicles and other gooooodness. unreal 3 also I think is of course going to be a super hammer on current hardware, truth be told, I think unreal 3 might necessitate another build after this one I am doing. But back on track, I think for video I will know if I want to go 2x6800gt or just one r520, as the 520 should be around by march I think ?? have to wait and see, but 2*r520 sli may be the thing. who knows.

 

[n7]

w00t for moar A64 power

I'd be happy to upgrade if they get a 3.0 GHz baby out there (or one i can assurredly OC to 3.0).

Till then i'm sticking with my old s754 NewCastle, & impatiently waiting.

 

[RealityTime]

ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO AMD!

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: RealityTime
ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO AMD!

WHAT YOU SAY!! :Q

 

[RealityTime]

Originally posted by: mechBgon

Originally posted by: RealityTime
ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO AMD!

WHAT YOU SAY!! :Q

rofl :beer:

 

[raanemaan]

Looks like I'll wait to upgrade a few more months.

 

[Soulkeeper]

/me drules
haha

benchmarks will clear the way through rumours
i can't wait