AMD's Hammer in Action @ ANANDTECH! Also at Tom's Hardware

[microAmp]

Sweet! and WOW those are some crazy pin counts.

 

[joohang]

I just saw this.

<-- drooling

I'll start saving up some money. Yeah right.. I'll probably spend it all by next Christmas.

 

[Midnight Rambler]

<< Ok..so know that we have seen this...can we answer that stupid question that has been floating around...you know...


"Is the end near for AMD?"


Hmmmmm....I would say...

NO! >>

Especially since the end of Jerry IS near !

 

[Sunner]

<< That Hammer is just about as tight as the G-String I'm wearing right now. >>


Im not entirely sure I wanted to know that...

 

[Idoxash]

dudezzzzzzzzzz this rules!!!!

 

[NFS4]

Tom's Hardware has an article up now!!!

http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/02q1/020227/index.html

 

[Athlon4all]

YEA BABY!!!!! IHS, P4 Type Heatsink mechaninism, but damn that pin count!!! But, keep in mind that something had to supply the pins for the DDR Controller (ClawHammer) and the DC DDR contrroller of Sledge Hammer as well so that's not a huge suprise, but I was amazed as to how so much it looked like the NW P4!!:Q

 

[Czar]

<< Tom's Hardware has an article up now!!!

http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/02q1/020227/index.html >>





<< Suse Linux was installed on one of the PCs, and Windows XP (64-bit version) was installed on the other. >>



In anands article it says that its a 32bit version of winxp but 64bit on toms page.. which is correct?

 

[NFS4]

<<

<< Tom's Hardware has an article up now!!!

http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/02q1/020227/index.html >>





<< Suse Linux was installed on one of the PCs, and Windows XP (64-bit version) was installed on the other. >>



In anands article it says that its a 32bit version of winxp but 64bit on toms page.. which is correct? >>


I believe that Tom is wrong b/c Microsoft doesn't support x86-64 yet.

 

[Czar]

<< I believe that Tom is wrong b/c Microsoft doesn't support x86-64 yet. >>


probably, but Microsoft is working on a x86-64 version of Windows, it could have been a beta... alpha version of it or something

 

[Vegito]

all i can say is i'm gonna be rich...

i dont care who has faster processor as long as you guys keep buying it


BTW.. how fast can it crack RC5 ? any estimates ? in 64bit mode ?

 

[RagingGuardian]

64bit dual channel integrated DDR controller on the sledgehammer:Q Can't wait for some dually sweetness

 

[KDOG]

I have a good question - how much longer for 32-bit? I wonder when we'll see 64bit Windows XP Home Edition...

 

[Athlon4all]

<< I have a good question - how much longer for 32-bit? I wonder when we'll see 64bit Windows XP Home Edition... >>

Still a while. You must keep in mind that x86-64 should help ease the transition to 64-bit, but it's gonna take years. Heck, MS just released their first mainstream fully 32-bit OS (Win XP) and we still have a long way to even become fully 32-bit. Further, think about this, the first 32-bit Intel CPU (386) was released in 1985, and we didn't see a 32-bit OS until Windows NT (1993 or 92), and that OS didn't have big support for apps, so really, it took us almost 10 years until 32bit apps became mainstream.

 

[Akaz1976]

Just wondering about pricing of these processors. I assume since Claw is gonna be performance desktop line, it would be priced like the athlons (or like P4s at worst). While Sledge is gonna be in Xeon like price area? I ask this since AMD has not had Xeon type priced CPU before and if its gonna be priced like Xeon then i doubt many people (even here) would be buying it.

Also the only difference that i could tell between Sledge and Claw was the memory controller (64 DC DDR vs straight 64 DDR). Am i missing stuff?

Also what kind of bandwidth are we talking? 533 P4 set up now has 4.2 GB/s bandwidth FSB with same bandwith connection to memory (and video card?).

Akaz

PS. my tech know how is kindda limited so pardon the mistakes

 

[dullard]

<< Just wondering about pricing of these processors. I assume since Claw is gonna be performance desktop line, it would be priced like the athlons (or like P4s at worst). >>



I've been asking the same exact question. Remember that AMD was selling its chips for $800-$1000 just two short years ago. AMD has lost money in the last couple of quarters - thus they need to raise prices. If the Hammer line is a great success, then I wouldn't be surprized to see prices back near that level. Although I really think it will be somewhat between the current prices and the old prices (At least $500, probably a bit more).



<< While Sledge is gonna be in Xeon like price area? >>


Intel's 1000 lot prices are just $50 more for the Intel Xeon when compared to the equivalent P4. Thus there currently isn't really a different Xeon like price area. However when Intel starts selling its server Xeons - then you might see a big difference in prices. But I've yet to hear anyone estimate the price level for the server Intel Xeons. It may be expensive, or it might not.

 

[Novgrod]

four layer mobo; wasn't the 760 a 6 layer mutha?

This has been, without a doubt, the most exciting thing at IDF thus far and we just thought you'd get as much of a kick out of it as we did.

Yes. Yes I did.

Mebbe I'll migrate to linux with my new clawhammer next year; then I can make fun of thems microsoft-lovers stuck in 32 bit OS stuff.

 

[Texmaster]

looks like the multiplier will be locked though

 

[SinNisTeR]

[cleo] Oh my goodnes [/cleo]

 

[joohang]

<< 64bit dual channel integrated DDR controller on the sledgehammer:Q Can't wait for some dually sweetness >>

 

[Athlon4all]

<< Also the only difference that i could tell between Sledge and Claw was the memory controller (64 DC DDR vs straight 64 DDR). Am i missing stuff? >>

Sledge Hammer will have 4 HT IO Links to link with 3 other Hammer CPUs, and one link to go to the AGP Controller/South Bridge along with the DC DDR controller.

<< Also what kind of bandwidth are we talking? 533 P4 set up now has 4.2 GB/s bandwidth FSB with same bandwith connection to memory (and video card?). >>

This is someting I've been thinking about. First off, Anand mentioned that the HT Bus is a 8-bit bus (1 byte per clock cycle), and that seemed awful low, but then I looked at the diagrams from THG (see here) for both the Single Hammer CPU and the 4 way Hammer System, and each HT link was 6.4GB/ps!!!! The HT bus must be at least DDR, but then again, even a DDR 8-bit bus would need a 3.2GHz front side bus which can't be. So, I can't explain how AMD will get 6.4GB/ps of fsb bandwidth, but the bottom line is that Hammer will have it.

 

[andreasl]

<< Sledge Hammer will have 4 HT IO Links to link with 3 other Hammer CPUs, and one link to go to the AGP Controller/South Bridge along with the DC DDR controller. >>



No. Sledgehammer will have 3 HT links. 2 for glueless SMP and 1 for IO. It supports up to 8 CPU configurations this way. I suck at ASCII so I'll refer you to the wealth of litterature links about the Hammer SMP to see how it's connected unless you're unsure of that.



<< This is someting I've been thinking about. First off, Anand mentioned that the HT Bus is a 8-bit bus (1 byte per clock cycle), and that seemed awful low, but then I looked at the diagrams from THG (see here) for both the Single Hammer CPU and the 4 way Hammer System, and each HT link was 6.4GB/ps!!!! The HT bus must be at least DDR, but then again, even a DDR 8-bit bus would need a 3.2GHz front side bus which can't be. So, I can't explain how AMD will get 6.4GB/ps of fsb bandwidth, but the bottom line is that Hammer will have it. >>



The HT links on Sledgehammer are 16-bit bi-directional running at 800MHz DDR. This gives it a maximum bandwidth of 3.2GB/s in both directions. Hence 6.4GB/s.

 

[Athlon4all]

Oops. Guess I was dead wrong. Sorry guys. Thanks for clearing me up!

 

[vash]

I'll be buying the Hammer, definitely, if it comes out around September. This CPU has all the massive hype and I'll be putting it to good use under *nix and 64-bit XP. My only wish is that there are really NO bugs that plague the chipset from the get-go, or no major bugs that don't effect a majority of people. First run things usually have a bug or two in them (cars are the greatest example), so a few revs afterwards and they are kicking major booty.

vash

 

[ST4RCUTTER]

I'll be buying the Hammer, definitely, if it comes out around September.

You'll probably have to wait until closer to the end of this year. Most likely Nov/Dec. My guess is that it will come multiplier locked like the current Athlons, but may have bridges under the IHS. Undoubtedly people will be prying that thing off to try...