Quote Originally Posted by Zimon
I really can't get to grips with why AMD have started to use these half multipliers....

I suspect they are responsible for most of the performance loss reported by both Anand and Firingsquad with those 4800+ chips:
As far as I understand, they cause a lower RAM speed, and a corresponding ~4% loss in theoretical bandwidth.

Interestingly, the difference in clockspeed between 4600+ and new 4800+ chips is also 4%...
- Maybe we're just seeing differences between MHz and bandwidth sensitive apps and games...?

Seems this would explain how the 4600+ is able to beat the 4800+ in some of the Firingsquad tests?
It fixes memory divider issues is all. We have had half multipliers for years anyways. The only way I can get 354x8.5M is because of the half multiplier. The damn memory controller in mine is limited by the memory dividers and full multipliers and half multipliers break the berrior so its a good thing for some.