Enter the Dragon: AMD AM3 6-core desktop arriving in 2010

[vardirox]

http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/cpu/dis...Processor.html

Advanced Micro Devices is preparing a desktop processor with six processing engines, sources familiar with the company’s plans revealed. The new central processing units (CPUs) will not be available this year, but are likely to boost performance of AMD’s desktop platforms sometime in 2010.

AMD’s processor code-named Thuban is the company’s first desktop processor with six processing engines. The microprocessors will be compatible with socket AM3 infrastructure and will have integrated dual-channel PC3-10600 (DDR3 1333MHz) memory controller. It is very likely that Thuban processors will retain AMD Phenom II brand name as well as design of the code-named Istanbul chips for servers, thus, will feature 3MB L2 cache (512KB per core) and 6MB of L3 cache. The chips will be made using 45nm SOI fabrication process.

[initialised]

But will it get 7.9 in Windows 7 performance index?

[Kylzer]

But will it get 7.9 in Windows 7 performance index?

No

[ubuntu83]

But will it get 7.9 in Windows 7 performance index?

Only when Overclocked. The Q3 release time frame seems to be a conservative estimate or this news is just a half baked rumor.

[surfinhicdude]

Only when Overclocked. The Q3 release time frame seems to be a conservative estimate or this news is just a half baked rumor.

Well, it is Xbit afterall.

[Olivon]

Great newz !!!

It's a little bit late (if Q3 2010 is right) but it's really good for all of us.

[xBanzai89]

Good incentive to buy a AM3 build over the LGA775 at least.

[demonkevy666]

chips must have turned out better then expected for that to happen.
it is nice to see Phenom II won't just have all out clock speeds now.

[largon]

6-core on desktop.
Pointless.

[G0ldBr1ck]

6-core on desktop.
Pointless.

So was 4 cores not all that long ago.

[Mechromancer]

So was 4 cores not all that long ago.

+1

AMD and especially Intel are working with a lot of software devs to get multi-threaded code out in the wild. I predict 2010 will be the year of pervasive multi-threading.

[poke349]

+1

AMD and especially Intel are working with a lot of software devs to get multi-threaded code out in the wild. I predict 2010 will be the year of pervasive multi-threading.

Or improved compartmentalization...

"No single program will lag your computer."

[Manicdan]

wtf 6 cores and 9MB of cache? gonna cost a fortune to make it, i would rather see 8 cores and 4MB cache

[Chumbucket843]

wtf 6 cores and 9MB of cache? gonna cost a fortune to make it, i would rather see 8 cores and 4MB cache

MCM FTW.

[haylui]

AM3 socket? AM2+ compatible like current AM3 quad and tri?

[adam9977]

Sounds like great news...if it's true.

[Hell Hound]

wtf 6 cores and 9MB of cache? gonna cost a fortune to make it, i would rather see 8 cores and 4MB cache

8 CORE'S 12MB CACHE

[demonkevy666]

wtf 6 cores and 9MB of cache? gonna cost a fortune to make it, i would rather see 8 cores and 4MB cache

512kbs per core + 6mbs of L3 cache = 9mbs

[Manicdan]

i know how to read, im thinking they are spending way to much of the chips space on cache, its nice and all, but more cores will give a much larger benefit in some things than an extra few MB of cache.

i wonder what the difference would be in chip size and performance with 256k L2 for 8 cores, and 2-3MB of L3 vs this with 9MB total and 6 cores

this really sounds like it was built for 32nm, and i hope they can shrink it down quick

[nn_step]

But will it get 7.9 in Windows 7 performance index?

legit or after I apply the 10-20 patch?
[Allowing me to manually set the score to what ever I want ]

[EniGmA1987]

Everyone is talking about these like they are some new chip or should be redesigned cause the specs are "dumb". I think AMD knows more than you do about processor design, and these chips have been out for a little while already on the S1207 platform. These will be the same CPUs but on a different package. And no they aren't incredibly expensive to make, as you can see from current pricing.

[ridney]

six cores in an am3, yum yum!

[informal]

This is Lisbon-a server C32 part- for desktop . Should be interesting to see what clocks AMD manages to get from these parts.If these are slated for Q2 or Q3 next year,I think north of 3Ghz within present TDP brackets shouldn't be a stretch .

[BrokenWall]

*hidden ACC feature* enabling ACC and turning the HTT to 250Mhz will unlock 2 more cores and AMD's version of Hyper threading.

I know just kidding.

[kl0012]

If true, then Bulldozer in late 2010/early 2011 looks even less plausible.