AMD Rumoured Release of 6-Core Desktop Processors

[FiXT]

Monday we reported the news that AMD was releasing its six core Opterton processors to the market in the near future, showcasing the first production of units beyond the current 4-core limitation. This was not big news to many though, as Opteron CPU's are geared solely for the server and business markets, and not intended for regular desktop use.H... [ Read full article ]

[CMetaphor]

For AMD fans..... ooooooooohhhhh baby! 6-Cores than can drop into your existing AM3/AM2+ motherboards. Dayum!

[FiXT]

Cross compatibility - AMD, thinking of the consumer (trying to woo some sales )

No having to juggle three different sockets - all with their own different variations of CPU's, and completely non compatible with each other

As the ING guy says "One more hand, in your pocket"

[Cowboy]

I'll upgrade when I see it! Hopefully it'll have a ddr2 controller on it as well, so that it works in existing am2+ boards :)

[DarKStar]

Originally Posted by Cowboy

I'll upgrade when I see it! Hopefully it'll have a ddr2 controller on it as well, so that it works in existing am2+ boards :)

Actually it will have a DDR3 controller - I think a 6 core processor is overkill for a desktop procsesor for most people, especially gamers, for now :) For multicore capable apps users like myself, this would be great news ! I do a lot of rendering and authorign / encoding, and can use the extra cores - although I'm concerned about heat :)

[Cowboy]

Originally Posted by DarKStar

Actually it will have a DDR3 controller - I think a 6 core processor is overkill for a desktop procsesor for most people, especially gamers, for now :) For multicore capable apps users like myself, this would be great news ! I do a lot of rendering and authorign / encoding, and can use the extra cores - although I'm concerned about heat :)

sigh....

Its a rumor. Thats why I said I was hoping it would have both a ddr2 AND a ddr3 controller on board... just like every native AM3 processor currently out there.

[CMetaphor]

Originally Posted by Cowboy

I'll upgrade when I see it! Hopefully it'll have a ddr2 controller on it as well, so that it works in existing am2+ boards :)

I fairly certain that it would be possible for these new 6-core CPUs to drop into existing AM2+ board (obviously with a BIOS update), but there seems no reference to if they have to. If i recall correctly, the last AMD cpu roadmap I saw stated that by 2011, with their "Orochi" platform, there will only be a DDR3 controller onboard... So for now we may be "safe" with our existing AM2+ boards.

[Cowboy]

Yeah I remember reading something like that as well, and also that "orochi" was supposed to be a completely different architechture (non-phenom2). So I'm guessing that a 6-core phenom 2 will have a good chance of fitting in an am2+ board with the right vrm's.

If they can manage to pump out a 3.4ghz quad @ 125w tdp, they can certainly engineer a hex-core with decent clocks and 125-140w tdp.

[CMetaphor]

It's their non-phenom 2, "bulldozer", architecture that makes me drool... Something completely new and different from a company that likes to innovate and bought ATI. I can dream.... and dream Hard. lol

[Cowboy]

Right now I see no need to move to DDR3! Right now, I can get higher performance out of my ddr2 FOR LESS than the cost of a half decent ddr3 kit. I don't know why people are so eager to go with a ddr3/am3 board if it uses the same chipset as the am2+ boards.

Am3 cpu's pop right into most, if not all am2+ boards, and even into some am2 boards. I figure, if they're not bringing anything new to the table (i.e new architecture or chipset or something), there is no need to go ddr3 exclusively.

Until Bulldozer, I'm staying at ddr2. It makes sense :)