AMD's new low power Athlons

[Viditor]

Article

"According to the company, energy-efficient AMD desktop processors can provide up to 37 percent greater performance-per-watt than standard power AMD processors, while energy efficient small form factor AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core desktop processors can provide up to 154 percent greater performance-per-watt than standard power AMD desktop processors. When running typical workloads, as reflected in the SYSmark 2004 SE benchmark, end-users could experience their energy efficient dual-core processor consuming 14 watts.

The prices of these processors are as follows: desktop processors - Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processors 4800+ ($671), 4600+ ($601), 4400+ ($514), 4200+ ($417), 4000+ ($353) and 3800+ ($323); small form factor desktop processors - Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor 3800+ ($364), Athlon 64 processors 3500+ ($231), and Sempron processors 3400+ ($145), 3200+ ($119) and 3000+ ($101)."

 

[thecoolnessrune]

DAM! at those super low wattage CPU's. Should have been the focus in the first place if you ask me. Alot of people had the stigma that as CPUs grew faster, they would simply would consume more wattage without a chance of ebbing.

EDIT: If AMD is doing this on 90nm, just think what 65nm will be capable of! :shocked:

EDIT 2: Found the article on AMD's as well. Looks like the Desktop processors are based on a 65watt TDP and the SFF processors will be based on a 35watt TDP.

 

[n7]

Pricing is too high still.

If AMD wants to compete with Conroe, err, sorry, Core 2 Duo, they need to start slashing pricing even before Core 2 Duo arrives as a preemptive strike against what everyone is waiting for...

 

[unbot]

ahh that's good news. i hope they start making them available soon. was just about to get a x2 3800 but maybe i can wait a week or two for this and AM2 to start driving prices down on their standard x2. thanks for the heads up!

 

[NoStateofMind]

n7, I totally agree. Altho I don't care what AMD does now, if those performance numbers hold up for conroe, I can't see any enthusiest buying anything but core 2 duo. AMD will have to really show me something, to sway my savings to them. CONROE FTW!

 

[AkumaX]

heh, check it out, an X2 4000+ (finally)

also, for SFF, an X2 3800+ w/ a TDP of 35w. can you say "mobile barton" anyone?

Core 2 Duo FTW

 

[VooDooAddict]

I can't wait to compare the SFF Options for the new Core 2 Duo's and the new low wattage X2 3800

It might be enough to finnaly get me to upgrade from my SFF Socket 754 and have access to the new PCI Express Video Cards... My unlocked 6800 has been working alright for my 1280x720 widescreen... But I'd really like to kick up the graphics in Oblivion a few more notches.

 

[larciel]

so 35w 90nm CPU amd x2 3800 ?

that's a damm nice achievement if you ask me

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: AkumaX
heh, check it out, an X2 4000+ (finally)

also, for SFF, an X2 3800+ w/ a TDP of 35w. can you say "mobile barton" anyone?

Core 2 Duo FTW

These are not binned chips like the mobile barton was though. These are likely desktop Turions, meaning they use slower transistors that won't clock as high.

 

[imported_Questar]

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: AkumaX
heh, check it out, an X2 4000+ (finally)

also, for SFF, an X2 3800+ w/ a TDP of 35w. can you say "mobile barton" anyone?

Core 2 Duo FTW

These are not binned chips like the mobile barton was though. These are likely desktop Turions, meaning they use slower transistors that won't clock as high.

Yes, they are binned.

Read here:
http://news.com.com/AMD+unveils+line+of.../2100-1006_3-6072585.html?tag=nefd.top

 

[F1shF4t]

Originally posted by: PC Surgeon
n7, I totally agree. Altho I don't care what AMD does now, if those performance numbers hold up for conroe, I can't see any enthusiest buying anything but core 2 duo. AMD will have to really show me something, to sway my savings to them. CONROE FTW!

Um how many people buyed athlon xp's in the time of northwood. Northwood was leaps and bounds above the athlon xp, but people still bought athlons, so really it will depend.
I mean i'm buying a sempron for a low power rig when i have an X2 which is hugely quicker than it. Not everyone needs to buy the best there are different objectives. But saying that if conroe does perform what was promised i can see these forums swing to intel side

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: Questar

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: AkumaX
heh, check it out, an X2 4000+ (finally)

also, for SFF, an X2 3800+ w/ a TDP of 35w. can you say "mobile barton" anyone?

Core 2 Duo FTW

These are not binned chips like the mobile barton was though. These are likely desktop Turions, meaning they use slower transistors that won't clock as high.

Yes, they are binned.

Read here:
http://news.com.com/AMD+unveils+line+of.../2100-1006_3-6072585.html?tag=nefd.top

I'd still be quite surprised if these aren't also Turion based.

 

[Viditor]

Originally posted by: n7
Pricing is too high still.

If AMD wants to compete with Conroe, err, sorry, Core 2 Duo, they need to start slashing pricing even before Core 2 Duo arrives as a preemptive strike against what everyone is waiting for...

I understand your point and it makes sense, but I disagree...
1. Conroe won't be out in enough volume to own the whole segment
2. It's only really the desktop enthusiast market that's waiting. Most people buy a computer when they need a computer...
3. Conroe won't be purchasable until Sept, so why discount now?
4. We still haven't seen independent reviews of Conroe on consumer boards yet. While I personally think it will do quite well, I'm willing to be that there will be areas where the X2 will be equal or superior (similar to the way P4 was better at a few small benches against the A64 for a long while).
5. With K8L coming up in H1 07, we'll probably see a flip-flop of situations by winter...

 

[Viditor]

Originally posted by: Fox5

I'd still be quite surprised if these aren't also Turion based.

Chicken or the egg...will these be Turion based, or will Turion be based on these cores?
I believe these are the chips utilizing the new DSL (Dual Stress Liner) SiGe straining technique that AMD announced at the end of last year. The Turion X2s will probably also have the improved power switching AMD announced (similar to what Yonah employs so successfully).

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: Viditor

Originally posted by: Fox5

I'd still be quite surprised if these aren't also Turion based.

Chicken or the egg...will these be Turion based, or will Turion be based on these cores?
I believe these are the chips utilizing the new DSL (Dual Stress Liner) SiGe straining technique that AMD announced at the end of last year. The Turion X2s will probably also have the improved power switching AMD announced (similar to what Yonah employs so successfully).

I met more to imply that these low power chips are likely using the slower transistors that consume less power, but won't clock as high. If they're not, then great, we should see some nice overclocks, but if they are, performance wise they'll be nothing to get excited about.

 

[Skott]

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: Viditor

Originally posted by: Fox5

I'd still be quite surprised if these aren't also Turion based.

Chicken or the egg...will these be Turion based, or will Turion be based on these cores?
I believe these are the chips utilizing the new DSL (Dual Stress Liner) SiGe straining technique that AMD announced at the end of last year. The Turion X2s will probably also have the improved power switching AMD announced (similar to what Yonah employs so successfully).

I met more to imply that these low power chips are likely using the slower transistors that consume less power, but won't clock as high. If they're not, then great, we should see some nice overclocks, but if they are, performance wise they'll be nothing to get excited about.

Yeah, I'm wondering about performance myself. If its less performance then for the desktop crowd its nothing worth considering. But if performance is the same..and/or has just as good overclocking potential then they'll be worth having in a desktop.

Those first reviews are going to be interesting. Hopefully. ;-)

 

[Viditor]

Originally posted by: Fox5

I met more to imply that these low power chips are likely using the slower transistors that consume less power, but won't clock as high. If they're not, then great, we should see some nice overclocks, but if they are, performance wise they'll be nothing to get excited about.

I figured that...but if you look again, their numbers are listed as power/performance ratios and not just power reduction.
The reason that I think it's a new process rather than just slower transistors is that:
1. They announced the new process in Dec and stated that they are retrofitting for the 90nm process. Therefore, the timeframe is pretty much spot on...
2. Only a limited part of their lines will have the better power/performance... This makes sense if it's a new process that doesn't yet have a high yield. I suspect that availability will be limited initially.
3. The number they quoted in Dec was for a 40% improvement, and that's pretty much what they are saying in the current press release.

 

[coldpower27]

Hopefully AMD's 35W Athlon64x2 Model will encourage Intel to release something based on Conroe for LGA775 that has the same themral envelope.

 

[Viditor]

Originally posted by: coldpower27
Hopefully AMD's 35W Athlon64x2 Model will encourage Intel to release something based on Conroe for LGA775 that has the same themral envelope.

The big question is whether they can or not...the DSL is an SOI process only (though Intel already has greatly improved their stress liner for the PMOS, which is why Conroe is already pretty close).

 

[imported_wyrmrider]

Northwood better than XP??? say what??
not dollar for dollar for total system cost at equal performance level (for apps I'm involved with)
a bonus was that xp was cooler and quiter at same performance level
or to put it another way
for equal $$$ you got more "performance" with the xp

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: wyrmrider
Northwood better than XP??? say what??
not dollar for dollar for total system cost at equal performance level (for apps I'm involved with)
a bonus was that xp was cooler and quiter at same performance level
or to put it another way
for equal $$$ you got more "performance" with the xp

XPs definetely had way better performance for the dollar, even before overclocking was thrown in. XPs were priced against celerons, yet performed better than, equal to, or close to the P4s they were matched against. However, I'd say Northwoods ran cooler. Even if XPs ran cooler under load, they completely lacked any kind of true power reduction abilities, so they ran nearly full temp even when idle. (kind of interesting that a prescott and an xp idle about the same, but a prescott shoots up to like twice the temp under load)

 

[Meuge]

Originally posted by: wyrmrider
Northwood better than XP??? say what??
not dollar for dollar for total system cost at equal performance level (for apps I'm involved with)
a bonus was that xp was cooler and quiter at same performance level
or to put it another way
for equal $$$ you got more "performance" with the xp

QFT... I remember AXP 1800+ selling for $85 on newegg. Can't really beat the price for a chip that can still do pretty much anything (other than gaming) even today.

 

[DrMrLordX]

I've been looking at those low-voltage X2-3800+ chips since I saw em on AM2 roadmaps over a month ago. This will be the chip to watch on AM2 for overclocking, or so I would think.

 

[Viditor]

Originally posted by: DrMrLordX
I've been looking at those low-voltage X2-3800+ chips since I saw em on AM2 roadmaps over a month ago. This will be the chip to watch on AM2 for overclocking, or so I would think.

Agreed...
While many are rightfully excited about Conroe's release, I personally feel that this will be much less of an Intel domination than it will be a return of the days where the 2 companies went back and forth every few months for the Speed Crown.

Most importantly for AMD is the probability that the new process will let them continue growing their server marketshare...while for Intel, they will finally nose their horse in front for the desktop (and possibly mobile) market.
Of course when CSI is released in early 2009, Intel may give AMD a whoopin in servers...and when K8L is released, AMD may volley Intel's Conroe service.
Either way, we're gonna have same amazingly fast systems coming up!!