AMD could be preparing Bulldozer based Phenom II X8 chips

ATIorNvidia · 24 Dec 2011 at 04:49

This took me by surprise: http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/cpu/di...e_Preparing_Phenom_II_X8_Microprocessors.html

Could just be mis-labelled BD chips, though?

bhavv · 24 Dec 2011 at 04:51

BD isnt selling, so maybe renaming them to Phenom X8 will make them more popular

Dicehunter · 24 Dec 2011 at 09:56

the new eight-core Phenom II X8 will likely be considerably slower than the existing six-core Phenom II

Sounds kind of crappy :-/

Cooper · 24 Dec 2011 at 10:36

When is a Phenom II , not a Phenom II...

:rolleyes:

datalol-jack · 24 Dec 2011 at 10:46

Cooper said:
When is a Phenom II , not a Phenom II...

When it lacks L3 cache!

So, in a sense, could we be getting a mislabelled Athlon II X8, or a neutered Llano, without the IGPU part?

Marine-RX179 · 24 Dec 2011 at 10:47

Cooper said:
When is a Phenom II , not a Phenom II...

Already exist...look up "Phenom II" X4 840/850

Rebadged Athlon II they are

almighty15 · 24 Dec 2011 at 10:57

A true 8 core Phenom 2 x8 based on the Llano core with L3 cache would decimate any bulldozer CPU.

Most people don't actually know this but for clock for clock Llano is actually around 10% faster then Thuban but because Llano has no L3 cache it cancels out the IPC improvement and brings it down to Phenom 2 IPC performance.

If Llano had L3 cache it would be 10% faster per-clock making Llano a much more suitable architecture to use for these 8 cores over Thuban.

mmj_uk · 24 Dec 2011 at 11:23

Awesome news if true but I suspect they'll just be Bulldozer's with some L3 cache disabled (how horrific will that be?

).

pmc25 · 24 Dec 2011 at 11:45

Did a single one of you read the article?

They're Zambezi chips under a budget branding. I.E. ones with all 8 cores functioning, but which can't hit the higher speed bins that the ones available now will.

Martini1991 · 24 Dec 2011 at 12:41

So it's more fishy tactics from AMD.
As one would expect a Phenom II X8 to be better than it's going to end up.

tobsmonster2 · 24 Dec 2011 at 13:12

pmc25 said:
Did a single one of you read the article?

They're Zambezi chips under a budget branding. I.E. ones with all 8 cores functioning, but which can't hit the higher speed bins that the ones available now will.

This. And they've pushed them down into the Phenom range so the FX can remain they're proposed 'high-end' range. They could possibly even end up phasing out the Athlon range as well.

gareth170 · 24 Dec 2011 at 13:17

With low frequencies and without Turbo Core, the new eight-core Phenom II X8 will likely be considerably slower than the existing six-core Phenom II X8 processors based on Thuban design

if they based on Thuban design they should performance same as the 6core clock for clock in apps that use up to 6 cores, in apps that can use 8core it should performance much quicker...

but i think it won't oc as high as a 6 core, and if its 45mn heat will be a issue when overclocking it.

davieg · 24 Dec 2011 at 13:19

Er if theyre going off that CPU support list from the motherboard manufacturer it was printed months ago as a placeholder for FX before it came out, theres a post about it somewhere in the Bulldozer coming thread. It was just when the engineering samples were out, as in thats why theyre showing ES product codes. These arent coming, its just some site short on news quoting old product codes from months ago. Even the product codes listed point to a Zambezi ES that was produced months ago too?

Just to prove it was months ago, I think this post was refering to the list in August this year,
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=19851393&postcount=41

Threepwood · 24 Dec 2011 at 13:23

So which part of...

will be aimed at cost-sensitive segment of the market.

... do people misunderstand?

Wtf are you all expecting? A super cpu that turns mud into gold at the speed of light?

Frozennova · 24 Dec 2011 at 13:34

Would be a very smart move for amd if these are Llano based with L3 and a proper 8 cores.

Even better if they can bring them to AM3.

Will be slower than sandy core for core but should in theory be strong competition when you throw >4 threads into the mix.

Orcvader · 24 Dec 2011 at 14:03

So the Phenom brand is being pushed down like it did to Athlon? *rubs his true Phenom 965 chip (but not being used

)*

Seeing as these are just Bulldozer chips that can't reach "FX class" speeds, I'll take it they'll be crap for overclocking?

gareth170 · 24 Dec 2011 at 14:14

Orcvader said:
So the Phenom brand is being pushed down like it did to Athlon? *rubs his true Phenom 965 chip (but not being used )*

Seeing as these are just Bulldozer chips that can't reach "FX class" speeds, I'll take it they'll be crap for overclocking?

but it says the Phenom II X8 processors are based on Thuban design

With low frequencies and without Turbo Core, the new eight-core Phenom II X8 will likely be considerably slower than the existing six-core Phenom II X8 processors based on Thuban design

Martini1991 · 24 Dec 2011 at 14:15

I don't get the based on Thuban design, if they stripped the L3 cache, it'd be no different to an X6 Athlon II if they made one lol.

gareth170 · 24 Dec 2011 at 14:22

Martini1991 said:
I don't get the based on Thuban design, if they stripped the L3 cache, it'd be no different to an X6 Athlon II if they made one lol.

i don't think they stripped the L3 cache , maybe cut it down or just leave it at 8MB but have lower clock speed.

but as i said above i think it won't oc as high as a 6 core, and if its 45mn heat will be a issue when overclocking it.

Jokester · 24 Dec 2011 at 14:27

gareth170 said:
but it says the Phenom II X8 processors are based on Thuban design

It's a typo, it should say existing X6 based on Thuban as there isn't existing X8 chips.