AMD better have something up their sleeve

[Thing]

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/chipsets/display/ati-crossfire-xpress-3200_10.html

The important bit is that they are hitting the limits on AMD processors when it comes to o/cing, the FX-60 didn't do much better even with an unlocked multiplier from what I have seen.

I'm not sure on this but doesn't that also mean that the current San Diego/Toledo (is it that, can't keep the dual-cores straight) is pretty much finished? Enthusiasts are hitting 3.0 on some Opterons but beyond that it's liquid cooling and AMD can't afford to have it's processors needing watercooling out of the blocks.

So what's going to happen? AM2 surely won't really make the difference in this unless they know something I don't (not unlikely I guess...) but I can't see anything else new from AMD until they go to 65-nm sometime next year.

 

[Defcon5]

in that link they oc the pci-e bus, why?

 

[jezsoup]

in that link they oc the pci-e bus, why?

poops n giggles??

 

[NathanE]

So what's going to happen?

Same as what always happens. The status quo gets changed.

It has been like this for years. One year Intel will be on top, the next AMD is, the next Intel, then next AMD, and so on... I'd hazard a guess that AMD isn't going to strike a big lead over Intel again for quite some time. Last time they caught Intel with their pants down (and well done to them) but Intel has straightened up its act now and is ready to fight.

 

[ajgoodfellow]

It was pretty embarrasing for Intel TBH when AMD got the AMD64 architecture sorted and it consistently outperformed Intel's chips

Didn't their FX series cause Intel to release their P4 EE?

They then released the substandard rushed P-D and struggled with heat and hitting higher clock speeds.

Conroe looks like its quite something so they have really got their act together.

AMD needs higher clock speeds or a new architecture (unlikely as the AMD64 architecture is quite new anyway) and to do this it looks like they'll need to move to 65nm as they're hitting a brick wall with 90nm chips. This is not going to happen until 2007 so they might be the performance underdogs this year

We'll just have to wait and see!

At least this is the beauty of competition

 

[NathanE]

And Intel is bringing its 45nm online next year thru to 2008. So as soon as AMD gets to 65nm it will already be "out of date" in comparison to what Intel has :~/

 

[Gashman]

AMD can't challange intel when it comes to production and new technologies, cause intel is enormous company compaired to the relatively small AMD, but its impressive, intel with there huge budgets and multi-billion pound company cannot beat an innovative processor from a much smaller company, AMD really pulled the hat over intels faces good and proper, intel are too complacent, while AMD seem to be trying to make good processors, for good price and with good availability, in my books AMD will always be the superior, not because there AMD64 architecture is better but because they always do more with less, something intel cannot seem to do

 

[Defcon5]

AMD can't challange intel when it comes to production and new technologies, cause intel is enormous company compaired to the relatively small AMD, but its impressive, intel with there huge budgets and multi-billion pound company cannot beat an innovative processor from a much smaller company, AMD really pulled the hat over intels faces good and proper, intel are too complacent, while AMD seem to be trying to make good processors, for good price and with good availability, in my books AMD will always be the superior, not because there AMD64 architecture is better but because they always do more with less, something intel cannot seem to do

Apart from the new chips, which, clock for clock are faster than A64

 

[basmic]

Apart from the new chips, which, clock for clock are faster than A64

I won't lie, and I'll set the record straight here and now - I have been an Intel, Nvidia and IBM/Hitachi fan. Don't bother flaming, I'm just saying this because it has play in the following paragraph.

The last couple of years made me think twice about Intel, especially when comparing clock-for-clock horsepower. When the AMD64 came out, Intel were caught bent-over, trousers and y-fronts at floor level. They just weren't ready with decent enough competition.

I (reluctantly) had a poke about AMD's alternatives. But, budget-wise, I wasn't (and still am not) ready for what is looking like a complete upgrade - I might as well just gut my case for the next upgrade, bar the fans and PSU.

However, one thing that Intel will never be beaten on is chipsets. Just look in this forum alone, and see how many people have problems with NForce chipsets.

I honestly thought Intel might be losing their touch. But going by the OP's link, that has persuaded me to stop looking at AMD alternatives.

Good luck to Intel - it's about time we saw them strumming the banjo once more. I just hope they learn to lower their prices a fraction more.

 

[Gashman]

yeah clock for clock maybe, but knowing intel im guessing there gonna be overpriced compaired to there AMD rivals, and just like northwood (intels last good desktop processor) there gonna get complacent, sit back and enjoy the success until WHACK! AMD release a new revision of the athlon 64 base on 65nm process or something, with some core tweaks here and there, and voila AMD have the lead again, seems to be the way of things, intel set the pace then AMD use there heads to find away around it, just like the K8 did with netburst

 

[kdd]

It has been swings and roundabouts with amd and intel, pentium 1+2 beat k5 and k6, k7 beat p3, k7xp beat early p4, later p4 well overtook k7 xp, k8 overtook p4, conroe overtakes k8.

 

[Minstadave]

I've never really owned an Intel CPU (got a couple of P3s for messing around with) and have always been an AMD guy but Conroe looks good to me, I don't expect AMD to come out with anything radical anytime soon, so this round may well go Intels way.

Its all speculation though, just wait and see