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It's Official: AMD Confirms Hexa-Core Thuban CPU

Soldato
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Maximum PC
Backwards Compatility with AM3 is the Big Surprise

Eat that Gulftown: AMD officials have not only confirmed that it will release a hexa-core processor next year – but it will be backwards compatible with existing AM3 and AM2+ motherboards.

Although heavily reported as a rumor that an AMD six-core was coming to consumer desktops, the company had not confirmed rumors. That is until Monday, when AMD officials told Maximum PC that the chip was a done deal.

“We are all about platform longevity and long-lived upgrade paths,” and AMD spokesman said in a sideways ding at its competitor Intel which has a penchant for requiring new sockets for its CPUs. Intel currently has three different socket infrastructures on its desktop computers – all incompatible. The confirmation also comes one day before Intel’s three-day IDF conference which usually blots out all news from competitors for days.

Engadget
Look out, Intel -- six cores are mightier than four, don'tcha know? Shortly after introducing a six-core processor in the server sector, AMD is reportedly angling to issue a hexa-core chip over on the consumer side. The chip maker has confirmed to Maximum PC that a six-core slab of silicon (codenamed Thuban) will be released in 2010, with the real kicker being that it'll be fully backwards compatible with existing AM3 and AM2+ mainboards. It'll be based on 45nm process technology and will boast an integrated DDR3 controller, 3MB of L2 cache and 6MB of L3 cache, and while the outfit wouldn't confirm, word on the street has it that the final product will sport a Phenom II X6 moniker. So, Core i9 -- what have you to say now?

it breath some life into am2+ if it is true
 
Associate
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Socket longeivity, excellent news.

The fact is that while "cutting edge" (those on i7 now) aren't too bothered, most people want to know that there's a CPU + RAM upgrade route for their system - I know this makes me happier with my AM2+ board, knowing that I can double the number of cores in a year or two time if it turns out it's worthwhile.
 
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And it's only 45nm whilst Intel's Gulftown will be 32nm, but compatibility with existing AM3 and AM2+ motherboards is a good thing though.

I may eat my own words when this chip is out but I can`t see AMD's Hexa-Core Thuban CPU beating Intel's Gulftown on pure performance and overclockability.

What does Maximum PC mean by this comment??? Because as far as im aware, it has been said on many websites that Intel's Gulftown will be compatible with Intel's Socket LGA1366, unless im reading the statement wrong???

Backwards Compatility with AM3 is the Big Surprise

Eat that Gulftown: AMD officials have not only confirmed that it will release a hexa-core processor next year – but it will be backwards compatible with existing AM3 and AM2+ motherboards.

Although heavily reported as a rumor that an AMD six-core was coming to consumer desktops, the company had not confirmed rumors. That is until Monday, when AMD officials told Maximum PC that the chip was a done deal.

“We are all about platform longevity and long-lived upgrade paths,” and AMD spokesman said in a sideways ding at its competitor Intel which has a penchant for requiring new sockets for its CPUs. Intel currently has three different socket infrastructures on its desktop computers – all incompatible. The confirmation also comes one day before Intel’s three-day IDF conference which usually blots out all news from competitors for days.
 
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VoG

VoG

Soldato
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What does Maximum PC mean by this comment??? Because as far as im aware, it has been said on many websites that Intel's Gulftown will be compatible with Intel's Socket LGA1366, unless im reading the statement wrong???

your not reading it wrong, they just haven't worded it correctly, Intel currently has three different socket infrastructures on its desktop computers – all incompatible with each other.
 
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I do think your right Syver, it will probably be how it is at the moment, the AMD Hexcore will be higher stock clock and be cheaper. The i9 will be lower stocked and more expensive, but with better performance.
 
Soldato
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what i want to know is whether or not this will be a *true* hex-core, or two or more deneb cores on a single die. If the former is true, then - correct me if im wrong - it shall be a new architecture, thereby hinting at new quads etc as well
 
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what i want to know is whether or not this will be a *true* hex-core, or two or more deneb cores on a single die. If the former is true, then - correct me if im wrong - it shall be a new architecture, thereby hinting at new quads etc as well
new quads are coming with the stepping C3
 
Soldato
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Sorry to sound n00bish... It says it is compatible with AM2+ boards and AM3 boards... This must mean that is has a DDR2 & DDR3 memory controllers yes?... Because the engadget article says
"It'll be based on 45nm process technology and will boast an integrated DDR3 controller"
Mentioning nothing on DDR2
 
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"Sorry to sound n00bish... It says it is compatible with AM2+ boards and AM3 boards... This must mean that is has a DDR2 & DDR3 memory controllers yes?... Because the engadget article says
"It'll be based on 45nm process technology and will boast an integrated DDR3 controller"
Mentioning nothing on DDR2 "

Yes, the only difference between AM2+ and AM3 is DDR2 vs DDR3 support, so if it it supports AM2+, it necessarily supports DDR2.
As long as the price is right and the clock high enough on these, i'll be having one. Cinema 4D is going to like 6 cores !
 
Associate
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By the time it comes out it all of the motherboard makers will have stopped updating the Bios for the AM2+ Just like the Phenom was supposed to be compatible with AM2.

It relies on motherboard industry to say to itself: no we won't sell you a new motherboard we will update your old one free.

There will be exceptions but it will probably be recent high end AM2+ boards.
 
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I have to say that it worries me slightly that only a DDR3 memory controller is mentioned. But if it is indeed AM2+/DDR2 compatible then the AM2+ socket looks like it will be one of the best sockets ever. You can pair it with oodles of cheap memory and keep dropping in newer and newer processors :)
 
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By the time it comes out it all of the motherboard makers will have stopped updating the Bios for the AM2+ Just like the Phenom was supposed to be compatible with AM2.

It relies on motherboard industry to say to itself: no we won't sell you a new motherboard we will update your old one free.

There will be exceptions but it will probably be recent high end AM2+ boards.

I know what you're saying but I think you're wrong on this. AM2 to AM2+ represented a change of architecture from K8 to K10, this doesn't. Pretty much every AM2+ board supports every AM3 CPU and those AM2 boards that did make the AM2+ cut, continue to support phenom 2's etc even if not with official support.
I reckon this will work in all AM2+ boards that support the necessary wattage which I guess will be 95 - 140w depending on clockspeed.

To my mind, the main factors in getting support for newer CPU's I can see are:
- Be on a native chipset ie AMD on AMD, Intel on Intel.
- Be on a mainstream motherboard maufacturer with a track record on this ie Asus, Asrock, Gigabyte.
- Be on a popular board that lots of people bought.

I reckon I'm sitting pretty, though you never know ;)
 
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Associate
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I have to say that it worries me slightly that only a DDR3 memory controller is mentioned. But if it is indeed AM2+/DDR2 compatible then the AM2+ socket looks like it will be one of the best sockets ever. You can pair it with oodles of cheap memory and keep dropping in newer and newer processors :)

I'd like to hear it from the horse's mouth but it seems fairly likely, given that the server chip it's based on is DDR2/ DDR3 compatable and given that apart from core count it's nothing new in terms of architecture.
 
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Good move by AMD, will save people money thats a good thing just a case of the CPU.

Although AMD releasing a new chipset in 2010 anyway, so new boards will be available, obviously if they improve overclocking they will sell.
 
Associate
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Assuming it's Ok for DDR2 [which it should be with AM2+ compatability - that means a DDR2 controller on the chip itself IIRC, like other AM3s] then I think my Xenserver box might be in for an upgrade next year :cool:
 
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I am sure I have already read a review/benchmarking of this CPU somewhere (about 1-2 months ago). The problem was that the 6-core CPU it was actually slower than Intel quad CPUs for almost all the benchmarks. Primarily this was because AMD had to lower the clock speed to stay within the socket power envelope. Also the Core 2 and i7 ISA's tend to be more efficient than the AMD K10 architectures (even the II version).

Ahhh would love to see AMD catch up with Intel (the hiccup with the Barcellona TLB bug, etc. hit very hard). They have to refresh the ISA to catch up with Core i7. I'd rather have 4 efficient cores than 8 inefficient, slower clocked cores... :D

Bob
 
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^y m i not convinced with dat answer
infact i lyk AMD a lot, becuz its bcuz of AMD compettetiveness ,Intel hav to lower its CPU prices, if today AMD closes thn see the sky high prices by Intel, not evry1 in this world can buy hi end extreme editon cpus by Intel, but by buying cheaper CPUs by AMD ,thy try to stand close to Intels perfomance :)
 
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