Source: Tom's Hardware UK – Keywords: Phenom_9700, Spider_Platform, 790FX
Categories: Hardware
The Phenom in Detail - a Revamped Athlon 64
AMD has thoroughly reworked the core of the Phenom processor compared to the Athlon 64, succeeding in raising the number of instructions per clock cycle (IPC). According to AMD, we should expect to see a performance increase of up to 25% at the same clock speed.
Like several of the later Athlon 64 models, the Phenom is manufactured on a 65 nm production process. In its presentation, AMD stated that it will begin transitioning to a 45 nm process starting in 2008. Unlike Intel’s quad-core solutions, which consist of two dual-core processors combined in one CPU package, AMD’s Phenom uses a single die comprising four cores. The resulting die has an area of 285 mm² and consists of 600 million transistors. That means that the transistor count has more than doubled compared to the Athlon 64 X2, which consisted of 227 million transistors.
The downside to the single-die quad-core approach is a greater risk of manufacturing defects and thus lower yields. If even one of the cores suffers a manufacturing defect, the entire quad-core CPU becomes defective. AMD has found a solution, if this should ever happen, though. If one of the cores is indeed defective, it is deactivated, and the processor is sold as a three-core model. In an interview in Warsaw, AMD now officially confirmed that the tri-core models are indeed quad-cores with one deactivated core. In the end, this is a boon to the consumer. Where Intel would sell a processor with one defective core in the notebook sector, since the desktop line does not include a single-core Core 2 processor, AMD’s customers will be able to purchase an inexpensive tri-core CPU. However, for now it is unclear when the Phenom X3 processors will go on sale.
Stars Core Micro-Architecture
While AMD’s quad-core processor was still in development, the new micro-architecture was referred to as K10. Now, with the official introduction, it is being rechristened the Stars core micro-architecture
The last time AMD introduced a completely new micro-architecture was in September of 2003 with the launch of the Athlon 64. During the long development time for the Phenom processor, a great number of alterations were made to the core design, resulting in a performance increase at the same clock speed.
A block diagram of one of the four Phenom cores.
- Previous page Top Model with Four Cores – AMD...
- Next page Technology I - Advanced Memory...
- AMD Radeon HD 3800: The Empire Strikes Back
- BIOS Flash - Overclock Your Graphics Card in 5 Minutes
- Six Graphics Cards with Luxury Trimmings
- Workstation-Shootout: ATi FireGL V7600 vs. Nvidia Quadro FX 4600
- AMD HD 3800 To Support DX 10.1
- Nvidia's GeForce 8800 GT Reviewed
- DirectX 10 Shootout: Geforce 8x00 vs. Radeon 2x00
- DirectX 10 Cards on a Budget
- The Best Gaming Graphics Cards For Your Money: October 2007
- Can Integrated Graphics Cut It For Gaming Or HTPC?
I'd rather have a slower processor but not have to rebuy the 3 of the most expensive components (CPU, mobo, and RAM) every time I want to upgrade something. That's why I've stuck with AMD for the last few years. Can't wait to drop a couple of Phenom FXs in to my 4x4 platform and have 8 processing cores.
What is going to happen when AMD shortly moves to 45nm processors with DDR3 memory controllers?
unless AMD are going to put both DDR2 and DDR3 memory controllers on their 45nm processors or make them in both DDR2 and DDR3 versions then you will have to change you're ram, motherboard and processor to go 45nm.(that didn't happen with intel)
Unless motherboard makers put both DDR2 and DDR3 slots on current boards although the latter wouldn't be supported until 45nm come in.(can't see that happening though).
I think these chips have more to come, thats an engineering sample and the mainboards got a chipset with undeveloped drivers.
I say give it a month for the nvidia chipset....... and retest.
I can see why they need 4x Crossfire boards given the lack luster performance of the new ATI cards... ATI seem to be struggling since their Cope-de-grace with the X19xx series...
AMD clearly has a good design (architecture) but the process technology is their achilles heal. They need 4Mb+ L3 cache, high K transistor process, and 45nm like yesterday!!
As a bit of an AMD fanboy (I'm on a dual Opteron rig just now) I hate to see whats happening to them now!!
Bob
P.S. But it will be better
Overall, I like the way AMD has gone for compatibility and performance. The price is phenomenal and the ease of implementation will ensure downtime during upgrades is kept to a minimum. It's easy to under-estimate just how hard that is to pull off.