AMD readies new six-core processor for late Q3

AMD is reportedly getting ready to launch its fourth hexacore desktop processor to the market. Although the existing Phenom II X6 1090T should remain its fastest Phenom II X6 offering until "at least" early 2011, word is that a new low-end model is set to arrive late this quarter. The 1045T will come clocked at 2.7GHz, 100MHz faster than the 1035T, featuring the same Thuban-based 45nm design and an optimized TDP rating of 95W (the six-core family originally debuted with 125W TDPs).

The new six-core part will be able to go as high as 3.2GHz when its Turbo Core dynamic overclocking technology kicks in. Otherwise, specs should look familiar to those of its predecessors with support for DDR3-1333 memory and a total 9MB of cache. As The Tech Report points out, the 2.6GHz Phenom II X6 1035T is currently confined to pre-built PCs from the likes of HP and Gateway. It's unclear if the 1045T will suffer the same fate or if it will be sold separately at retail.

As you might expect there was no mention of pricing. Currently, the top of the line 3.2GHz AMD Phenom II X6 1090T is available for just under $300 at Newegg while the 2.8GHz 1055T can be had for $200.

Gateway preps 11.6" LT32 netbook with AMD CPU, graphics

HP's not the only one showing the Althon Neo some love, with Gateway adding a new AMD-powered ultraportable to its growing roster of notebooks. The Acer subsidiary has announced its 11.6-inch LT32 netbook, which bears a striking resemblance to the Pavilion dm1z HP slipped out today.

It too packs a 1366x768 screen, a single-core Athlon Neo II K125, an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4225 IGP, 2GB of DDR3 RAM, and the typical array of connectivity, including mobile broadband and HDMI for 1080p output – just as you'd expect from a so-called "ultra-mobile entertainment powerhouse."

The LT32 isn't all about consuming high-def media, though. It's at least partly aimed at Web socialites, with a function key providing quick access to social networking services like Facebook, YouTube, and Flickr. It also has an "HD webcam" versus the dm1z's VGA camera, which could be useful for video-conferencing.

Gateway has priced the LT32 at $450, but the company has yet to disclose a ship date.

AMD to increase top Athlon II X2, X4 speeds by 100MHz

Fudzilla reports that AMD is preparing to offload two speedier dual and quad-core processors, one being Regor-based while the other is Propus-based.

The Athlon II X2 265 will boost the range's maximum frequency to 3.3GHz, with other specs remaining identical to the existing 3.2GHz X2 260, such as a 65W TDP. The 265 is expected to arrive in time for the back-to-school period, probably in August.

The second processor is an Athlon II X4 645, which comes in an AM3 package, supports DDR3 1333MHz, and has a clock frequency of 3.1GHz – a 100MHz boost over the current X4 640. It should stick with the same 95W envelope and is also due in the third quarter, although no specific month has been cited.

Although these are only minor improvements on existing products, AMD is preparing a larger rollout toward the end of this year and into 2011 which will include the long awaited CPU/GPU Fusion chips.

Acer ships dual-core AMD Turion II ultraportable to the U.S.

Looking for an ultraportable system packing a bit more power than your average netbook but at an affordable price tag? The new Acer Aspire 1551 might be right up your alley. Externally, the laptop looks a lot like Acer's Intel-based 1810 Timeline, measuring 11.22 x 8.03 x 1.01 inches with an 11.6" screen, but inside there's a dual-core AMD Turion II K625 processor running at 1.5GHz, alongside 4GB of RAM and an M880G chipset with Radeon HD 4225 integrated graphics.

The K625 CPU is part of AMD's new Nile platform, which is manufactured using 45nm process technology and has a fairly low 15W thermal envelope. Other specs include a 320GB hard drive, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, three USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, multi-card reader, 1.3MP webcam, a 6-cell battery and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

The Acer Aspire 1551 is available for $550 on Newegg. A lower-end model sporting a 1.3GHz AMD Athlon II Neo K325 processor, 3GB of memory and a 250GB hard drive is also available for $480.

AMD announces power-efficient Opteron 4000 series chips

AMD today launched its first platform specifically engineered for cloud computing. The Sunnyvale-based chipmaker says its Opteron 4000 series was designed from the ground up for hyperscale data centers comprised of 1P and 2P machines, but the company kept SMB customers and embedded systems in mind too.

Codenamed "Lisbon," the 45nm processors are said to be the most power efficient in their class, consuming less than 6W per core and averaging from 32W to 75W, depending on the product. There are nine chips in total with four or six cores running between 1.7GHz and 2.8GHz, all of which have 6MB of cache per die.

One of the beefier models, the hexa-core 4164EE, consumes 133W at full load and 63W during active idle – a 24% reduction from the older 2419EE, which uses the same fabrication technology and runs at 171W/83W. AMD says such an improvement can save nearly a million dollars a year in a 10,000-server farm.

The new Opteron processors are available worldwide immediately, with prices starting at only $99. Acer, Dell and HP designing servers that include the chips. Looking ahead, the company expects its forthcoming "Bulldozer" technology to succeed existing 4000-series CPUs.

AMD shows off Fusion APUs, on track for H1 2011 release

Nearly four years after first revealing plans for its next-generation Fusion processors, AMD has finally conducted the first public demonstration of its CPU-GPU hybrid, running Aliens vs. Predator in DirectX 11 mode and doing some hardware acceleration in Internet Explorer. The company was careful to reveal as few specifics about the chips as possible, but said two versions of Fusion are being prepared for release in the first half of 2011.

A mainstream version called Llano will feature four cores and 4MB of L3 cache, while a low-power version dubbed Ontario will offer two cores and just 1MB of L3 cache. Both chips are now available to select customers in sample quantities. AMD's Rick Bergman didn't specifically name the APU demonstrated, but described it as a "low power Fusion processor" so we assume it was the dual-core Ontario part. To put the chip's capabilities into perspective, Bergman noted they were using the same game AMD used last fall to demonstrate their high-end discrete GPU.

For those unaware, Fusion basically combines the central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), video processing and other accelerator capabilities in a single-die design. This is a much more sophisticated approach than Intel's at present, which adds a separate 45nm GPU to the processor package. AMD said it is working with several companies to optimize software for its APUs, and announced the AMD Fusion Fund to jumpstart this effort.

Dell ships Studio XPS 7100 with six-core Phenom II

AMD's Phenom II X6 processor has found its way into a new machine today with the launch of Dell's Studio XPS 7100. While it's readily available through gaming PC builders, few major players have jumped on the six-core chip – until now, of course.

The machine is configurable with various preset Phenom II X6 and Radeon HD combos, the best of which is an X6 1055T and HD 5870. Other pairs include the Phenom II X6 1035T and Radeon HD 5670, X6 1055T and HD 5450, X6 1055T and HD 5670, and the X6 1035T with an HD 5870. Quad-core Phenom II processors are also listed.

You can add 6, 8, 12 or 16GB of DDR3 1333MHz RAM, 1 or 1.5TB of storage with an optional secondary hard drive in RAID 0 or 1, single or dual optical drives with a Blu-ray reader or writer, and naturally, Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate 64-bit.

The Studio XPS 7100 line kicks off at $499, but it seems like the cheapest hexacore configuration is around $699. Systems ordered today have a preliminary ship date of May 26.

AMD launches six new Athlon II processors

Committed to delivering the best bang for the buck, AMD is launching a total of six new processors today aimed squarely at budget and value price segments. The release consists of slightly higher clocked models in the Athlon II family available at about the same prices as previous flagships. That means around $150 and under -- and as you've seen from our last two processor round-ups this is where AMD hits the hardest.

At the upper end of the spectrum is the new quad-core Athlon II X4 640 for $122, which takes over from the 2.9GHz Athlon II X4 635 with a 100MHz bump in clock frequency and the same 2MB of L2 cache (4 x 512KB) and 95W TDP. Just below that is the new triple-core Athlon II X3 445, which is again clocked 100MHz higher than its predecessor, the 3.0GHz 440, and has 1.5MB (3x 512KB) of L2 cache along the same 95W TDP for around $87.

The 3.2GHz Athlon II X2 260 picks up from where the 3.1GHz 255 left off, priced at around $76, with a total of 2MB L2 cache and a TDP of 65W. Then if you are interested in building a media center PC or simply want to keep power consumption at a minimum, three new processors are available: the Athlon II X4 610e clocked at 2.4GHz for $145, the 2.5GHz Athlon II X3 415e for $102, and the Athlon II X2 245e clocked at 2.9GHz priced at $77. All three of them carry 45W TDPs. The dual core part features 1MB L2 cache per core, and the remaining two each offer 512KB per core.

AMD scores over a hundred design wins with upcoming mobile platforms

It seems AMD will be making some important inroads into the notebook market with their latest mobile chips. Following the recent launch of over a dozen AMD-based HP laptops, Reuters is reporting the company has nabbed no less than 109 design wins for a "new generation of power-efficient chips" due next week. This is a two-fold improvement from the "over 50" design wins it expected with the Tigris platform announced back in September 2009.

The report stops short of mentioning the actual platforms being launched, but looking at AMD's roadmap for 2010 these should be Danube and Nile. The first is aimed at the mainstream notebook segment and will feature quad, triple and dual-core 45nm CPUs codenamed Champlain; while Nile will make up for AMD's ultraportable platform with 45nm Geneva dual-core processors , DDR3 RAM, and DirectX 10.1 integrated graphics.

Notebooks with AMD's latest CPUs will start showing up "as early as June" in systems from the likes of HP, Acer, Dell, and Lenovo. Given the timeframe we suspect most will be announced in or around Computex. That said, we already know Acer is getting ready to launch a 10.1" Aspire One featuring a single-core V105 processor clocked at 1.2GHz. This chip is supposedly the slowest member of the Geneva lineup, uses a 512KB L2 cache, and has a TDP of only 9W.

AMD readying new low-power desktop chips

AMD is reportedly preparing to ship a round of new desktop processors. The Sunnyvale-based CPU-maker will have the parts packed and ready to roll as early as next week. The freshly baked chips will consist of two, three and four core products, most of which have a TDP of 45W.

The dual-core Athlon II X2 245e will operate at 2.9GHz and should cost €79. That's topped by the €100, 2.5GHz Athlon II X3 415e, and the Athlon II X4 610e, which will run its four cores at 2.5GHz and cost €140. Fudzilla notes that the pricing isn't spot on and the chips will likely be a bit cheaper after launch.

You can also expect at least one new 65W CPU next week: the 3.2GHz Athlon II X2 260. It's also mentioned that AMD will introduce slightly faster iterations of its current 45nm processors later this year -- or to "put it simply" the company will "increase clock speeds across its desktop range by 100MHz per quarter."

AMD details Turbo Core auto-overclocking technology

With AMD on the verge of releasing their first six core desktop processors, codenamed Thuban, the company has confirmed previous speculation that they'll be introducing their own version of Intel's Turbo Boost technology along these parts. Aptly named Turbo Core, it'll provide a less sophisticated auto-overclock, whereby three out of six cores are decelerated in order to give the other trio some extra voltage and speed for more serialized workloads.


The technology will kick in whenever three or more cores are idle and power consumption is below the processor's rated TDP. When that happens the idle cores are set in a boost-eligible "P-state" and their frequency is reduced to 800MHz, while the voltage to the entire chip is increased, and the other three cores are clocked up by as much as 500MHz. AMD says this will allow Phenom II X6 processors to fully utilize available TDP budget to maximize performance.

Keep in mind these chips will remain within the same power envelope as current Phenom II X4 parts, despite having two extra cores and still being manufactured on a 45nm process. AMD's new Phenom II X6 and forthcoming quad core CPUs based on the new Thuban design won't require new motherboards, as they'll be compatible with existing AM3 and AM2+ sockets via a BIOS update, though it isn't clear if Turbo Core will be limited to newer AM3 boards.

AMD readying new triple-core Athlon II processors

AMD is reportedly getting ready to add a couple more Athlon II X3 processors to its lineup, the Athlon II X3 445 and Athlon II X3 450. The latter is slated for a launch in the third quarter of this year, according to Fudzilla, which quotes a clock speed of 3.2GHz and a 95W power envelope. The chip will be based on the 45nm "Rana" core, meaning there will be 1.5MB of shared L2 cache and support for DDR3 RAM 1333 MHz, but no L3 cache at all.

The Athlon II X3 445 will feature a similar architecture and at 3.1GHz should provide a small performance bump over today's triple-core flagship, the X3 440. Prior reports also suggest AMD is readying a quad-core Athlon II X4 640, presumably with a 3GHz clock speed, and a 45W part clocked at 2.5GHz known as the Athlon II X3 415e. Unfortunately, the exact launch dates and prices for these chips have yet to be announced.

AMD Phenom II X6 processors specs and pricing revealed

Specifications for AMD's six-core desktop processors, codenamed 'Thuban', have seemingly been confirmed by Gigabyte a month before their expected release. The Taiwanese manufacturer temporarily updated its CPU Support List with two new additions -- the 2.6GHz Phenom II X6 1035T and 2.8GHz Phenom II X6 1055T.

Both chips are built on the same 45nm process as Deneb and come equipped with 6MB of shared L3 cache and 512KB of L2 per core. They are also expected to be compatible with AM2+ and AM3 motherboards, presumably after a BIOS update, and have an integrated DDR3 controller. Gigabyte has since taken down the information, but a separate leak from Bahrain-based retailer Advanti Online quotes the same specs and throws in pricing details for good measure.


Citing AMD as its source, the retailer's Facebook page lists the 2.8GHz Phenom II X6 1055T with a 125W thermal envelope and a $199 price tag. While there's no mention of the lesser 1035T model, an overclocker-friendly Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition processor running at 3.2 GHz will reportedly arrive priced at $295. Both chips will cost much, much less than an Intel 6-core CPU but should also perform on another level.

If the prices are indeed correct, the top of the line Phenom II X6 would go against Intel's freshly released Core i7 930, which is a 45nm Bloomfield quad core with a 130W TDP, 8MB shared L3 cache and running at 2.80GHz. The Phenom II X6 1055T, meanwhile, could fight it out with the Lynnfield Core i5 750 in the $200 price range.