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Introducing the AMD Phenom™ quad core processor

Daniel Fleshbourne   on 14 May 2007 - 19:55 · 58 comments & 37498 views

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Delivering a four-core foreshadowing of innovations to come for PC enthusiasts worldwide, AMD today unveiled the upcoming AMD Phenom™ processor family name and publicly demonstrated the first all-AMD enthusiast platform, codenamed “FASN8.” The industry’s only true quad-core client processors will deliver the ultimate visual experience, especially when paired with AMD’s new DirectX® 10 ATI Radeon™ HD 2000 series, which began shipping today. AMD plans to ship true quad- and dual-core AMD Phenom-based desktop processors in the second half of 2007.

In a demonstration last week in San Francisco, AMD previewed an eight-core processor solution, “FASN8.” FASN8, pronounced “fascinate,” stands for the first AMD silicon next-generation eight-core platform. The platform includes two true quad-core AMD Phenom processors, the new DirectX 10 ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT, as well as AMD’s next-generation, high-performance chipset, due in the second half of 2007. This solution illustrates AMD’s leadership in delivering a single solution with increased levels of integration, translating into a boost in real-world performance enhancements.

“AMD has always enjoyed a great bond with the enthusiast community, and the introduction of the AMD Phenom processor family will take our relationship to new heights,” said Bob Brewer, corporate vice president and general manager of AMD's desktop division. “We continue to be focused on listening to and addressing users’ evolving needs. AMD is confident the performance enhancements enabled by true quad-core client technology in computing-intensive environments will allow them to realize new possibilities and find new inspiration.”

View: AMD

Only AMD Delivers True Quad-Core

AMD Phenom processors will be uniquely designed to facilitate intelligent uses of energy and system resources that are reliable, virtualization-ready and energy efficient, driving optimum performance-per-watt. All AMD Phenom processors will feature resources like an integrated DDR2 memory controller, HyperTransport technology links, and 128-bit Floating Point Units, resulting in improved speed and performance in floating point calculations.

With a true quad-core design offered by the upcoming AMD Phenom processors, cores communicate on the die rather than through a front side bus external to the processor – the bottleneck inherent to packaging two dual-core CPUs to form a quad-core. Additionally, AMD’s on-chip integrated memory controller ensures that all four cores have optimum access to the integrated memory controller and integrated HyperTransport links, so that performance scales well with the number of cores. This design is also highlighted by a unique shared L3 cache for quicker data access and Socket AM2 and Socket AM2+ infrastructure compatibility to allow for a seamless upgrade path.

“AMD’s quad-core processor rollout will put more computing horsepower at PC users' fingertips,” observed Nathan Brookwood, research fellow at Insight 64. “Quad-core innovations come at a time when many users are finding that the combination of Microsoft Vista™, multi-threaded applications and DirectX 10, no longer delivers the crisp performance they experienced on last year’s fastest systems running last year’s software. The AMD Phenom processors’ ability to deliver significantly more performance within the same power and thermal envelopes as its dual-core antecedents makes this quad-core processor a fitting follow-on to earlier AMD dual-core processor offerings.”


AMD Phenom Processor Family

Enthusiasts, digital content creators and mainstream users alike are seeking more immersive, visual computing experiences – developing and navigating rich 3D worlds, finding new ways to create and share digital media and memories, and pushing the limits of productivity with intense multitasking. AMD Phenom processors will have the exceptional performance and capabilities customers require, employing state of the art platforms and next-generation processor architecture.

“Quad-core technology like the AMD Phenom processor family will enable Dell customers to enjoy their personal computers in entirely new ways,” said Neil Hand, vice president marketing, Dell's Consumer Product Group. “With a quad-core CPU, the desktop PC can now truly act simultaneously as a server for home digital media devices, while keeping customers secure and productive in their mainstream use.”

For enthusiasts who demand cutting-edge performance on their system, AMD Phenom FX processors will deliver extreme megatasking capabilities. The true quad-core and octa-core platforms with a Dual Socket Direct Connect (DSDC) Architecture configuration can provide enthusiast-class features and performance, allowing our customers to deliver professional-grade results. Moreover, AMD’s quad-core processors and unique eight core solutions, with four processing cores on one die, coupled with the latest platform technologies, including the new ATI Radeon HD 2000 series, can deliver the ultimate enthusiast PC platform. AMD Phenom X2 and X4 processors will offer true quad- and dual-core advanced technologies for seamless multitasking and optimum energy efficiency.

“Falcon Northwest understands what enthusiasts want and continually strives to deliver the ultimate gaming experience,” said Kelt Reeves, president, Falcon Northwest. “The advent of AMD’s quad-core processor technology represents an industry-defining change for multi-threaded gaming that spells immediate benefits in terms of absolute performance. By combining Falcon Northwest’s gaming prowess together with AMD’s commitment to performance and future platform offerings, we are excited to help drive the future of multi-core computing.”

With true quad-core processors, AMD also expects to see performance enhancements in multitasking, computing-intensive environments, multi-threaded applications and gaming.

“Like AMD, we too envision quad-core technology as an enabler of a more immersive experience,” said Phil Taylor, senior program manager of Aces Studio at Microsoft Game Studios. “Multi-core technology is already opening up a new world of significant possibilities with the Service Pack1 release for Microsoft Flight Simulator X. SP1 contains multi-threaded code for terrain loading and in-flight generation of terrain textures; as well as for the batching of Autogen vegetation and buildings. This code is written to allow SP1 to use all available cores. We are excited about AMD’s upcoming quad-core technology, which we believe will further enable our mutual customers to dial up the visual details when using SP1 and see more of the highly detailed world contained in FSX.”

“Like AMD, Lionhead is excited with the possibilities that multi-core will bring to gaming and believe that AMD’s quad-core technology is another step in delivering the power we are looking for,” said Tim Rance, CTO of Lionhead. “We are eager to push the detail in our simulations ever deeper, make our physics more fine grained, our AI more emotional and our lighting more dynamic. All of this will enable us to deliver the mass-market experiences that our customers are looking for.”

“We are really excited about the upcoming introduction of AMD's native quad-core solution,” said Markus Mäki, Development Director, Remedy Entertainment . “The technology behind Alan Wake is built to take advantage of multiple CPU cores and gamers with quad-core systems will have an even better experience. AMD Phenom processors will be a welcome addition for all gamers.”

“AMD’s new quad-core technology will provide a great performance boost for today’s high-end PC games,” said Tim Sweeney, founder of Epic Games Inc. “Our Unreal Engine 3 game technology can take advantage of four and even eight processor cores, improving performance by accelerating physics and AI calculations, and increasing the realism of the game environments our artists can build. Upcoming games like Unreal Tournament 3 will truly fly on these new CPUs.”

Post a comment · Send to friend Comments · There are 58 additional comments
#1 bmaher on 14 May 2007 - 19:59
Very Nice...

Good to see AMD taking on Intel seriously (at last )
(1 reply) #2 Swordnyx on 14 May 2007 - 20:00
nice!!

Anyway, I feel bored so I'll start a flame war. AMD sucks. (I use AMD, lol.)
#2.1 Athernar on 14 May 2007 - 20:04
NO U


#3 b0m8er on 14 May 2007 - 20:02
When I see Core2Do(or whatever will be intel's flagship by then) vs Phenom tests i may change my mind. But for now - AMD sux
#4 Athernar on 14 May 2007 - 20:02
I wonder what the new phenom logo will look like, could just be the standard one though, but maybe with a purple colouring or some other appropriate colour.
(2 replies) #5 ahhell on 14 May 2007 - 20:05
"FASN8"




Who thinks up that crap?????
#5.1 pyehac on 14 May 2007 - 20:21
Quote - (ahhell said @ #5)
"FASN8"




Who thinks up that crap?????

sounds like it belongs on a vanity license plate.

*goes out and registers that to his car*
#5.2 xSuRgEx on 15 May 2007 - 12:43
AMD hired a new marketing team, bad news is they are a team of 5 just turned 18 year olds who still think its cool
to type l337.
#6 Sniper101 on 14 May 2007 - 20:09
Wow here comes AMD's market shares, Im an Intel user but at the same time a AMD user and only AMD can give you performance for your money intel are good still but they need to really be overclocked to get all the performance.
(1 reply) #7 RAID 0 on 14 May 2007 - 20:22
Benchmarks please!
#7.1 ipodman715 on 14 May 2007 - 22:55
Yes!

And please AMD, don't delay these chips anymore!
(2 replies) #8 Kushan on 14 May 2007 - 20:55
Don't get too excited, here's an extract from an article I read the other day:

Quote -
"You're going to see more consumer-like marketing come from us than you've traditionally seen in the past," stated Ian McNaughton, Phenom's senior product manager, in an interview with BetaNews. "You're going to hear us talking about our products in a different way than we traditionally have, and it's not going to be, we're sending a data sheet. It's going to be more terms like, 'Exquisitely powerful, intensely visual."'


In other words: AMD aren't going to rave about benchmark results, you have to ask - why not?
The only logical reason is that they're just not a great deal more powerful than intel, if at all.
They're playing catchup, I just hope they can keep up the pace and overtake Intel.
#8.1 PermaSt0ne on 14 May 2007 - 20:59
Quote - (Kushan said @ #1)
Don't get too excited, here's an extract from an article I read the other day:

Quote -
"You're going to see more consumer-like marketing come from us than you've traditionally seen in the past," stated Ian McNaughton, Phenom's senior product manager, in an interview with BetaNews. "You're going to hear us talking about our products in a different way than we traditionally have, and it's not going to be, we're sending a data sheet. It's going to be more terms like, 'Exquisitely powerful, intensely visual."'


In other words: AMD aren't going to rave about benchmark results, you have to ask - why not?
The only logical reason is that they're just not a great deal more powerful than intel, if at all.
They're playing catchup, I just hope they can keep up the pace and overtake Intel.


marketing. general population doesn't understand benchmarks

however they do understand exquisitely powerful and intensely visual quite well

and amd needs to recover it's market coverage from core2duo's reign over the past year
#8.2 +metal_dragen on 14 May 2007 - 21:16
Quote - (Kushan said @ #1)
In other words: AMD aren't going to rave about benchmark results, you have to ask - why not?
The only logical reason is that they're just not a great deal more powerful than intel, if at all.
They're playing catchup, I just hope they can keep up the pace and overtake Intel.


So, Intel's Core2Duo ad campaign, which included random people dancing around an abstract 3D background, is benchmarks? The average computer user either a) doesn't understand benchmarks, or b) doesn't care as long as the computer works, does what they want, and does it in their perception of "fast."

Intel's better. AMD's better. It doesn't matter - competition is good - it pushes all parties involved to innovate and create better stuff. And FFS, if you use Intel, I'm happy for you; if you use AMD, I'm happy for you too; now STFU.
(7 replies) #9 maudit on 14 May 2007 - 21:14
another paper launch? i'll :woot: when I see actual PC benchmarks and/or @ online shoppers...
ATM intel is selling their quad core solution while AMD still lags behind..
Can anoyone tell me what the point of tell us "our XXXX new processor has XXXX performance... not available until late july".

#9.1 D-M on 14 May 2007 - 21:23
Quote - (maudit said @ #1)
ATM intel is selling their quad core solution while AMD still lags behind..


Some of you seem to forget how long it took for Intel to catch up. It sure and hell was a lot longer than a year. Besides, this setup sounds good, but it contains DDR2 memory controllers. I'll wait for the DDR3 to pop out of the oven before I buy again anyway. It won't matter if it's AMD or Intel, I build with both and they are comparable, so it doesn't really matter.
#9.2 WICKO on 14 May 2007 - 21:36
???? are you serious? Why do you think pretty much anything to do with computing/entertainment market advertises their product before its actually released?
#9.3 maudit on 14 May 2007 - 21:54
Quote - (WICKO said @ #9.2)
???? are you serious? Why do you think pretty much anything to do with computing/entertainment market advertises their product before its actually released?


Yeah I forgot about the marketing part Just tired of READING amd/ati aka DAAMITs upcoming technologies...
#9.4 maudit on 14 May 2007 - 22:01
Quote - (D-M said @ #9.1)
Quote - (maudit said @ #1)
ATM intel is selling their quad core solution while AMD still lags behind..


It won't matter if it's AMD or Intel, I build with both and they are comparable, so it doesn't really matter.

are you insane? AMDs r0ckz0rs j00|2 B0X3R5 J/k

You do have a point. Although AMDs k8 is quite old, it still has some ground on the C2Ds one way or the other and I guess this is what will hapen with C2D vs Phenom..


#9.5 xMorpheousx416 on 14 May 2007 - 22:08
Quote -
ATM intel is selling their quad core solution while AMD still lags behind..



Oh.....you mean the QX6000 series dual Core2 duos? Two dual cores on a single die connected only by the FSB... that's four cores in a system, but it's not a quad-core solution!
#9.6 maudit on 14 May 2007 - 22:14
Quote - (xMorpheousx416 said @ #9.5)
Quote -
ATM intel is selling their quad core solution while AMD still lags behind..



Oh.....you mean the QX6000 series dual Core2 duos? Two dual cores on a single die connected only by the FSB... that's four cores in a system, but it's not a quad-core solution!

Yep, Although you and I, and most like the general consensus of the neowin community knows this. The average consumer just goes "OMG 4 processors!!! on a C2Q".
#9.7 WelshBluebird on 15 May 2007 - 14:01
Quote - (xMorpheousx416 said @ #9.5)
Quote -
ATM intel is selling their quad core solution while AMD still lags behind..



Oh.....you mean the QX6000 series dual Core2 duos? Two dual cores on a single die connected only by the FSB... that's four cores in a system, but it's not a quad-core solution!


Still better than AMD's current 4 core strategy (4x4).
#10 nicholas-c on 14 May 2007 - 21:15
i will have 2 please
#11 Tantawi on 14 May 2007 - 21:58
Looks nice, lets hope competition is back.
(1 reply) #12 rIaHc3 on 14 May 2007 - 22:04
....It can have a million cores. If it isn't efficient, who gives a ****?


Benchmarks please.
#12.1 Amano on 14 May 2007 - 22:19
Quote - (rIaHc3 said @ #12)
....It can have a million cores. If it isn't efficient, who gives a ****?


Benchmarks please.


That's it .. Benchmarks solve the problem.
#13 vetLOC on 14 May 2007 - 22:07
It's to bad Intel is cutting the price of the Core 2 Quad Q6600 to $266 then eh? And that the ATI HD 2900XT doesn't even compete well with the 8800 GTS, let alone suck more power than a GTX.

AMD/ATI better pull their heads out of their collective buttocks and get with the program before Intel and Nvidia put them out of business. Sad but true
#14 Buttus on 14 May 2007 - 22:45
yes! glad to see AMD coming out with something respectable again... hopefully they'll pull ahead of Intel like they did a couple years ago, and then Intel will have to come up with something new...

It only helps us all...
#15 Starfire13 on 14 May 2007 - 23:55
Octocore ftw. All hail Octocore.
(1 reply) #16 Jugalator on 15 May 2007 - 00:02
"FASN8, pronounced “fascinate,”"



No, it's pronounced "fasnate". Damn illiterate marketing team!
#16.1 krasch on 15 May 2007 - 05:10
That actually depends on how you split up the sounds.

how about pronounced FAS(hard S as in PASS)-N-EIGHT - a.k.a. fascinate.
(1 reply) #17 Doli on 15 May 2007 - 00:03
Ok I see "true quad-core" about nine times ( I didnt click the links so there might be more), does this mean Intels quad-core is not really quad? two core 2 duos together?

Did you see the new Ruby videos? she has aged or HD video is not to kind to her

Last edited by Doli on 15 May 2007 - 00:16
#17.1 MrCobra on 15 May 2007 - 00:53
The Intel solution is 2 CD2s in a single ceramic package. They do not have a true quad core chip. True quad core is 4 physical CPUs on the same piece of silicone.
#18 Digix on 15 May 2007 - 00:53
concerning price i think my next system will now consist of a phenom x4 and 2900 XT
#19 MrCobra on 15 May 2007 - 00:54
Just bring out the AgenaFX chips already.
#20 black_death on 15 May 2007 - 02:12
The day has finally arrived!
#21 Bosaka on 15 May 2007 - 02:27
I wish they would quit marketing up "True" Quad core - The K8 based arch ODMC requires the need to have the cores that close together or it would mess everything up. Other than that looks cool - Been there, done the whole octo-core thing tho.
#22 dhitb on 15 May 2007 - 02:47
Hope it gets you back on track, DAMMiT. Wake me up when DDR3 support comes along and it costs $150/2GB
#23 +Xerxes on 15 May 2007 - 02:50
Sounds great, but with Core 3 just around the corner I doubt Intel will be too worried right now I think my A64 is great but the Intel Core series of processors (Core 1, 2 and soon 3) are still king of the mountain.
(5 replies) #24 Croquant on 15 May 2007 - 03:07
"Only AMD Delivers True Quad-Core"

Bahhhh-hahahaha.... yeah, that's why the Intel Core2 Quad is kicking ass all over the place. Because ONLY AMD can do a Quad Core. Sure. Right. Whatever.

Give me a break. When you boil down all the marketing spin to it's essential oils and minerals, one finds that all this really means is that AMD is too afraid to show us the actual chips.

If these things are really so great then show us a engineering sample, AMD.
#24.1 MrCobra on 15 May 2007 - 03:46
No one said that only AMD can do it. While the Intel chips may have 4 cores, those cores are not on the same piece of silicone and therefore are not a true quad core design.
#24.2 Vegetunks on 15 May 2007 - 03:47
Dude seriously, READ something for a change.
Intel Core 2 Quad IS NOT QUAD CORE! It's two core 2 duos on the same die.
Thats just super lame compared to true quad-core.
#24.3 Chad on 15 May 2007 - 04:09
Quote - (Vegetunks said @ #24.2)
Dude seriously, READ something for a change.
Intel Core 2 Quad IS NOT QUAD CORE! It's two core 2 duos on the same die.
Thats just super lame compared to true quad-core.


Semantics. No need to get upset over a processor. Good grief.
#24.4 Croquant on 15 May 2007 - 07:55
Quote - (Vegetunks said @ #24.2)
Dude seriously, READ something for a change.
Intel Core 2 Quad IS NOT QUAD CORE! It's two core 2 duos on the same die.
Thats just super lame compared to true quad-core.

Dude, you seriously need to get your reality filter changed. It's all covered with AMD stickers and it's affecting the flow of oxygen to your brain.
Look, no offense, but are you retarded or something?? 2+2=4. You know: The number four. As In four cores. As in Quad core.
It doesn't matter how they got the cores on the CPU, the Core2 Quad is still a Quad-Core CPU. Funny thing, here's AMD claiming that ONLY they can deliver a Quad Core.
#24.5 Epimetheus on 15 May 2007 - 08:43
Yes it is actually four cores in one system, however, it's actually two cores on two different pieces of silicon connected by a bus. Therefore it is not a honest to goodness quad core platform, simply put it is just two CPUs put side by side and share the same bus. A true quad core system would be all of the cores on one piece of silicon.

It does not matter if it is Intel or AMD, it only matters on who will have the actual quad core platform out first, and it appears to be AMD. But that also does not mean Intel cannot do the same.
#25 Digix on 15 May 2007 - 06:18
yeah people need to understand yes core 2 quad's have 4 cores but its 2 core 2 duo chips on a single die providing 2+2=4 where as the way AMD have described "true quad core" is that rather then just having say two Athlon 64 4200+ x2 chips on a single die they've created an architecture which has been built with actual 4 cores on the die which is not sharing with 2 architecture its just 1 with 4 cores, which could prove very handy.
(3 replies) #26 _Allan_ on 15 May 2007 - 06:28
I'm still waiting for an Undertaker reveal ... cuz everyone who watches WWE knows that Undertaker has, for at least 6+ years, used the name "The Phenom" ...
#26.1 Croquant on 15 May 2007 - 07:48
You watch WWE?

Last edited by Croquant on 15 May 2007 - 07:55
#26.2 rIaHc3 on 15 May 2007 - 16:01
Quote - (Croquant said @ #26.1)
You watch WWE?

Alot of people do...Whats your problem?
#26.3 ec4912 on 15 May 2007 - 17:03
I think he was just asking. I watch WWE. Go Edge!
(2 replies) #27 ishtar on 15 May 2007 - 09:39
uh ooh looks like intel is about to get schooled again Heh Heh
#27.1 rIaHc3 on 15 May 2007 - 16:03
Quote - (ishtar said @ #27)
uh ooh looks like intel is about to get schooled again Heh Heh

Exactly. Intel is going to school as the teacher and AMD is just the annoying student that THINKS he knows more than the teacher, classmates, and the whole world but Intel quickly shuts him up.
#27.2 RealFduch on 15 May 2007 - 17:53
Quote -
Intel is going to school as the teacher and AMD is just the annoying student that THINKS he knows more than the teacher

There are dumb teachers who teach the same wrong facts again again...
#28 Kreuger on 15 May 2007 - 14:15
We barely have any software that can take advantage of dual core (okay Im not positive so go ahead and correct me if Im wrong) that gives it any boost over a single core setup so what's the point of quads when we cant use dual?
(1 reply) #29 micro on 15 May 2007 - 14:53
Does windows vista even support 4 cores properly? will we even see a benefit of having 4 cores vs 2?
#29.1 vetneufuse on 15 May 2007 - 15:05
uh yes? It can support 32 cores if you really wanted it to... Home version is limited to number of processors not cores... so you can have 1 processor and 4 cores... Business is limited to 2 processors max so you could have 8 cores if you wanted (2 procs 4 cores each) Server can have a lot more processors...
#30 RangerLG on 15 May 2007 - 17:29
Now the race is no longer how many MHz (GHz) we can get, now its a race to see how many cores can we cram on it.
#31 +Dakkaroth on 15 May 2007 - 22:27
Won't be very useful until programs, games, and operating systems can fully utilize the multi-core processors. :/

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