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AMD reveals the model names and operating frequencies of its quad-core Phenom desktop processors

AMD plans to debut its initial quad-core Phenom processors in late November: the Phenom 9600 and 9500. The 9600 will come clocked at 2.4GHz and the 9500 will have a slightly lower operating frequency of 2.2GHz.

Both Socket AM2+ processors feature a 512KB of L2 cache for each core and a shared 2MB pool of L3 cache. In addition, both processors will operate on a 3.6GHz HyperTransport bus and will have an 89 Watt Thermal Design Power envelope. 

Click for more on AMD Sheds Additional Phenom Details »

Though many leaks of the product have been circulating for some time, Intel officially took the wraps off and launched their new X38 Express chipset for the high-end desktop motherboard market.

With this launch, the Intel desktop chipset line-up gets a new flagship. Intel’s new X38 chipset encompasses all of the technology advances that have made the P35 a success and adds a slew of new features designed to increase memory and graphics subsystem performance, like PCI Express 2.0 SerDes and Intel Extreme Memory technology in the new X38 MCH. The Asus motherboard tested by HotHardware even features an embedded Linux-based OS that boots in a matter a seconds.

Click for more on Intel X38 High End Chipset Launch and Benchmarks »

Even though there are not a lot of single-core chips in Intel’s microprocessor lineup now, quad-core processors are not going to become really affordable soon enough.

After Intel introduces its new 45nm central processing units in January, 2008, the company will not cut pricing of its Intel Core 2 Quad below $266.

Click for more on No Cheap Quad-Cores from Intel »

AMD plans to launch the new Triple-Core processor family by Q1 next year and it will be called Phenom 7-series instead.

The codename for the Triple-core processors is Toliman, a 65nm quad-core Agena core based with one core disabled. There will be 2 models at launch; Phenom 7700 and 7600 clocked at 2.5GHz and 2.3GHz respectively. Both processors will be AM2+ based, 3 x 512LB of L2 cache, 2MB of shared L3 cache and has TDP of 89W. We can expect DVT samples to be available by January, production by February and launch by March 2008. Further down the roadmap, we can see 3-core Heka based on 45nm quad-core Deneb with one core disabled supporting AM3 in H1 2009.

AMD has adjusted prices for its desktop processors along with  new 45 watt single-core CPUs in the manufacturer’s lineup.

The price reduction is less dramatic than the previous rounds, but drives the firm’s fastest desktop processors even deeper into the mainstream and entry-level segment, making room for the higher performing Phenom CPUs. AMD’s dual-core desktop processors, excluding the $599 Quad FX-74, include 14 different CPUs ranging from $68 for the Athlon 64 X2 4000+ to $220 for the X2 6400+ Black Edition. In comparison, Intel offers 22 dual- and quad-core processors from $74 to $530 (not including four Extreme Edition CPUs)

Click for more on AMD lowers desktop CPU prices »

As long as competition stays reasonably tight, though, the real winner isn’t going to be Intel or AMD: it’s going to be the end-users.

Both AMD and Intel have enough horsepower with their integrated graphics solutions to drive Windows Vista’s Aero interface, so if you’re not going to be gaming then either integrated graphics solutions is more than enough. Windows and animations did seem to render more smoothly on the Intel platform but we’re not sure if that’s a driver, GPU, or CPU advantage.

Click for more on Midrange CPU Roundup: It’s Time to Buy »

Spec.org Shows Off Performance of Quad-Core Chips from AMD and Intel

Benchmark results of AMD’s quad-core server processors in CPU 2006 benchmark suite from Standard Performance Evaluation Corp. were recently published at Spec.org, confirming that AMD’s new microprocessors have overwhelming advantage in floating point performance, but cannot boast with unprecedented integer performance.

Click for more on AMD’s Quad-Core Chips Dominate SPECfp, But Intel Holds SPECint Firmly. »

New processor, new price and new logo, starting from $163.

We have known that Intel’s first 45nm processor will be available on November 11 2007. The first one hit the market will be quad-core only: Yorkfield for desktop and Harpertown for server. To distinguish with the current 65nm product line, Intel will use a new naming schema for the 45nm processors: quad-core Yorkfield will be QX/Q9xxx and dual core Wolfdale is E8xxx.

Click for more on Intel 45nm processor name and price roundup »

The dream machine: Dual Quad-Core processors coupled with 8800GTX SLI.

Intel SkullTrail is an enthusiast gaming platform, which is a dual CPU system set to rival the AMD Quad FX platform. It is reported to have SLI and Quad SLI support.

Here are some extreme machines on IDF: One was powered by a 3.0GHz Core 2 Extreme QX9650 (Yorkfield), another was a stock Skulltrail machine equipped with dual 3.4GHz quad-core processors, and the last system was a modded Skulltrail that was overclocked to 4GHz.  The modded machine featured a pair of vapor phase-change coolers for the processors, liquid-cooled memory and GeForce 8800 GTX cards.

Click for more on Intel Skulltrail and Penryn Performance Preview »

Intel Details Graphics Processor Market Approach, Intel’s Chief Exec Talks Graphics Technology.

During his keynote at Intel Developer Forum (IDF), the chief executive of the world’s largest maker of chips, Paul Otellini, outlined the company’s plans regarding improving performance of graphics processors. Intel confirmed that code-named Larrabee chip can process graphics, as well as a CPU with intergrated graphics core in 2010.

Click for more on Intel: Will Deliver GPU with 4x Power over 8800GTX in 2010 »