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Much of AMD’s bad luck over the last three months revolves around a nasty bug it just can’t shake

Erratum, to those in the hardware or software industry, is a nice way of saying “we missed a test case” during development and design.

Yesterday, The Tech Report confirmed AMD’s iteration of Intel’s F00F bug.  The bug, which has been documented since at least early November, can cause a deadlock during recursive or nested cache writes. 

How does the TLB erratum occur?  All AMD quad-core processors utilize a shared L3 cache.  In instances where the software uses nested memory pages, this processor will experience a race condition. 

Click for more on Understanding AMD’s "TLB" Processor Bug »

However, good news inside

SADLY FOR AMD, the Phenom launch was dumbed down by a nasty bug that stopped AMD from launching a 2.4 GHz variant (9700).

At the same time, problems with the OS freezing were solved by a BIOS fix inside the motherboards that actually reduces performance between five to 10 per cent, since that BIOS update did nothing but ordered a processor to avoid that ill-fated corrupted cache data.

The problem with L3 cache caused performance reduction on all clock speeds and yes, Phenoms 2.2 and 2.3 GHz are affected as well, but it was really noticable at 2.4 GHz. BIOS run-around caused a 2.4 GHz part producing performance of 100-200 MHz slower parts. Of course, standard disclaimer in some rare-found, practically laboratory-only instances applies here.

Click for more on All Phenoms feature infamous L3 cache errata »

Starting from $239, works on old AM2 motherboards

Besides the recent launch of new Radeon GPUs, AMD is also preparing for a Monday launch of its new platform created around the new Phenom processors and the 700 series chipsets. While we are hearing nice things about the flagship 790FX chipset that will also be launched next week, the expectations are all about the processors, especially because it will give current AM2 socket motherboard owners the possibility of swapping and upgrading to the new generation of CPUs without having to change additional components.

According to sources close to AMD distribution channels we got word that volume pricing for these processors would look like this next Monday:

Phenom X4 9700 / 2400MHz / 4MB Cache / 2000MHz HT / 125W - $279
Phenom X4 9600 / 2300MHz / 4MB Cache / 1800MHz HT / 95W - $269
Phenom X4 9500 / 2200MHz / 4MB Cache / 1800MHz HT / 95W - $239

Click for more on AMD Phenom X4 processor pricing update »

Still on barriers over 65nm conversion

Amid stiff barriers from 90nm and 65nm conversion, sources at Taiwan motherboard makers do not expect AMD to roll out the highest frequency 2.6GHz version of its new quad-core Phenom CPU family before 2008.

The sources noted that AMD will only introduce two Phenom CPU at the November 19 launch, the 2.2GHz 9500 and 2.3GHz 9600 models. A 2.4GHz 9700 model is expected to launch during December, but a 2.6GHz one will not be introduced until 2008, they noted.

Click for more on AMD: No 2.6GHz Phenom by 2008 »

What you may expect from Phenom x4 and Yorkfield

From the final result, Phenom only lose QX6850 about 5.5%. But the CPU Score is losing 9.11% . If the rival change to QX9650, the gap will even bigger. If we compare to other subitem, that dual core E6850 will boost Graphic system better than Phenom X4. Comparing to Phenom X4 and E6850, All the advantage score are coming from the CPU score. Phenom X4 does bad in HDR and SM subitem tests.

Click for more on NextGen VS. CurrentGen CPU: 3DMark06 »

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 »

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.

Advanced Micro Devices announced yet another price slashing movement of its dual core central processing units.

On the other side of the fence Intel is preparing too as the company announced the imminent launch of two high performance desktop chipsets, as well as the soon to come release of its 45 nanometer processing units that are poised to directly compete with AMD’s product lines.

Click for more on AMD Pricecut For Dual-Cores Next Week »

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. »

X-Bit lab claim that the new AMD processor can compete successfully with Intel processors working at the same clock speed in a large number of applications and win the competition.

Click for more on What can we expect from AMD K10 »