AMD Announces 4x4 Enthusiast Gaming Platforms

Post by **Apoptosis** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:01 am

AMD just announced their new enthusiast platform!

What do you get when you take an AMD FX series processor and add to it?

You get 4x4! Two dual-core processors (4 cores) and two dual GPU graphics cards (4) means you get a 4x4 platform.

Each socket will include an AMD Athlon64 X2 chip in a new AM2 socket, although what limitations will be placed on the clock speed will not be released until a future date. Each socket will be connected using AMD's "Direct Connect" architecture, which already provides a dedicated channel from each of the CPU cores out to the system memory, and to each other. Due to the nature of the Direct Connect architecture, each CPU can access the other's dedicated memory store. The 4x4 architecture will use unbuffered, non-ECC DIMMs and AMD's "Pacifica" virtualization technology. It's not a "warmed-over workstation board" according to AMD.

What you guys think? Will post more up as I get it.

Post by **Apoptosis** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:12 am

AMD Processors are going 65nm and quad-core!

Here is something interesting about shared L3 cache:

Today we have hyper-transport....

In the future we will have Torrenza!

Post by **Apoptosis** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:22 am

Here are the AMD Mobile and Server Roadmaps that go to 2008.

infinitevalence · Post by **infinitevalence** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:30 am

lame... its the same stop gap they used when the A64 was launched. Everyone wanted dual channel memory and it was only available on the server platform, so they waved their magic wand and poof the FX was born, living in a skt 940 (surprise) with registered memory (surprise again).

So what can you expect from this move?

A re badged Opteron at 2.8ghz
A Tyan motherboard with support for two "FX" processors (requires a bios update) my guess is it will be the successor to the K8WE.
Registered DDR2 memory
Nvidia NF5 SLI/NF5Pro chipset with two 16x PEG slots.

What do we learn from this... AMD has no product, cant get 65nm out fast enough to counter Conroe. They know their chips are going to be slower, they know they cant compete with Intel when it comes to price, and they are scared.

I love AMD, i love their CPU's but damn some times the things they try to pull and the "business" decisions they make, force me to buy from Intel. Not that im an Intel hater either in fact in my house Intel has a decent lead over AMD in number of processors.

One other thing... don't expect this to ever show up in retail, its going to cost no less than 5k for a basic setup and not even newegg is going to think for a moment that anyone is going to buy it. That's if its not outright vapor ware.

Now... looking over the quadcore... yes please, thank you AMD now please get it out so i can buy it. That's the kind of thing i want them to release and that would very much put a hold on Conroe taking over the world.

The server solutions look interesting, a nice little speed boost from DDR2, HT 3.0 and quad core

AMD has a great processor if only they could make them smaller faster, then they could hold back Intel. But they really really need to get on the ball and start on some new designs because they cannot afford to push the K8 till it breaks like intel did with the P4.

//Last edit

I should say these are my personal views and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Legitreviews and its owners.

stereo55 · Post by **stereo55** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:30 am

Sweeeet !

Thx for the heads up

SAMSAMHA · Post by **SAMSAMHA** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:37 am

on 2007, there's new core. I wonder what it would be. It looks like amd may have someting to fight agaisnt conroe. let's hope so.

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:48 am

A re badged Opteron at 2.8ghz

Yup......And registered ram too, as you mentioned......

no thanks!

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:30 pm

kenc51 wrote:
A re badged Opteron at 2.8ghz
Yup......And registered ram too, as you mentioned......

no thanks!

I thought he said it was going to use unbuffered, non-ECC DDR2...

Apoptosis wrote:Each socket will include an AMD Athlon64 X2 chip in a new AM2 socket, although what limitations will be placed on the clock speed will not be released until a future date. Each socket will be connected using AMD's "Direct Connect" architecture, which already provides a dedicated channel from each of the CPU cores out to the system memory, and to each other. Due to the nature of the Direct Connect architecture, each CPU can access the other's dedicated memory store. The 4x4 architecture will use unbuffered, non-ECC DIMMs and AMD's "Pacifica" virtualization technology. It's not a "warmed-over workstation board" according to AMD.

I have very mixed feelings about this whole thing. As Infinitevalence mentioned, it will probably be really expensive. It seems like this is going to take a lot of cooperation from mainboard manufacturers and it all just doesn't seem like something that many people will be enthusiastic about. This is sortof the same as the single GPU vs. dual GPU debate ("Should I buy another card for SLI/CrossFire or not?"). And I will give the same answer for "4x4" as I have with SLI and CrossFire...
I would rather have a single card (processor) that does lots of work better than two that consume more power, produce more heat, and don't really get much more done...

I can wait for this 4x4 thing as it doesn't really appeal to me. I would much rather see AMD step up to the plate and just design a better processor architecture than to just start adding more of them as cost, power, and heat gets out of control quickly when that happens.

infinitevalence · Post by **infinitevalence** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:35 pm

yeah its looking like i was wrong about the memory, i have now seen a few places say its unregisterd non ecc

well cant get them all right

Silent Fox · Post by **Silent Fox** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 1:10 pm

AMD using 2 dual cores to compete with Conroe single dual core? If thats what it take to compete with Conroe, then they really need to go back to the drawing board. Why spend another 600-1000 on another cpu, when I can just buy one? What happens when Intel goes quad core or pull the same thing?

I am seeing role reversal, and AMD is now playing the catch up game.

Post by **Apoptosis** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 1:14 pm

Silent Fox wrote:AMD using 2 dual cores to compete with Conroe single dual core? If thats what it take to compete with Conroe, then they really need to go back to the drawing board. Why spend another 600-1000 on another cpu, when I can just buy one? What happens when Intel goes quad core or pull the same thing?

Great points!

KnightRid · Post by **KnightRid** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 2:05 pm

Well maybe i am glad I havent gotten a MB and cpu yet

- I love AMD, but if Intell will be cheaper and faster, back on the band wagon I go..lol.

It is truly sad that AMD has to ue 2 dual cores to compete with a single dual core.

Mike

Quad core - *drool* - me want

pcrobot · Post by **pcrobot** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 2:38 pm

Thanks for the info! I don't even have a dual core yet...

-mogwai · Post by **-mogwai** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 3:17 pm

i kinda like the idea, but the follow through is kind of a pain in the ass and screwed up. if they had a better or more innovative and efficient way of doing the quad-core thing, sweet

until then, it kinda seems like it wouldn't be worth it.

Immortal · Post by **Immortal** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 3:07 am

Guys, remember though that the Core CPU is only good for single and dual implementations, anything over dual and the system bus becomes saturated cause its only running on 1066/1033mhz FSB.
"Conroe" is gonna suck in multi-cpu systems cause intel still doesnt accept that the HyperTransport consortium is the way forward!

Still its not gonna stop me getting a Core CPU, but just wanted to point out that the architecture isnt as bulletproof as it could have been!

Silent Fox · Post by **Silent Fox** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 3:35 am

Here are ways AMD can counter Intel.

1) Significantly drop AM2 prices, by 1/4 to 1/2. (wishful thinking)
2) Engineer a whole new dual core cpu.
3) Move up Quad core production.

They claim 4x4 is for enthusiast. There must be more of enthusiast, than mainstream, out there who can spend another 600-1000 on cpu and another 600-800 on another video card. What about mainstream users? Whats their offer for them? And lastly 2 dual core to fight 1 dual core? Does that make sense?

This is my opinion for now. It might change when 4x4 comes out. I am going to bed.

infinitevalence · Post by **infinitevalence** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 12:50 pm

Immortal you got it right, conroe will rual singel CPU and offer a real challenge to AMD in dual CPU, but everything 4way and 8way AMD wins hands down, thats why Dell is selling 4way and 8way AMD servers now.

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 2:38 pm

infinitevalence wrote:Immortal you got it right, conroe will rual singel CPU and offer a real challenge to AMD in dual CPU, but everything 4way and 8way AMD wins hands down, thats why Dell is selling 4way and 8way AMD servers now.

yep, thanks to hypertransport.......
except Intel own AMD in a very, very small neich (and extreamly proffitible) market --> Itanium.

infinitevalence · Post by **infinitevalence** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 3:06 pm

you mean the italpha

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 3:10 pm

infinitevalence wrote:you mean the italpha

Couldn't have said it better! LOL

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