Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors Deliver Breakthrough Performance-Per-Watt
Sunnyvale, Calif. - Sept. 10, 2007 - AMD (NYSE: AMD) today introduced
the Quad-Core AMD Opteron(tm) processor, the world's most advanced x86
processor ever designed and manufactured and the first native x86
quad-core microprocessor. Designed from inception for the most demanding
datacenters, Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor-based servers from global
OEMs and system builders can deliver breakthrough capabilities to
customers in a time of dramatically escalating performance-per-watt
emphasis.
Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors with AMD's revolutionary Direct Connect
Architecture introduce innovations that go beyond four x86 processing
cores on a single die of silicon. Critical considerations for today's
most challenging business requirements inspired Quad-Core AMD Opteron
processor innovations: energy efficiency with a 50 percent increase in
integer and floating-point performance, enhanced virtualization
performance, and investment protection via a customer-centric approach
enabling non-disruptive transitions from dual- to quad-core within the
same power and thermal envelopes to help keep infrastructure costs down.
"Today marks one of the great milestones in microprocessor achievement
as AMD again raises expectations for industry-standard computing," said
Hector Ruiz, chairman and chief executive officer, AMD. "We've worked
closely with our customers and partners to design a new generation of
processing solutions embodied by today's
Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor - a four-way winner in performance,
energy efficiency, virtualization and investment protection. Early
customer response has been extremely positive."
Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor-based systems from global OEM and
system-builder partners begin shipping this month and are expected to
increase in number through the remainder of the year. AMD Phenom(tm)
processor solutions, which will leverage many of the same benefits of
this innovative, next-generation architecture, are expected to be
available for the desktop market in December. Due in part to the
industry's most stable x86 server platform, more than 50 socket
compatible Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor-ready system choices are on
the market today from tier one OEMs, all of whom are publicly supporting
today's introduction.
"Today more customers choose ProLiant for their AMD processor-based
server blades than any other vendor by a factor of more than 2 to 1. HP
offers customers a broad portfolio built on innovative designs to
address customer needs in the areas of power, virtualization and cost,"
said Paul Miller, vice president, marketing, enterprise storage and
servers, HP. "With today's launch of Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors,
we can help customers bring new levels of efficiency to their
infrastructure as we broaden our AMD Opteron processor-based family of
servers."
"Sun is thrilled about the introduction of Quad-Core AMD Opteron
processors. Incorporating Sun's innovative design principles that enable
stunning scalability and industry-leading performance-per-watt, our
upcoming Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor-based servers and workstations
will only accelerate the momentum Sun is experiencing in its x64
business," said John Fowler, executive vice president of Sun
Microsystems' Systems Group. "With so much pent-up demand for the
scalability of native quad-core processing, Sun believes there will be
rapid, widespread adoption of Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor-based
systems. We applaud AMD for yet another technological breakthrough, and
are excited to continue to grow our alliance."
"Dell and AMD share a commitment to delivering industry-leading
performance, performance-per-watt, and the most energy-efficient product
designs to help our customers focus on driving their business forward,"
said Brad Anderson, senior vice president, Dell Product Group. "Dell's
ability to seamlessly deliver the benefits of AMD's Dual Dynamic Power
Management technology means our customers can get more today and for
future growth in the AMD processor-powered Dell PowerEdge 2970 and
Energy Smart 2970."
"IBM was the first global OEM to support AMD Opteron processors in 2003.
Today our relationship is delivering powerful and energy-efficient
business performance computing solutions" said James Gargan, vice
president, Brand Management System x & BladeCenter, IBM. "Our x86
systems feature IBM's X-Architecture innovation, such as Xcelerated
Memory Technology, to help optimize Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor
capabilities for peak system performance. We look forward to bringing
new products to market with AMD later this year to help strengthen IBM's
position as the world's top server vendor ."
Systems based on Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors are also being
announced today by a host of other manufacturers, including Appro,
Egenera, Gateway, Rackable Systems, Supermicro and Verari.
Additionally, AMD is providing the channel with a tremendous
opportunity to be able to offer their customers Quad-Core AMD Opteron
processor-based solutions very soon after launch. AMD Validated Server
Program platforms are available today through distribution, empowering
channel partners with the opportunity to be early to market with
solutions.
AMD introduces Average CPU Power (ACP)
AMD also today introduced the Average CPU Power (ACP) metric, which
represents processor power usage, including cores, integrated memory
controller, and HyperTransport(tm) technology links, while running a
suite of typical and relevant commercially useful high utilization
workloads to be more indicative of the power consumption that end-users
can expect. ACP is a useful metric for data center operators when
estimating power budgets to size their datacenters. AMD will continue to
provide thermal design power (TDP) specifications to platform designers
in AMD power and thermal datasheets.
AMD is introducing Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors today at the 55- and
75-watt ACP. For system designers, AMD will continue to state its TDP
specifications.
New Standard in Energy Efficiency
As datacenters in the U.S. face the potential of doubling their energy
consumption by 2011 , new Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors introduce the
world's most energy-efficient x86 architecture, bolstered by a variety
of new power-saving technologies, including:
* AMD CoolCore(tm) Technology, for reducing energy consumption by
turning off unused parts of the processor;
* Independent Dynamic Core Technology, an enhancement to AMD
PowerNow!(tm) technology, allowing each core to vary its clock
frequency depending on the specific performance requirement of the
applications it is supporting; and
* Dual Dynamic Power Management (DDPM), which provides an
independent power supply to the cores and to the memory controller,
allowing the cores and memory controllers to operate on different
voltages, determined by usage. DDPM is available in most Quad-Core AMD
Opteron processor-based platforms being introduced today.
"Microsoft and AMD are working together to drive innovation, performance
and energy efficiency across the datacenters and development
environments," said Bill Laing, general manager of Windows Server
Division at Microsoft Corp. "With 64-bit multi-core technology, Direct
Connect Architecture and built-in virtualization, AMD Opteron processors
continue to provide Microsoft Windows customers with an innovative
platform. Looking ahead, we believe Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008
and Visual Studio 2008 running with Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors
will provide a compelling development and deployment platform to drive
customers' dynamic IT environments."
Optimal Virtualization Performance
Datacenters depend on virtualization software as an essential tool to
consolidate server workloads, operate more securely, and enable disaster
recovery. Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors with Direct Connect
Architecture excel in virtualized environments because of the integrated
memory controller for reduced memory latency, and Rapid Virtualization
Indexing, a new AMD innovation in AMD Virtualization(tm) technology
designed to reduce the overhead associated with software virtualization.
Rapid Virtualization Indexing takes functionality that was previously
performed in software and greatly accelerates it by performing those
functions within the CPU to help enable near-real time application
performance.
Investment Protection
Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors maintain compatibility with the socket
and thermal envelopes of Second-Generation AMD Opteron processors to
enable a seamless customer upgrade path. AMD's common core strategy
empowers customers to scale with one AMD architecture to reduce platform
management complexity and increase datacenter uptime and productivity.
Outstanding Performance
Continuing the legacy of the AMD Opteron processor family, Quad-Core AMD
Opteron processors introduce several new ground-breaking technologies
enabling impressive results across a suite of benchmarks. Within
comparable thermal bands, Quad-Core AMD Opteron processors outperform
the competition on several industry-standard benchmarks including:
SPECfp(r)_rate2006, SPEC(r)int_2006, SPECompM(r)2001Base, STREAM, Fluent
and LS-DYNA. For more details on the performance of Quad-Core AMD
Opteron processors, please visit http://www.amd.com/opteronperformance.
Visit AMD on the Web
For more information on the Quad-Core AMD Opteron processor
including FAQs, development tools, online press kits and other general
information, please visit http://multicore.amd.com. Quad-Core AMD
Opteron processor pricing can be found at http://www.amd.com/pricing.
About AMD
Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) is a leading global provider of
innovative processing solutions in the computing, graphics and consumer
electronics markets. AMD is dedicated to driving open innovation, choice
and industry growth by delivering superior customer-centric solutions
that
empower consumers and businesses worldwide. For more information, visit
http://www.amd.com
