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AMD Bumps Up Socket AM2 Launch Date
Thrill-Ki1l writes "According to DailyTech AMD has moved up the launch date for their new socket AM2 processors. The manufacturers of the new AM2 chipsets and motherboards have their hardware ready to ship early so AMD decided to launch the chips 2 weeks early. The new launch date is May 23rd."
Here's good info on the AM2.
The reason that AMD had to go this route is that the AMD architecture has the memory controller embedded in the CPU chip while the intel machines have the controller contained in the motherboard. This means that AMD have better overall memory performance, however, a change in memory technology forces them to redesign their CPU and use another socket for fear that consumers might put those new CPU's in older 939 motherboards and either fry them up or call for tech support too much.
There should be a "-1:Groupthink"
This article examines the question in depth. Hope that helps.
Personally, I feel AMD has been a bit more reasonable with sockets. Pentium 4's have at least 423, 478, 775, and Pentium M has 478 and 480. Socket A lasted a long time, overlapping with Socket 370, IIRC. Since then, we've had 754, 939, and now AM2. (I'm ignoring 940, but also ignoring the Xeon sockets...) Since AM2 isn't actually out yet, that's two sockets that have been released in the same time frame that Intel released five.
Err... the P4 Comes in two socket styles. The old mPGA and the new 755-socket-whatcha-ma-callit. So right away, your argument is null and void.
The 'old' 468-pin is just that--the OLD socket. Meaning, it's a completely different chip altogether.
AMD has had some issues with sockets lately, I will grant you that. But Intel has been behind the 8-ball for a while now. AMD is now the innovator, and they are just playing catchup.
You're wrong. The P4 comes in several sockets, and to get dual-core you need a 3rd motherboard. The AMD 939 supported single and, later, dual-core, on the same socket. I'm not saying AMD don't have as many sockets but Intel don't make it easier.
Well, when you're this close to the launch of the new socket you might as well wait in the hopes that you'll be able to upgrade the CPU or motherboard separately once over its lifetime, if you so choose.
"[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz
"[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz
Its not trolling. Its true. Intel proved this at IDF. Furthermore, AM2 really is all promise without delivery http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx? i=2741
Except Intel is launching 64 bit Quad Core in August. Yep, Steve seems to be pretty happy.
"Sure this meant a lot for the intel architecture but from what I understood the AMD architecture will not gain a lot from this memory speed increase."
:)
Early indications are that Intel's architechtural improvements with Conroe will give them a significant edge over AM2 chips, even though AMD still has an on-die memory controller and Intel doesn't.
"Also, the latency on the memory will likely also increase which might cancel all gains made from the increased speed."
They'll be using 667 and 800 mhz clock speeds, so it won't be too bad, but the gains from the extra memory bandwidth aren't as big as one might expect. At least for AMD.
"Therefore, I'm waiting and seeing before I get me one of those."
Sound advice for any pre-launch situation.
I'm going to take the wait-and-see approach as well, but so far looks like I'll be continuing my pattern. My last few computers have been Pentium II, Athlon, Pentium 4, and Athlon 64.
Though I rarely get top-of-the-line chips, so if AMD cuts the prices for their high-end stuff when Intel has faster parts, that might make them preferable even if Intel holds the performance crown at the time.
I mostly want dual cores and hardware-supported virtrualization so I can run OpenBSD under Xen. Both AM2 and Conroe will have that, so it's pretty much a question of who gives me the best performance.
I rarely criticize things I don't care about.
Not to mention all the different chipsets for 775 that are not compatible with all 775 CPU's.
Yeah, Pacifica (AMD's hardware virtualization support) is going to be available for the first time with AM2.
According to the article S754 is going to actually outlast S939.
AMD's Socket 754 to Outlast Socket 939
No, Intel is releasing a dual-dual-core not a quad-core. It's going to be two separate dies on one chip.
Intel still hasn't figured out the whole "let's go MP" part yet either. While they are doing things like L2 sharing to speed up proccesses in the same dual-core part (which is a mixed blessing though) they are still using the single-FSB to do MP.
Tom
Someday, I'll have a real sig.
I kinda like my 939. if i wanna upgrade from 3000+ to 4800+, i can. that's a huge improvement still available.
Honesty may be the best policy, but by process of elimination, dishonesty is the second best policy.