3.0GHz Phenom and 3-Way CrossFire Spotted

MojoKid writes "AMD revealed the clock speed of the Agena-based processor they showed to the press today yesterday in conference, and clocks in at 3.0GHz. There has been a lot of speculation that AMD wasn't able to push early Phenom samples to frequencies this high, but here is proof that at least some Phenoms clocked at 3.0GHz do exist. You may also notice that the system hit a Windows Experience index score of 5.9, which is the highest score possible. It should be noted that AMD talked about 4-way CrossFire as well (a 3-way CrossFire is shown online), and that the company has continued plans to produce discreet GPUs at all performance levels (mainstream — enthusiast), even after Fusion arrives."

Comments

climbing back or post mortem movement?

[moderatorrater]

I, for one, miss our AMD performance overlords. I'm hoping that they climb back on top, especially since that would mean beating out the core 2 duo in performance.

Re:climbing back or post mortem movement?

[green453]

Do you hope that they climb back on top today yesterday?

Re:climbing back or post mortem movement?

[Holmwood]

Despite a reference to heat, this is not intended as a flame. I want to see a very strong AMD; it'll take that to keep Intel running hard. I'll buy whoever makes the best product at the best price.

The linked website seems aptly titled -- "HotHardware". Did you see the four extra fans built into the side of the case in the photo in the article?

The mind boggles at how much heat that setup must be producing.

I hope AMD can produce product at 3GHz (and faster) in quantity. And I hope they can do so without requiring 4 large fans taking up the entire side of the case.

Of course, those fans could be just to cool the three AMD graphics cards.

While I'm sure case modders and extreme performance enthusiasts don't care about this point, the rest of us like lower power consumption and quieter computers, while still being very fast.

Holmwood

Re:climbing back or post mortem movement?

[somersault]

Mod parent under-rated - he's trying to assist the moderators damnit! I, for one, am glad that he pointed out the comment was so neat! We need more meta-comments spamming up slashdot! Someone please advise on how my post should be moderated!

Sorry, I don't know why I'm being such a bastard today, maybe someone in the office has PMS..

Re:climbing back or post mortem movement?

[FuturePastNow]

Those three graphics cards alone are probably going to need a 750 Watt power supply. Add in the processor and other components, and the system in those pictures is likely running on 1000W.

Meh. No amount of performance is worth that. Not to me, anyway.

5.9, which is the highest windows score possible

[Zero Degrez]

Because we automatically subtract 4.1 for being on Windows?

Windows Experience Score

[Anonymous Coward]

Intel's $266 Q6600 also gets a 5.9: http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/07/16/cpu_charts_ 2007/page39.html#cpu_index

Re:I love amd

[Anonymous Coward]

Too bad they've taken a backseat to intel

Meh, the most fun I ever had was in the back seat.

3GHz expected by years end; an early bench.

[Visaris]

pcmag.com

[. . .]Rick Berman, SVP, GM, Graphics Product Group said the technologies [3GHz Phenom + 2900XT] would be available this fall.

While I didn't hear this directly when listening to the Tech Day presentation, PC-Mag claims to have heard this. While it is true that Barcelona will launch at 2GHz, Phenom will be launched a good few months later. Further, Phenom is simpler, it only has one HT link instead of three, and qualification for desktop chips is much more forgiving than for server processors. I wouldn't be surprised to this by years end. It should compete well with the 3.2GHz Penryn Intel is expected to launch in the same timeframe. See this slide for the only halfway decent becnhmark AMD has posted for the K10-based cores:

Slide45

Heat Issues

[i_am_socket]

Looking at the picture in the beginning of the article, I don't think I want any system that requires a minimum of 5 case fans and a chipset fan.

If that's what they need to hit 3.0 GHz, they're better off going with watercooling.

Re:Heat Issues

[kurokaze]

I imagine that has more to do with the vid cards than the CPU itself. Notice that the CPU seems to cooled by a typical HSF unit.

Re:5.9?

[WhyDoYouWantToKnow]

Because 6.9 would just be weird.

Re:5.9, which is the highest windows score possibl

[ookabooka]

4.1 is a gross approximation. The exact number is actually closer to elevendy billion.

Re:5.9?

[somersault]

One designed by a nerd who lost 4.1 of his fingers in a horrific tape drive accident back in 2005.. I've never seen so much red tape.. o_0

Who the hell designed that scale

[Tweekster]

It reminds me of an old SNL clip, the mcmacilin group.

"on a scale of 22-46 rate ...."

Re:Who the hell designed that scale

[spun]

5.9 points ought to be enough for anybody.

Re:Who the hell designed that scale

[ozbird]

It was supposed to go up to 10, but they had to drop 4.1 features to make the shipping date.

Awesome

[u0berdev]

Although I lean towards Intel, it's good to hear some more positive news about AMD/ATI. Lately it seems that everyone is making AMD/ATI sound like a company that is falling behind and failing to deliver any product that compares to Intel's latest offerings. Some have even suggested that AMD could drop out of certain portions of the consumer market to focus on things such as low-power server chips. I, for one, hope that AMD/ATI's upcoming Phenom and other offerings blow Intel out of the water. Why? Cause competition is always good, for consumers that is.

Re:Awesome

[Canar]

I'm as much an AMD fanboy as the next guy. I'm also a realist. Realistically, Intel's on top right now. I'd love to see AMD regain that dominance. Like you say, competition is good. However, Intel is also much bigger than AMD. Still though, with a GPU manufacturer in-house, I think AMD will offer some really fantastic technology in a couple years. It's just getting the two sides to work together that will likely prove to be difficult.

Ho-hum, I want SuperPi and **Mark benchmarks

[ganesaraja12]

Having been a dedicated AMD fanboy for many years running, I'm finding this news exciting. Also, having been a critical character, I just don't like that AMD picked that benchmark and flogging it like a dead horse. Whoop-dee-doo, your triple-Crossfire quadcore can run Vista well. Honestly, AMD need to buck up and demonstrate, directly or otherwise (ie. by reviews): 1) Server performance 2) Performance of Barcelona/Phenom vs. Kentsfield/Conroe 3) Some monumental overclockability. The halcyon days of Toledo Opteron overclocking is completely shadowed by Allensdale and Conroe now. Still, Brisbane 65nm shows promise in the overclocking stakes. And for crying out loud AMDATI, fix your drivers!

Re:5.9, which is the highest windows score possibl

[Ant P.]

No, no, you're completely wrong. That number is actually a percentage.

Re:Homonyms

[shadowspar]

No, a discreet GPU is one that doesn't go around telling anybody that you've been using it to render porn. There's probably a substantial market for GPUs like that, as opposed to the ones that go blabbing about your browsing habits to all their friends.

Re:Homonyms

[nigelo]

All this indiscretion is making me (sic).

Re:I love amd

[centinall]

Meh, the most fun I ever had was in the back seat.

Have you ever had a 3 way in the back seat? Not as fun as it sounds. Especially when you have a crappy driver.

This is a normal case...

[phildawg]

this isn't some case AMD dreamed up to test their 3-way Crossfire in it... it's a case used quite regular on the air cooling overclock scene.

"windows experience index" wtf?

[iggymanz]

a number that purports to tell how well the OS I don't run will perform with applications I will never buy here rendered more meaningless by assuming CPU performance is the dominating component of such a number, just fucking great for a so-called tech site

Re:"windows experience index" wtf?

[GaratNW]

And the fact that a majority of the world still uses XP and/or Vista.. that little fact just *whoosh*.. right past ya. You should have just run it rhough the "/. article filter" that removes all references to Windows, and makes repetitive jokes about "5.9 should be enough for anyone".. you know, that ever paraphrased quote that was never actually made by Bill or anyone at Microsoft but is continually attributed to them for cheap shots that have no substance that typically get modded funny.

Of course, someone was foolish enough to mention anything about Windows in a tech article, so it goes reason that 90% of the comments would be about the Windows Experience score, rather than the substance of the article. Vista sucks. Ok, agreed. But seriously, humor aside, slashdot sounds more and more like tech savvy ditto-heads every day.

Re:I love amd

[suggsjc]

Crappy drivers, a 3-way...man am I confused. Are you talking about getting it on? Nah couldn't be, this is /. So I'm just assuming your talking about a 3-way system with horrible driver support in the back seat of your mom's car while she is taking you to Fry's to get a cool new case. So yeah, your right...not as much fun as it sounds.

Re:The important question

[Ryan Monster]

The *REAL* question is will it play Duke Nukem Forever?