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chipdesigner

06/22/05 8:40 PM

#57866 RE: jhalada #57865

(edit) If they manage quad core in Q106, they can probably manage socket F for it at the same time.

Notice that while Digitimes mentions H206 for Socket M2 (and socket F) this slide shows the launch of M2 starting in H1.

It looks, rather, that by H206, ALL of the performance segment will be on M2 instead of 939.

Thus, I wouldn't be surprised if socket F was also planned to launch in early Q2, so a pullback into Q1 wouldn't be far-fetched.



BTW, no FB-DIMM support in 2006, per AMD. They don't see it being useful until at least 2007. (so said Weber)

Now, I suppose socket F could build in the necessary pins to handle FB-DIMMs in the future, even if 2006 CPUs don't support them.



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mas

06/23/05 2:03 PM

#57909 RE: jhalada #57865

I can't see AMD doing a smithfieldesque frig with HT connections between a pair of dual-cores so it will be a proper quad-core with a quad-port SRI. The mechanism is beautifully simple* so will not require a lot of effort to change IMO. As to what socket that's pretty immaterial but considering the early 2006 claim it sounds like s940. Its impact will be considerable and will signal P4 Xeons EOL and obsolescence early and before Intel do it officially in 2007 ;-).

* http://groups-beta.google.com/group/comp.arch/browse_frm/thread/fc4095be1922a3b1/90db4106ad48bfdc?q=...
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wbmw

06/23/05 3:06 PM

#57913 RE: jhalada #57865

Re: One theory, which IMO has a low probability or being correct, is for very early in 2006. That would require it to still be Socket 940, fit in the thermal envelope of under 100W, it would need 65nm to be very early, it would also require reworked SRQ to handle more links.

On 90nm in H1 2006, you would be looking at a ~400mm^2 die running at around 1.6GHz to hit 100W power envelope. What a pitiful launch that would be. Almost zero volume and just barely more performance than the 275.

On first gen 65nm in H2 2006, the die size ought to be inline with today's dual cores. A 100W power restraint might enable 2.4GHz; although, dual core will have moved to 2.8GHz by then. Again, without some additional features, it seems like a lame duck, and a huge risk to coincide with initial 65nm volumes (i.e. delays likely with this approach).

Second gen 65nm in 2007 sounds far more plausible, but AMD won't have this until early to mid-07.

Re: since it is called F, I guess it may support FB-DIMMS.

"F"-stepping, maybe?

Re: So my expectation is that i would be very surprised by H1 2006 launch, H2 launch would be a mild pleasant surprise. In H1 2007, it will be a must.

My expectation is 0% chance in H1 2006, 10% chance in H2, and only then as a rushed low volume product, and a high chance that it coincides with AMD's new micro-architecture in 2007, pending no major delays, of course.