AMD Socket AM2 Has A Secret Weapon

WingaWinga MrSouth Africa Icrontian
edited July 2006 in Science & Tech
Conroe is scheduled to launch on July 23rd with NDA for reviews scheduled to expire around July 28th. However, AMD has a counter-attack weapon hidden in its Socket AM2 infrastructure.

It seems that all AM2 CPUs were outfitted with support for Reverse-HyperThreading. An architectural change, which enables software to think that it is working on a single-core. By combining two cores, AMD has been able to produce the six IPC "core" that will go head to head against the four IPC "core" from the Conroe/Merom/WoodCrest combo. In certain instances even an old AMD Athlon 64 3800+ can wipe the floor with Core 2 Duo E6300 CPU.

The real fight with AMD is against the Conroe with 2MB of L2 cache. The system memory avoidance technology is working flawlessly on a 4MB cache model, but the case is reversed in the 2MB cache variant, especially in cache-hit sensitive apps, such as games.
In single-treaded apps, Core 2 Duo is expected to struggle against Reverse HyperThreading CPUs, which work at higher clock frequencies and produce higher instruction per clock ratios (IPC).
AMDs Reverse-HT is a dynamic technology, and with Microsoft's Windows update and a new processor driver, the driver will copy the graphics drivers of today's 3D accelerators. The driver will detect the app, see if it is multithreaded or not and turn the ReverseHT on, or leave it off.
Source: The Inquirer

Comments

  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    Whoa... only for AM2 or will this work for my A62 X2 3800+?!

    Am I correct to assume it can effectivly make your dual core processor run KIND of like a single core at double the frequency?
  • EssoEsso Stockholm, Sweden
    edited June 2006
    AFAIK, you gonna need AM2.
    Here is one old document about the subject (pdf file from -98).
    A Dynamic Multithreding Processor
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    Well, we all figured AMD would need some secret weapons development in order to effectively counter the Conroe. Perhaps this Reverse HT will really work. I sure hope so! I really don't want to see either AMD or Intel holding a large hegemony over the other. Wouldn't do to have either company get too complacent, as Intel was from 2003-2005.
  • PirateNinjaPirateNinja Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    Meanwhile VIA quietly devlopes the VIA C10, codename VIA CX. The most punch per power processor ever.

    And somewhere, deep under the surface of the Earth...Alpha has hired a strange humanoid race to build its first 500 mhz ghz processor. "Now that's fast!"
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    Well, maybe by next summer/fall the two manufactures will have it all sorted out and with reasonable prices, because that is when I plan to build my right, right before I go into college, at that time my current one will be 2.5 years old and ready for an upgrade.
  • masternigh
    edited June 2006
    the next few years will be good fun...
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    They always have been, I am wondering when the technology will platue off, it has too. At least with copper, the only next logical step looks like optical processors.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    The Inq reports that this is a hoax: http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=32885

    AMD will most certainly lose the performance crown for a while.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    I am betting for 1 Quarter....Maybe 2 at the most
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    damn, after I convinced one of my friend of what it was and that it was gonna be cool. ...
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    Does anyone still believe that AMD isn't going to be out on its ass for more than a year? Writing's on the wall.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    Nope!
  • jradminjradmin North Kackalaki
    edited July 2006
    Not really no.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    Does anyone still believe that AMD isn't going to be out on its ass for more than a year? Writing's on the wall.
    I am betting for 1 Quarter....Maybe 2 at the most
    At least three quarters working hard on catching up, and that's only if they get 65nm to the standard they need.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    ... by which time they've already been handily beaten to 45nm by Intel. It's not looking so good. :hair:
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    AMD will rise again, it just being a matter of time. Even though Intel is well capitalized, and well-focused again, they don't have a monopoly on engineers and scientists. AMD is in a MUCH better position than they were five years ago. They manage to climb out of it then. They can and will do it again.
  • jradminjradmin North Kackalaki
    edited July 2006
    I have a feeling that AMD has been working harder in secret on the 45nm process then the 65nm process. I hope.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    Wouldn't that be nice. There's just no way.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    There is a way, AMD has been pushing production very quietly, and they have been optimizing their product lines to get the most out of there Fabs, and with 2 new Fabs on the way 45nm AMD chips might just come out before Intel gets them... I mean they did it with the 90nm Athlon. I guess only time will tell.

    I just know they are not going to pull an Intel and sit back for almost 2 years, and watch all there hard work go to waste.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    I just know they are not going to pull an Intel and sit back for almost 2 years, and watch all there hard work go to waste.
    I completely agree with that. I think AMD's next accomplishment, and innovation will be the quad-core CPU. They are ahead of Intel in that arena. As to die shrinks, they just aren't where they had wanted to be now. Dell's acceptance of AMD CPUs will also provide a slight reprieve for AMD as they try to keep market share for which they've fought so hard.

    But as to further decreasing transistor/circuitry size on the the chips, I just can't see AMD making faster advances towards 45nm when they still are so far behind on the shrink from 90 to 65.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    From what I have heard AMD already has 65nm chips around for review/ test samples...
  • TheLostSwedeTheLostSwede Trondheim, Norway Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    Leonardo wrote:
    I completely agree with that. I think AMD's next accomplishment, and innovation will be the quad-core CPU. They are ahead of Intel in that arena. As to die shrinks, they just aren't where they had wanted to be now. Dell's acceptance of AMD CPUs will also provide a slight reprieve for AMD as they try to keep market share for which they've fought so hard.

    But as to further decreasing transistor/circuitry size on the the chips, I just can't see AMD making faster advances towards 45nm when they still are so far behind on the shrink from 90 to 65.

    Unfortunatly not. Intel have already shown quad-core cpu's. Even i can buy one. But they cost a fortune. What AMD have shown is a dual Dual-core cpu.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    AMD is already sampling Quad Cores also! you may not be able to buy manufacturing samples, but they are there for the select few thus far... AMD is doing a great job on keeping it quite.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    AMD's K8L quad core on schedule
    As we reported before, this CPU is slated for early 2007 and if all goes well we should be able to get it in early Q1 2007. There are no significant problems and obstacles with the design and the CPU won't be delayed till 2008. This is AMD's horse to run as the firm knows that it needs a lot more than K8 dual core to fight the upcoming Conroe. The new Intel desktop CPU is due to arrive in just thee days from now and is getting ready to win most of the benchmarks versus Athlon X2 5000+ and the FX62.
    The Inquirer
  • TheLostSwedeTheLostSwede Trondheim, Norway Icrontian
    edited July 2006
    There's not a single benchmark out from AMD's quad-core yet and if it's only 4 of the cores we have now packed into one pcb, they're lost into oblivion. The rumour says that AMD will introduce DDR3 on these cpu's.

    Sledge, care to show a valid proof of anyone that have one of these quads?
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