Re: AMD planning 45nm 12-Core 'Istanbul' Processor ?

On Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:07:36 -0400, Yousuf Khan <bbbl67@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
wrote:

>AirRaid wrote:
>> AMD planned twin-die configurations as far back as the K8
>> architecture, though abandoned those efforts.  The company never
>> explained why those processors were nixed, but just weeks later
>> "native quad-core" became a major marketing campaign for AMD in
>> anticipation of Barcelona.
>> 
>> A twin-die Istanbul processor could enable 12 cores in a single
>> package. Each of these cores will communicate to each other via the
>> now-enabled HT3.0 interconnect on the processor.
>> 
>> The rabbit hole gets deeper.  Since each of these processors will
>> contain a dual-channel memory controller, a single-core can emulate
>> quad-channel memory functions by accessing the other dual-channel
>> memory controller on the same socket.  This move is likely a
>> preemptive strike against Intel's Nehalem tri-channel memory
>> controller.
>
>
>Well, at least there is an air of practicality entering AMD's designs 
>now. Twin-die 12-cores will get them to market much sooner.
>
>	Yousuf Khan

They'd better don't screw up on this one - they already used up all
the margin of error they had, and then some.  But then, it's not the
first time AMD is on the brink of extinction, and they always came
back even stronger than anyone, including but not limited to INTC,
could expect.  K7 in 1999, K8 in 2003 - both times Intel got their ass
whipped big time for a couple years straight... Why not this time
again?  Wish them luck - without AMD the whole CPU world would be
boring and damn expensive.

NNN