ED#57 : The AMD Phenom Goes Triple Core!

[Dashken]

AMD has announced that they are going to go triple-core with their Phenom desktop processor. AMD promises that this new class of processor will be a "triple threat" to Intel's domination of the desktop market.

But is the triple-core Phenom really that amazing? Some have argued that it is nothing more than typical AMD bluster - all wind and no substance. However, this triple-core processor may have more than meets the eye.

Here's a quote from the editorial :-

"According to AMD, these new processors represent a "multi-core triple threat" to Intel's current hemogeny in the multi-core desktop segment. They claim that current quad-core desktop processors (the Intel quad-core Core 2 processors, in other words) only represent less than 2% of the market. Hence, AMD believes their triple-core Phenom processors will fill the market's need for more powerful processors without paying for more expensive quad-core processors."

Link : ED#57 : The AMD Phenom Goes Triple Core!

[peaz]

Hmm Not sure if it's relevant or not, but what if there are no applications that is optimized for tri-core processors? What then?

[Adrian Wong]

Originally Posted by peaz

Hmm Not sure if it's relevant or not, but what if there are no applications that is optimized for tri-core processors? What then?

The triple-core processors should face no more optimization issues than the quad-core processors. Applications that are tuned for quad-core processors (more than 2 cores) should work well with the triple-core, IMHO.

[ZuePhok]

hahaha this is utterly bullshit. here they go again, announcing another product as if they are ready to be sold. where is X4? where is X2??? AMD is so desperate, they are acting like a 40 y.o virgin!!!

[Chai]

It sounds pointless to me, unless they are using bad quadcore chips for triple core.

[The_YongGrand]

Strange, 3-core. I thought they will be all even numbers for multi-core setup.

Well, they gotta make optimizations for 3-core systems, which looks pretty strange. Unless they are sold cheaply, everyone still have a chance to go more than 2-core!

[peaz]

Multicore optimizations aren't that simple as many developers have already mentioned. it's just odd that AMD decides to sell it as a tri-core processor when everyone else is multiples of 2. the usual dual-core, quad-core and octa-core (SUN).

Unless AMD's processor architecture is able to automatically split all the instructions load equally to all 3 cores, the performance of this tri-core processor might not be too far off a dual core.

Hmmm only time will tell when we finally get to see and test this tri-core procs.

And it's definitely made out of broken quad cores. There's no way AMD can design an odd tri-core proc and not announce it well before the release date. 3 cores... so unique. and knowing AMD, if this was in their roadmap 2 years ago, we would have heard how great and wonderful 3 cores is compared to 2 for years and years until we got sick out of hearing it. And not to mention... why no 'projected' benchmarks of this 3 core procs? LOL!

Update: from News.com - http://www.news.com/8301-13579_3-9780049-37.html

But PC owners can still take advantage of multiple cores if they're running several applications at once, Brewer said. Therefore, AMD wants to offer the choice of buying a three-core processor for perhaps a little less than a quad-core chip.

Now, for the real reason AMD's doing this.

The three-core Phenom chip is basically the same as the quad-core one, it just has one less working core, Brewer confirmed. One disadvantage of the monolithic quad-core design that AMD chose for its quad-core chips is that just one manufacturing defect on part of the chip can knock out an entire quad-core processor. But if you invent a category for three-core chips, suddenly you can make money off those chips that would otherwise have to be discarded because of a defect that disabled one core.

[The_YongGrand]

Originally Posted by peaz

Multicore optimizations aren't that simple as many developers have already mentioned. it's just odd that AMD decides to sell it as a tri-core processor when everyone else is multiples of 2. the usual dual-core, quad-core and octa-core (SUN).

Unless AMD's processor architecture is able to automatically split all the instructions load equally to all 3 cores, the performance of this tri-core processor might not be too far off a dual core.

Hmmm only time will tell when we finally get to see and test this tri-core procs.

And it's definitely made out of broken quad cores. There's no way AMD can design an odd tri-core proc and not announce it well before the release date. 3 cores... so unique. and knowing AMD, if this was in their roadmap 2 years ago, we would have heard how great and wonderful 3 cores is compared to 2 for years and years until we got sick out of hearing it. And not to mention... why no 'projected' benchmarks of this 3 core procs? LOL!

Update: from News.com - http://www.news.com/8301-13579_3-9780049-37.html

Never mind if the processor is cheaper, and can fit AM2 sockets backward compatible. The main thing is if it reaches the consumers well and good, it'll be great.

But how can they split workloads into 3 parts? The parts couldn't be symmetrical. Four parts will be easy - the smaller parts are all the same in the end.

[Adrian Wong]

Originally Posted by ZuePhok

hahaha this is utterly bullshit. here they go again, announcing another product as if they are ready to be sold. where is X4? where is X2??? AMD is so desperate, they are acting like a 40 y.o virgin!!!

Typical la.

Well, let's see if they will make the December 2007 launch for the Phenom FX and Phenom X4.

[Adrian Wong]

Originally Posted by Chai

It sounds pointless to me, unless they are using bad quadcore chips for triple core.

They most definitely are. The yield isn't good, and they have trouble ramping up the speed. Going 3 cores would either :

a) allow them to salvage some of the defective processors, or

b) allow them to ramp up the clock speed of processors that have one really slow core preventing it from qualifying for a higher speed grade.