AMD Processor Roadmap: Jan to June 2009

[KJAX]

Courtesy of DailyTech (http://www.dailytech.com/AMD+Processor+Roadmap+Launch+Dates+Revealed/article13571.htm), the following is the future processors AMD plans to release for the first half of 2009:

January 2009:

* Phenom II X4 940 at 3GHz, 8MB total cache using the AM2+ socket
* Phenom II X4 920 at 2.8GHz with 8MB of total cache on the AM2+ socket

February 2009:

* Phenom II X4 910 2.6GHz with 8MB total cache on the AM3 socket
* Phenom II X4 810 Phenom II X4 810 2.6GHz with 6MB total cache on the AM3 socket
* Phenom II X4 805 Phenom II X4 805 2.5GHz with 6MB total cache on the AM3 socket
* Phenom II X3 720 Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz with 7.5MB total cache on the AM3 socket
* Phenom II X3 710 Phenom II X3 710 2.6GHz with 7.5MB total cache on the AM3 socket

April 2009:

* Phenom II X4 945 3.0GHz with 8MB total cache on the AM3 socket
* Athlon X4 615 2.7GHz with 2MB total cache on the AM3 socket
* Athlon X4 605 2.5GHz with 2MB total cache on the AM3 socket
* Athlon X3 420 Athlon X3 420 2.8GHz with 1.5MB total cache on the AM3 socket
* Athlon X3 410 Athlon X3 410 2.6GHz with 1.5MB total cache on the AM3 socket

June 2009:

* Athlon X2 240 2.8GHz with 2MB total cache on the AM3 socket
* Athlon X2 235 Athlon X2 235 2.7GHz with 2MB total cache on the AM3 socket

Although I would like to wait to upgrade my aging but still agile Athlon X2 4200+ system (Socket 939), I am thinking of a cheap upgrade to an Socket AM2+ mobo which I hope will support a shiny new Phenom II X4 clocked at 3.0 Ghz. Of course, Intel and the reigning kings of the hill, the E8400 and the Q6600, are still the best values for my money. Of course, it all still comes down to what I can afford to spend.

[Ancalagon]

Courtesy of DailyTech (http://www.dailytech.com/AMD+Processor+Roadmap+Launch+Dates+Revealed/article13571.htm), the following is the future processors AMD plans to release for the first half of 2009:



Although I would like to wait to upgrade my aging but still agile Athlon X2 4200+ system (Socket 939), I am thinking of a cheap upgrade to an Socket AM2+ mobo which I hope will support a shiny new Phenom II X4 clocked at 3.0 Ghz. Of course, Intel and the reigning kings of the hill, the E8400 and the Q6600, are still the best values for my money. Of course, it all still comes down to what I can afford to spend.

Dont buy a shiny new AM2+ motherboard until the Phenom II chips come out though. Only believe claims of backwards compatibility when you can see it and test it.

But yeah, I'm also considering upgrading to one of these bad boys, depending on price and performance. I currently have a 5600+ X2, should be quite an upgrade. Am thinking about upgrading my video card at the same time, but that will get quite expensive.

Plus I'm not sure I play enough games to make such an upgrade worth my cash.

[Smoof]

Dont buy a shiny new AM2+ motherboard until the Phenom II chips come out though. Only believe claims of backwards compatibility when you can see it and test it.

But yeah, I'm also considering upgrading to one of these bad boys, depending on price and performance. I currently have a 5600+ X2, should be quite an upgrade. Am thinking about upgrading my video card at the same time, but that will get quite expensive.

Plus I'm not sure I play enough games to make such an upgrade worth my cash.

Quad Core wont really do you any favors when it comes to gaming.

[J Arcane]

I've heard some mention somewhere about some AM2+ chips being backward compatible with regular AM2 boards, but I don't have the slightest clue which ones, or if that's even true.

It'd be nice though, because it would be giving me further reason to just upgrade my PC instead of outright replacing it.

[KJAX]

Dont buy a shiny new AM2+ motherboard until the Phenom II chips come out though. Only believe claims of backwards compatibility when you can see it and test it.

But yeah, I'm also considering upgrading to one of these bad boys, depending on price and performance. I currently have a 5600+ X2, should be quite an upgrade. Am thinking about upgrading my video card at the same time, but that will get quite expensive.

Plus I'm not sure I play enough games to make such an upgrade worth my cash.

Yeah, the whole claims of being "backward compatible" with the AM2+ boards is good but suspect for the newer Phenoms. Bottom line, I have to build a computer soon as my current one is a Christmas present for someone else.

[scythe]

I've heard some mention somewhere about some AM2+ chips being backward compatible with regular AM2 boards, but I don't have the slightest clue which ones, or if that's even true.

It'd be nice though, because it would be giving me further reason to just upgrade my PC instead of outright replacing it.


AM2 chips will work in AM2+ motherboards and AM2+ chips will work in AM2 motherboards. The benefit of using AM2+ chips with AM2+ motherboards is 2.6 GHz HyperTransport 3.0.

Check to make sure an AM2+ BIOS update is available from your motherboard manufacturer before you upgrade to be absolutely sure though.

[vodkajello]

I would definitely wait for the AM2+ motherboard of your choice to have PhenomII compatibility announced and a BIOS update available for download.

I just updated my S939 X2 4600 to a Q6600 based system and did the easy OC to 3Ghz. That thing is super fast! It crunches video super fast compared to the X2 4200. I was considering i7 until I saw the stupid CRAZY prices of the motherboards.

[Ancalagon]

I've heard some mention somewhere about some AM2+ chips being backward compatible with regular AM2 boards, but I don't have the slightest clue which ones, or if that's even true.

It'd be nice though, because it would be giving me further reason to just upgrade my PC instead of outright replacing it.

Thats sometimes the case, but it depends on the motherboard. My MSI K9N Sli Platinum, for example, doesnt support any Phenoms, but the equivalent Asus board does. In other words, I'm not buying MSI ever again.

[Voodoo]

Quad Core wont really do you any favors when it comes to gaming.

I'm almost always trans coding audio or video on my PC at the very same time I am gaming. A quad core has been a great time saver for me. When I'm not trans coding, I will often play Sins of a Solar Empire & Dawn of War at the same time while streaming a video from Hulu (thanks also to the 28" Hanns-G I have). Yeah... I know it is a bit excessive but I slow the games down which allows me to switch between them and this also keeps me caught up on Heroes & Sarah Conner.

[KJAX]

For those of you who might be curious, below are manufacturers who have announced which of their Socket AM2+ boards will support the newer AM3 processors that are just around the corner:

Gigabyte's motherboard list (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/News/Motherboard/News_List.aspx?NewsID=1423)

MSI's list (http://global.msi.com.tw/html/popup/MB/45nm/en/index.html)

ASUS' list (http://event.asus.com/mb/AM3_CPU_Support/)

and the last and perhaps, the least, Biostar's AM2+ support list (http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/news/news.php?id=45) for AM3 processors.

Still leaning Intel for the new system but damn if AMD is finally starting to get back in the game.

[MS]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3223/3082747789_8fbe9a75fb.jpg?v=0

Obviously the retail chips wont clock this high, but it appears AMD is getting back in the race. This was a cherry picked chip with certain functions/sensors disabled and under LN2 (-196 degrees Celsius) but still impressive nonetheless.