Top-end AMD Bulldozer FX 8-core processor will be priced at $320

[EarlZ]

---

Even though Advanced Micro Devices' next-generation FX-series microprocessors code-named Zambezi and powered by Bulldozer micro-architecture are projected to bring the company back onto the market of high-performance desktop microprocessors, the new chips will be relatively affordable. For example, the highest-performing model will cost $320, according to a media report.

As reported previously, the initial family of FX chips will include four models: two eight-core flavours, one six-core version as well as one quad-core chip. The top-of-the-line FX-8130P and FX-8110 will cost $320 and $290, respectively, six-core FX-6110 central processing unit will be priced at $240, whereas quad-core FX-4110 microprocessor will cost $190, according to a news-story by Donanim Haber web-site.

It is rather noteworthy that AMD will sell its highest-performing microprocessor for $190 - $320. Positioning of the chip in AMD’s documents seen by X-bit labs clearly shows that AMD wanted to address the high-end desktop CPU market. In particular, AMD wanted to compete against Intel Core i7-2600-series microprocessors with its eight-core chip. Intel’s quad-core Core i7-2600K costs $317. It remains to be seen how successful will AMD FX-8100-series be against Intel’s six-core code-named Bloomfield Core i7 family chips.


mong the advantages that are mentioned by the AMD documents that X-bit labs has happened to see are “more overclocked cores”, “more cores dual graphics, OpenCL and GPU” compute and others. By the end of the year the firm expects over 10% of its desktop products to be based on the Bulldozer micro-architecture and be in the AM3+ form-factor.

AMD Orochi design is the company's next-generation processor for high-end desktop (Zambezi) and server (Valencia) markets. The chip will feature eight processing engines, but since it is based on Bulldozer micro-architecture, those cores will be packed into four modules. Every module which will have two independent integer cores (that will share fetch, decode and L2 functionality) with dedicated schedulers, one "Flex FP" floating point unit with two 128-bit FMAC pipes with one FP scheduler. The chip will have shared L3 cache, new dual-channel DDR3 memory controller and will use HyperTransport 3.1 bus. The Zambezi chips will use new AM3+ form-factor and will require brand new platforms.

The Sunnyvale, California-based chip designer plans to introduce AMD 900-series chipsets compatible with Zambezi processors in Q2 2011. The Bulldozer processors, Radeon HD 6000 "Northern Islands" discrete graphics cards and AMD 900-series core-logic sets will power AMD's next-generation enthusiast-class platform code-named Scorpius.

AMD did not comment on the news-story.

AMD FX-Series Top-of-the-Range Microprocessor to Cost $320 - Report - X-bit labs



I have high hopes for AMD this time around!

[blizzaga4]

The chip will feature eight processing engines, but since it is based on Bulldozer micro-architecture, those cores will be packed into four modules. Every module which will have two independent integer cores (that will share fetch, decode and L2 functionality) with dedicated schedulers.........

Dual core per module hmmmmmm ...... kinda reminds of the Intels Q series where it's a 2x core 2 duo bridged together.

[technowar]

^ is it a good thing, or a bad thing?

[EarlZ]

Yeah, on a manufacturing stand point its gonna be easier for AMD to bin these chips and cost a LOT less if there are failed cores during manufacturing.. Well just my educated guess on how they are presenting Bulldozer.

^ is it a good thing, or a bad thing?

On a performance stand point I think it may not matter but on the manufacturing standpoint, its better for AMD.. its been proven anyway that a monolithic chip does not provide any real advantage aside from a smaller total die size ( which is irrelevant these days )

[blizzaga4]

The chip will have shared L3 cache,

Would it be possible to make independent L3 per module coz maybe sharing might slow things down. Or bigger L2 perhaps coz L2 is faster than L3 right?

It remains to be seen how successful will AMD FX-8100-series be against Intel’s six-core code-named Bloomfield Core i7 family chips.

If Bulldozer is up against this I don't think it can kick Sandy's A$$ coz I think Sandy is faster than Bloomfield.

[EarlZ]

Having a dedicated L3 cache wont speed things up it may even slow things down because the individual L3 cache will be smaller, it would really hurt those single threaded apps.

I dont think its fair to compare the Bulldozer to the i7 980X, compare it on the same price point... 2600K

[AxisVirus]

intel nowadays is hard to kick. sigh. i was an AMD fan. but still always and AMD . i think sooner AMD will make a processor that will compete with the sandy bridge or maybe a black edition of the AMD Bulldozer FX-8core processors

[EarlZ]

AMD needs that added performance boost from the die shrink so bad!

[blizzaga4]

intel nowadays is hard to kick. sigh. i was an AMD fan. but still always and AMD . i think sooner AMD will make a processor that will compete with the sandy bridge or maybe a black edition of the AMD Bulldozer FX-8core processors

AMD Black Edition simply allows the user to add more multipliers to the core clock.........

Hopefully their Black Edition could offer more features......

[AxisVirus]

AMD Black Edition simply allows the user to add more multipliers to the core clock.........

Hopefully their Black Edition could offer more features......

yeah. i hope that AMD would kick INTEL )