Thursday, March 11th 2010
AMD Phenom II X6 'Thuban' and Phenom II X4 'Zosma' Tabled on Roadmaps
A list of new Phenom II series processors were tabled in a company road map. The road map confirms AMD's naming scheme for the Phenom II X6 brand, and also sheds light on a new line of quad-core processors. In the second quarter of this year, AMD will introduce Phenom II X6 six-core models 1075T, 1055T, and 1035T. While the 1075T has a TDP of 125W, the 1055T comes in 125W and 95W variants (likely one following the other), and 1035T is the slowest model with 95W TDP. All Phenom II X6 models are based on the Thuban core (a desktop, socket AM3 implementation of the Istanbul die). Each of the six cores has 128 KB of L1, 512 KB L2 caches, and a 6 MB L3 cache is shared between all cores. The HyperTransport 3.0 interconnect operates at 4.8 GT/s.
The new line of quad-core processors here, is the Phenom II X4 900T series. The first member in this series is the Phenom II X4 960T. These processors are created using Thuban dies by disabling two cores. It helps AMD salvage its foundry produce with minor defects, and also target lower price points. The resulting die is codenamed "Zosma". Zosma in X4 960T has a TDP of 95W. Probably it has a lower clock speed than the "Deneb" Phenom II X4 965, but is placed in the same league, in terms of performance. One of its biggest "unintentional" unique selling points is that since it's based on a die that has six physical cores, some customers could get lucky by unlocking them to a six-core processor, at a much lower price-point. Even as several motherboard manufacturers have innovated ways to unlock disabled cores, and are advertising their unlocking features, it is not guaranteed that a Zosma would unlock into Thuban, just as Callisto/Heka to Deneb unlocking doesn't always work out. Going by AMD's road map, these processors will be released some time in May.
Source:
ATIForum.de
The new line of quad-core processors here, is the Phenom II X4 900T series. The first member in this series is the Phenom II X4 960T. These processors are created using Thuban dies by disabling two cores. It helps AMD salvage its foundry produce with minor defects, and also target lower price points. The resulting die is codenamed "Zosma". Zosma in X4 960T has a TDP of 95W. Probably it has a lower clock speed than the "Deneb" Phenom II X4 965, but is placed in the same league, in terms of performance. One of its biggest "unintentional" unique selling points is that since it's based on a die that has six physical cores, some customers could get lucky by unlocking them to a six-core processor, at a much lower price-point. Even as several motherboard manufacturers have innovated ways to unlock disabled cores, and are advertising their unlocking features, it is not guaranteed that a Zosma would unlock into Thuban, just as Callisto/Heka to Deneb unlocking doesn't always work out. Going by AMD's road map, these processors will be released some time in May.
49 Comments on AMD Phenom II X6 'Thuban' and Phenom II X4 'Zosma' Tabled on Roadmaps
6MB L3 cache between 6 cores is kind of low, they should have made it 12MB which should have increased the overall performance.
but I also want a 5870, and a 350$ custom water cooling setup... arg
:)
yep.
Remember, 1035 is the lowest end X6.
The Phenom II X4 aren't all black, I don't see how the X6 will be.
If they are selling their lowest end Hexa-core for $300, that just makes the I7 920/930 that much more tastier. :shadedshu
I guess I can just hope for an ACCident with the 960T then. :p
On the other hand, that 955 with the 95W TPD does sound better for me.
but the normal ones I just don't see they really worth that much.
I am quite certain that AMD will not price their 1035T @$300. ;)
athlon ii x6 maybe :-)
Having both a 790FX and my X58 setup, I'd much rather have 6 real cores over the 4 assisted ones that I have on my 920. BFBC2 already uses 4 cores on my lightly overclocked 920 at 3.33Ghz without HT enabled. With it enabled, it drops from ~80% to ~30% but there is still some stutter to games every once in a while.