AMD Details Bulldozer Processor Architecture

[mastrdrver]

Fwiw on Bulldozer being backward compatible, Tech Report is saying they "expect compatibility............although specifics about that are still murky."

Notably though is that they confirmed that they are compatible with current C32 and G34 for the server side. Maybe that is why they think there might be a chance for AM3 compatibility?

well, amd can have quad channel too, it's not intel only tech

Your absolutely right but the real question is why? Not even the 6 core/12 thread Westmere chips fully use triple channel for high end desktop though it would be a great feature on server systems.

Now some will say what about the gpu being moved on die. With the rumor of a maximum of ~400 SP being on a Llano some would argue that adding more channels would be beneficial here. Thing is more channels require more die room being reserved for that.

Why not just support higher frequencies instead? Save die space for something else (or just take the space savings and the power you save too). If I'm not mistaken, dual channel with 1866mhz memory has higher bandwidth than the current Intel triple channel that is on the 9xx chips (obviously this is generally speaking).

 

[Super XP]

AMD's diagram is interesting, it shows TWO L3 cache(s) and a TWO NB's for a 4 module, 8 core Bulldozer CPU. What do you guys make of this? Can this be how we get the so called Quad-Channel Integrated Memory controller previously rumoured, in terms of 2 x Dual-Channel IMC's.

Mark my words, if Bulldozer is indead based on a Quad-Channel interface, it's going to perform like a Bulldozer!!!!

 

[trickson]

I just hope they finally have the right stuff .

 

[JATownes]

AMD's diagram is interesting, it shows TWO L3 cache(s) and a TWO NB's for a 4 module, 8 core Bulldozer CPU. What do you guys make of this? Can this be how we get the so called Quad-Channel Integrated Memory controller previously rumoured, in terms of 2 x Dual-Channel IMC's.

Mark my words, if Bulldozer is indead based on a Quad-Channel interface, it's going to perform like a Bulldozer!!!!

From what I understand this is correct. Looking for source...
Edit:

We’d be surprised if a Bulldozer APU had more than the four memory channels of a Magny-Cours CPU, but not that it would be quicker – Magny-Cours CPUs are comprised of two 6-core CPU dies, so the quad-channel memory controller is really two dual-channel units split across the two dies rather than one homogenous mega-controller.

Source

So if Magny cours is two dual channel IMCs it stands to reason that Bulldozer will implement the same tech.

 

[1c3d0g]

Yawn. Let's see how this performs first, which is hopefully not as bad as Intel's craptastic Atoms...

 

[mastrdrver]

From what I understand this is correct. Looking for source...
Edit:

Source

So if Magny cours is two dual channel IMCs it stands to reason that Bulldozer will implement the same tech.

Seeing as Bulldozer is said to work in G34 and C32 sockets, showing dual memory and northbridge controllers isn't surprising. I think it is the C32 which is the 2P format for AMD from which will be derived the 1P high end desktop Bulldozer.

 

[W1zzard]

i added the full slide deck from Hot Chips Conference to the first post

 

[Wile E]

All I want is for AMD to be able to compete on the high end desktop market again.

 

[Atom_Anti]

From where is the information the northbridge is completely on the chip?

All other sites not saying anything like that, but it will AM3 compatible!

 

[Hayder_Master]

ok ok ok AMD u going to do great CPU's but what about damn AMD mother boards chips any improve

 

[TheMailMan78]

ok ok ok AMD u going to do great CPU's but what about damn AMD mother boards chips any improve

Whats wrong with the 890?

 

[Deleted member 67555]

New Boards will DX11

 

[inferKNOX]

More on topic i dont mind a new socket either will be a nice change hopefully they fix the cpu HSF mounting issues currently seen on 939 AM2 AM2+ AM3 would be nice to have more freedom of heatsink choice without it crippling my ram selection due to tall heatspreaders

I think it's more a RAM-is-too-close-to-CPU issue, rather than a CPU HSF mounting issue.

well, amd can have quad channel too, it's not intel only tech

I'm against the idea of having quad channel.
Needing 4 RAM sticks in order to get benefits of higher speed sucks when you think about 1 of them dying on you. At least if they could, if possible, make it such that it would have different modes where, if you have 2 sticks, it switches to dual channel, 3 sticks - triple channel, 4 sticks - quad channel.

EDIT:

ok ok ok AMD u going to do great CPU's but what about damn AMD mother boards chips any improve

No doubt those chipsets will have PCIe 3.0, intergrated & USB 3.0 at the very least.

 

[Deleted member 67555]

Sabine: Mainstream mobile platform based on the Llano APU, which will see a quad-core Stars-based CPU and DirectX 11-class graphics processor tied together on the same piece of silicon, manufactured using 32 nm lithography. Sabine is expected to arrive in 2011.

Brazos: Ultra low-power mobile platform based on the Ontario APU, which will see a dual-core Bobcat-based CPU and DirectX 11-class graphics processor tied together on the same piece of silicon. Brazos is expected to arrive in 2011, and will allow AMD to drive netbooks, along with form factors the company’s hardware hasn’t yet appeared in (possibly tablets).

Scorpius: Enthusiast desktop platform based on AMD’s Zambezi processor and discrete graphics (AMD, of course, specifies an ATI GPU). The platform requires a quad-core CPU or higher, DDR3 memory, and a revised Socket AM3 interface. Availability is expected in 2011.

Lynx: Mainstream desktop platform based on AMD’s Llano APU. It’ll feature up to four CPU cores, a single graphics core (integrated onto the APU, naturally), and DDR3 memory. Availability is expected in 2011.

Components:

Llano: This is going to be AMD’s first APU, combining a quad-core Stars-based CPU and DirectX 11-class GPU on a single piece of silicon. It’ll be manufactured using a 32 nm SOI process, support DDR3 memory, and include core-level power gating. Because there are brand new capabilities in play here, it should surprise no one that Llano will drop into a new socket interface. Availability is expected in 2011.

Ontario: While the Llano APU absorbs much of AMD’s risk in shifting to 32 nm manufacturing (since it employs a familiar CPU microarchitecture and more mature manufacturing process), Ontario will be the first APU to employ AMD’s Bobcat CPU microarchitecture. Ontario is manufactured at 40 nm, armed with DirectX 11-class graphics, and expected in 2011.

Zambezi: Per AMD, Zambezi will be the first desktop processor based on the company’s Bulldozer architecture. Featuring as many as eight cores, Zambezi-based offerings will incorporate as many as four processor “modules.” AMD plans to use 32 nm manufacturing, and early reports suggest Socket AM3 compatibility (along with DDR3 memory support). Zambezi is not an APU, but rather is meant to be paired with discrete graphics.

Interlagos/Valencia: Respective code-names for AMD’s upcoming 16-core and eight-core Opteron processors, respectively, both based on the Bulldozer microarchitecture. Interlagos will drop into the existing G34 interface, while Valencia is C32-compatible. Both families will be manufactured using 32 nm SOI lithography, will support DDR3 (including load-reduced DIMMs and 1.25 V memory modules), and are expected in 2011.

 

[Hayder_Master]

Whats wrong with the 890?

can u compare it with X58

 

[Deleted member 67555]

can u compare it with X58

I think with a matched processor you could
the MSI 890FXA-GD70 AM3 comes to mind

 

[TheMailMan78]

can u compare it with X58

Apples to oranges. Nvidia will never let AMD/ATI run SLI native on a 890 or "990" chipset. If so then yeah.

 

[inferKNOX]

Scorpius: Enthusiast desktop platform based on AMD’s Zambezi processor and discrete graphics (AMD, of course, specifies an ATI GPU). The platform requires a quad-core CPU or higher, DDR3 memory, and a revised Socket interface. Availability is expected in 2011.

Components:

Zambezi: Per AMD, Zambezi will be the first desktop processor based on the company’s Bulldozer architecture. Featuring as many as eight cores, Zambezi-based offerings will incorporate as many as four processor “modules.” AMD plans to use 32 nm manufacturing, and reports suggest Socket AM3 incompatibility (along with DDR3 memory support). Zambezi is not an APU, but rather is meant to be paired with discrete graphics.

corrected

 

[Bloodcrazz]

That's laughably misinformed.

misinformed rofl, the new socket your talking about. is for the server platform.
Zambezi will be am3+(am3r2).
sigh whos misinformed now.
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2368186,00.asp

 

[nt300]

Rememb AMD is sort of new to the chipset family despite ATIs previous knowledge. 790FX was a start and good one. The 890FX was a better yes, and help gain AMD more experience. And now the upcoming 990FX or some may say the Bulldozer chipset should be what they've been leading to for years now and should be feature rich just like Intels high end chipsets.

 

[cadaveca]

misinformed rofl, the new socket your talking about. is for the server platform.
Zambezi will be am3+(am3r2).
sigh whos misinformed now.
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2368186,00.asp

Old roadmap is old. AMD told us it's a different socket just last week.

I dunno...personally, i find ExtremeTech not that "techie". They are a Ziff Davis pulication, no?

I tend to trust BTA here. The way I look at it, the only way I see decent performance boost overall is with a new socket, so I won't ever use current boards with these upcoming chips...seems a waste of possible resources.


AMD has said for a long time that Zambezi would be AM3+, not exactly the same as current AM3 socket. That suggests to me that because of seperate NB/memcontrollers, they can disable some functionality on these chips as needed(AMD's "Modular Design").

Oh, and by the way, the August 24th article hosted on that site makes no mention of socket plans, except this:

AMD also told us that it will introduce a new AM3+ socket for consumer versions of Bulldozer CPUs. AM2 and AM3 processors will work in the AM3+ socket, but Bulldozer chips will not work in non-AM3+ motherboards.
.

 

[jpierce55]

Judging by the number of comments until mine, I can tell there's lots of scepticism about AMD's new CPU line... I guess they just delayed it for too long.

However, it seems they were kinda broke, and maybe it is only the 5800 series success that put Bulldozer back on the drawing board. I thought they abandoned the project for lack of resources or something.

Whatever the reality is, I hope it is worth waiting... AMD deserves a high-end CPU that will kick Intel line in the arse... it's maybe time for another performance crown switch like in good old Athlon vs Pentium days...

I have skepticism due to all the hype they put on the Phenom, a really sorry processor for the hype. I hope AMD pulls it off. I doubt it will be up to par with Intel, but maybe a little closer, and hopefully a bit cheaper. I hope my next cpu is an AMD.

 

[Bloodcrazz]

I dunno...personally, i find ExtremeTech not that "techie". They are a Ziff Davis pulication, no?

I tend to trust BTA here. The way I look at it, the only way I see decent performance boost overall is with a new socket, so I won't ever use current boards with these upcoming chips...seems a waste of possible resources.


AMD has said for a long time that Zambezi would be AM3+, not exactly the same as current AM3 socket. That suggests to me that because of seperate NB/memcontrollers, they can disable some functionality on these chips as needed(AMD's "Modular Design").

Oh, and by the way, the August 24th article hosted on that site makes no mention of socket plans, except this:

amd were say this pre 890fx. why wouldnt then amd fit this new am3r2 socket on the 890?
it says am3+ will work on older chips but new chips wont work on am3.
890fx will be base for the scorpius like was planed all long most sites are saying this not just that one and people that were at hotchips.
so he was misinformed

 

[cadaveca]

It's hard to judge how accurate any info from AMD is, at this point.

AMD officials were hyping 3ghz Phenom chips. This never materialized. The set a precedent there...for lying about about future products (they WERE supposed to have a policy of not discussing future products, I thought)

So, until we have retail products, I am skeptical of any of this info, and if they use 890FX for Zambezi, I definately won't be buying.



What has me really curious is the motivation behind such details being released so early...why? 6 months way from any launch, in the least, and they are pimping products in the public domain? Seems fishy to me.

 

[Bloodcrazz]

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/bulldozer-bobcat-hot-chips,2724-2.html
Scorpius: Enthusiast desktop platform based on AMD’s Zambezi processor and discrete graphics (AMD, of course, specifies an ATI GPU). The platform requires a quad-core CPU or higher, DDR3 memory, and a revised Socket AM3 interface. Availability is expected in 2011.
toms wrong 2
lol everyone turn on panic rofl but panic was the only one that was right