AMD Preparing ''Thuban'' Desktop Six-Core Processor

[btarunr]

AMD is planning to create a desktop implementation of its Opteron "Istanbul" monolithic six-core processor. Codenamed "Thuban" (named after a star in the Draco constellation, which means Dragon), the new processor will be based on the socket AM3 package for compatibility with existing and future desktop core logic. It features six cores, 9 MB of total cache (6 x 512 KB L2 + 6 MB L3). Thuban is aimed to make for AMD's high-end desktop processor, as the company prepares to face competition from a near-complete lineup of processors based on the Nehalem/Westmere architectures from Intel. It is expected to be the posterboy for AMD's "Leo" high-end consumer desktop platform that succeeds its current Dragon platform.

Some of the key components that make up AMD Leo platform are the upcoming AMD 890FX and 890GX chipset, companion SB800 series southbridge chips, and members of AMD's Evergreen family of DirectX 11 compliant graphics processors. On the software front, AMD will give its Fusion and Overdrive utilities some big updates. The SB800 series southbridge chips will feature native support for SATA 6 Gb/s and USB 3.0; connectivity is further enhanced by integrated Broadcom MAC Ethernet interfaces. While the Leo platform is expected to launch almost simultaneously with the 8-series chipsets, the six-core Thuban processor on the other hand comes later. It is due only in Q3 2010. Thuban will have come out an year after its enterprise implementation in the form of Opteron "Istanbul".



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[Zubasa]

Bring it on AMD!

Now, when will you bring in the Bulldozers? AMD

 

[zOaib]

THUBAN = Dragon

nice they r getting exotic with their naming schemes =P

please AMD free me from Intel once n for all =)

 

[Kitkat]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! DO EEt!!!!!!!!!

PLZ 9mb to 12 and Q3 to simotanious launch. one thing i dont like about amd the mix match launch. Arent the 32s coming Q2. lol id just save it all for q3 then. wtf

THUBAN = Dragon

nice they r getting exotic with their naming schemes =P

please AMD free me from Intel once n for all =)

not really, nothing any chipname hasnt been b4. And if it was in englsh wouldnt it mean thuban in arabic lol

 

[human_error]

It is due only in Q3 2010.

:shadedshu

 

[PVTCaboose1337]

The naming is getting good. I guess they ran out of cities in Europe and decided to choose stars in the universe. They won't run out of those!

 

[A Cheese Danish]

Gosh! Looks like it will be a sweet build for me! Bring me the Leo setup!


Edit: 1000 post! Finally!

 

[devguy]

Ehh... We all knew this was coming. However, I thought we'd see an AM3 version of the Istanbul as a single socket Opteron before a Phenom Branded part.

Anyways, go AMD! World's first native x86 quad (a lot that meant...) and now first native x86 hexacore!

 

[ASharp]

The naming is getting good. I guess they ran out of cities in Europe and decided to choose stars in the universe. They won't run out of those!

Well, technically they've been doing that since the original Phenoms. Agena, Kuma, Toliman, Deneb, etc.

 

[[I.R.A]_FBi]

and now first native x86 hexacore!

orally?

 

[ShadowFold]

Oh man, I cannot wait..

 

[1Kurgan1]

Very nice, but moving to a 6 core desktop proc I don't see this sneaking in under $300 and would hate to see AMD pushing out those wallet crushing priced procs again. Also leaves me wondering, when is the 890FX and GX suppose to roll out, they mention it here, but don't set a date?

 

[TheLaughingMan]

Shouldn't there be slightly more cache? How must L1 cache will it have. I am guessing the standard 128K (64+64) per core. Bring it to 9.768 MB of cache.

I can't wait to see how this works out. I hope we can get a nice, "We are ahead of schedule and redoing our 2010 figures. Pushing up the release of several products....." Letter. I can dream.

 

[YinYang.ERROR]

hexacore... WOW!

I want one... or at least one to come out. (so prices drop on other cpus)

 

[legends84]

nice going

 

[TheGuruStud]

I want die speed L3 or I'm not upgrading. Quit dickin me with these shit mem controller and L3 clocks, AMD (o/c can only get them so high).

 

[Wile E]

While the Leo platform is expected to launch almost simultaneously with the 8-series chipsets, the six-core Thuban processor on the other hand comes later. It is due only in Q3 2010. Thuban will have come out an year after its enterprise implementation in the form of Opteron "Istanbul"

That is much less than impressive to me. Why would it take a year from now, if they already have the Opty hexacore dies stamped out. Doesn't seem to me it would take a whole lot of tweaking to get a desktop part out of them. They need to release their 6 core before Intel does, otherwise they'll just be stuck in Intel's shadow again. I hope that release date ends up being pushed forward.

 

[TheGuruStud]

That is much less than impressive to me. Why would it take a year from now, if they already have the Opty hexacore dies stamped out. Doesn't seem to me it would take a whole lot of tweaking to get a desktop part out of them. They need to release their 6 core before Intel does, otherwise they'll just be stuck in Intel's shadow again. I hope that release date ends up being pushed forward.

2010 just sunk in, wtf? This damn thing should be out in Jan. Worthless. No one's going to buy this crap. I will just wait for bulldozer even if it's a yr later.

 

[Wile E]

2010 just sunk in, wtf? This damn thing should be out in Jan. Worthless. No one's going to buy this crap. I will just wait for bulldozer even if it's a yr later.

That's my point exactly. 3rd quarter 2010 is much too late. Isn't Intel due out with hex desktop parts in Q1? 6 months is a long ass time to go without releasing a similar product.

Look at what happened with Phenom 1 and Core2Quad. Phenom 1 released so much later, it was pretty much dead before it even released.

 

[YinYang.ERROR]

That's my point exactly. 3rd quarter 2010 is much too late. Isn't Intel due out with hex desktop parts in Q1? 6 months is a long ass time to go without releasing a similar product.

Look at what happened with Phenom 1 and Core2Quad. Phenom 1 released so much later, it was pretty much dead before it even released.

yup.

AMD needs to get releasing.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

That is much less than impressive to me. Why would it take a year from now, if they already have the Opty hexacore dies stamped out. Doesn't seem to me it would take a whole lot of tweaking to get a desktop part out of them. They need to release their 6 core before Intel does, otherwise they'll just be stuck in Intel's shadow again. I hope that release date ends up being pushed forward.

I think it's because of economics. Hexacore processors cost 50% more to make and that should translate to a 50% increase in price. It effectively prices itself out of market becuase most of the time, a Nehalem processor will still be faster for less. I think it has to be built on 32nm in order to turn a profit; hence the wait.

They are selling it for servers because servers often benefit from more cores. They can sell it to the server market on 45nm at a price point very competitive to Intel (Dunnington is helluh expensive).

 

[radeon747]

Does any one really know wat Thuban stand for it means satan "Shatan"

 

[ShadowFold]

Does any one really know wat Thuban stand for it means satan "Shatan"

Hmm, that's pretty awesome. If you're telling the truth, then I will indefinitely get this CPU because of it's name

They've been getting their names from stars and stuff tho. Deneb is a star, and Agena is a star.. Thuban appears to be a star too.. Bleh..

 

[Soparik2]

im pretty sure that q3 is just a rough estimate right now and will most likely come out in q2. also im pretty sure i read that hte sb800 will not have usb3.0 native support. Even 6Gb sata is a laugh as drives dont allow such speeds yet unless in massive raid 0 configs.

 

[PCpraiser100]

Can't wait to see the results from Leo, it could be the circle of trust for my friends to get into PC gaming.