At this year's Games Convention ASUS is showing off their new RD780 M3A-MVP motherboard. It will feature the new Socket AM2+, but it will be able to handle any AM2 CPU along with the new Phenoms. It will also be able to run DDR2 up to 8500 (1066MHz) speeds, and it will feature two PCI-E 2.0 compliant x16 slots.

Henri Richard, AMD's head of sales and marketing, officially turned in his resignation. Henri Richard will stop working for AMD on September Eighth, just two days before the fashionably late Barcelona micro-architecture launches. The Wall Street Journal claims that Richard is leaving AMD to pursue a different career path.

AMD today silently launched its limited "Black Edition" Athlon 64 X2 6400+ with 90nm Windsor core. The product is on sale in Japan at a price of ¥32,000 YEN, equal to around USD $280. The latest Socket AM2 CPU runs at 3.2GHz, and has 2x1MB L2 cache. Manufactured using 90nm SOI technology it has TDP of 125W. All Black Edition labeled CPUs will come without the usual boxed heatsink.

While every hardcore AMD fan awaits the Barcelona and Phenom series of CPUs, AMD is busy making the best out of what it has already. In a Japanese presentation, AMD showed off the Athlon 64 6400+ "Black Edition". This CPU should hit retail markets on August 20th, and should cost anywhere between $220 and $240 USD. The CPU runs on a 90nm process, and is clocked at 3.2GHz.

At the same presentation, AMD demoed a Phenom X4 system at 3GHz in an AMD RD790 motherboard. AMD somehow managed to present this without anyone getting good performance numbers.

AMD today made available a new specification describing "Light-Weight Profiling" (LWP), a technology designed to increase the performance of software applications by providing a mechanism that allows software to more effectively leverage the benefits of multi-core processing. The LWP specification describes the first technology that supports a recently introduced initiative called "Hardware Extensions for Software Parallelism," which will encompass a broad set of innovations designed to improve software parallelism, and thus application performance, through new hardware features in future versions of AMD processors.

With the passable launch date of September 10 there seems two be a couple of problems with the chip and compatibility. It seems that the Dual Dynamic Power Management will not work without a BIOS update, and with a supported motherboard. This is something to be expected from knowing that some features will not be supported on former socket types.

"It seems the CPU itself is capable of engaging in CoolCore operations, but not Dual Dynamic Power Management (formerly "Split Plane," which allowed each core to operate independently with different voltages and clock speeds). It won't be able to handle these power saving and performance enhancing aspects of operations from the core alone. The motherboard must be brought into the mix in an active way to help reduce power consumption and save energy when the many cores are not in high use."

The other issue while not truly being an issue is the 128-bit floating point. There simply isn't any software on the market to take advantage of it. Hearing something like this isn't new to the PC market at all. The 64Bit CPUs are just now starting to see the light after a few years of their release, and Dual core CPUs are also just now starting to be implemented into applications. It's safe to say that the 128-bit floating point technology may take some time before developers start using it.

A few weeks ago, a Digitimes report suggested that AMD had accidentally released a large quantity of broken HD 2400 and HD 2600 cards into the market. This created mass hysteria in the hardware world, and even sparked a mass recall from one manufacturer. However, after the dust settled, AMD and their partners did some investigating. What they found shows that the entire situation was overblown. ASUS representatives say that ASUS has not received a single broken HD 2400/ HD 2600 card. Gigabyte and MSI also have not received broken cards. Most engineers suspect that the idea of a defect/recall came from Acer, who ordered a large quantity of HD 2400 and HD 2600 graphics cards with UVD (Universal Video Decoder) disabled. When news of the UVD "problem" reached the market, the hardware world went hysterical, while Gigabyte, MSI, and ASUS all did internal testing to confirm no problems with the HD 2400 or HD 2600 series.

AMD engineers have a statement to cover the entire HD 2400/HD 2600 fiasco: "Any report claiming that defective HD 2600 and 2400 [cards] are recalled in the channel is completely untrue".

At SIGGRAPH 2007 today, AMD announced five new high-performance ATI FireGL workstation graphics accelerators for CAD, DCC and medical imaging professionals. The ATI FireGL V8650, FireGL V8600, FireGL V7600, FireGL V5600, and FireGL V3600 graphics boards are based on the next-generation ATI graphics processing unit (GPU) with an innovative unified shader architecture featuring up to 320 individual stream processing units. These new boards deliver acceleration of DirectX 10- and OpenGL 2.1-based professional applications resulting in increased performance of more than 300% as compared to the previous generation of product.

In an organized event to promote its ATI Radeon HD 2000-series graphics products in Taiwan AMD representatives stated that a recall request was not needed regarding the recently discovered issue which has lead to defective Radeon 2600 and 2400 graphics cards shipping to channels since everything was under control. AMD representatives also stated that the problem is not industry wide and that the issue can be solved by updating the BIOS. AMD pointed out that none of its partners had requested that it recall or replace the actual graphics chips used in the affected cards.

According to our friends over at Fudzilla (a site known for it's rumors), the new Barcelona / Phenom X4 Quad core can hit 3.24 GHz or more in it's B2 revision. If this is true, the Phenom processors could easily surpass the newest Intel Penryn core, which is clocked at 3.33 GHz.

AMD reinforced its position as a leader in PC video and display with the successful interoperability testing of a next-generation graphics processor with a native DisplayPort 1.1 transmitter. The testing was completed with a Genesis Microchip DisplayPort receiver. AMD is currently attending the Video and Electronics Standards Association (VESA) PlugTest in Milpitas, California to undergo further interoperability testing.

According to a roadmap released by Hardspell AMD is not only planning to switch graphics card development to DirectX 11 but also to release the third generation Opteron platform in 2009.
AMD also indicates that in 2009 the notebook platform will provide supports for DirectX 11 while the RD8XX symbol may indicate that AMD's new DX11 GPU will be called the R800.

A bug which has recently been known to exist in AMD's diagnostic and validation software is responsible for allowing defective ATI Radeon HD 2400 and 2600 graphics cards to slip into the market.
The problem was an error in the BIOS application process and although it can be easily solved by reapplying the BIOS the defective cards need to be returned to the makers to be restored.
AMD responded that Radeon HD 2400 and 2600 chips are throughly inspected before being shipped to graphics card makers. This was an isolated incident and measures were taken to solve the issue as soon as it was detected, the company said. However more than 30.000 units have already been recalled from the market although it is believed that many more are still out there.

AMD plans to refresh one of its fastest dual-core CPUs, the Athlon 64 X2 6000+. The processor launched last February is based on the 90nm Windsor core clocked to 3.0GHz with a 125-watt TDP. The refreshed X2 6000+ will continue to use the Windsor core, instead of its 65nm Brisbane successor used in the 5200+, 5000+, 4800+, 4400+, 4000+, 3600+ processors and BE-series. The refreshed model will drop the thermal ratings down to 89-watts. Despite the impending launch of the Phenom X2 series, the Athlon 64 X2 6000+ will remain the only mainstream AMD dual-core desktop processor with a 3.0GHz clock frequency, since the upcoming Phenom X2 series top out to around 2.8GHz. Expect AMD to release 89-watt Athlon 64 X2 6000+ processors next quarter.

AMD's latest roadmap reveals more details of its upcoming next-generation RS780 platform, designed to accommodate the new Socket AM2+ processors with HyperTransport 3.0. The RS780 north bridge sports a new graphics core with AMD's Universal Video Decoder, or UVD technology for hardware acceleration of H.264 and VC-1 video formats. The new chipset supports DisplayPort, DVI, VGA, TV-out, LVDS outputs and HDMI digital video output interfaces. Additionally, the chipset can work with external graphics card via a PCIe 2.0 x16 slot. New to the RS780 platform is the SB700 south bridge. The SB700 does away with all PCIe lanes and only supports PCI, because all PCIe functionality has moved to the RS780 north bridge. AMD increases USB support to 12 USB 2.0 ports plus an additional 2 USB 1.1 ports. The new south bridge supports up to six SATA 3.0 Gbps ports with RAID 0, 1 and 10 configurations. IDE remains a supported feature of the SB700. There's also integrated audio controller. Expect AMD to unveil the RS780 platform sometime next year.

According to sources a while back AMD was planning to upgrade its Dresden fab 30 to 65nm and 300mm wafers thus becoming fab 38 in 2008. That was of course prior to losing more than $1 billion USD in two quarters thus pushing AMD to cancel its upgrade. However the plant has reached the 65nm stage but the wafers are still 200mm and will remain until 2009.

AMD's latest roadmap reveals the company's model numbers for two Phenom X4 and three X2 models planned to be released in Q4'2007 and Q1'2008. The Agena-based Phenom X4 processors carry the GP-7xxx model number. There will be two Phenom X4 GP-7xxx processors at launch - the GP-7100 and the GP-7000. AMD plans to clock the Phenom X4 GP-7100 from 2.2-to-2.4 GHz. The Phenom X4 GP-7100 has a 3600MHz HyperTransport 3.0, or HT3, bus speed. The lesser Phenom X4 GP-7000 has a targeted clock speed between 2.0-to-2.2GHz and a lesser HT3 bus speed in excess of 3200MHz. The two quad-core processors will have 89-watt TDP. AMD plans to launch one Phenom X2 GP-6xxx model by the end of the year. The Phenom X2 GP-6550 joins the Phenom line up next quarter clocked somewhere between 2.0-to-2.4GHz. The first Phenom X2 to launch has a 3600MHz HT3 bus speed. This model has a TDP of 65 watts. Two more Phenom X2 GP-6xxx models will join the lineup in Q1'2008. The Phenom X2 GP-6650 will launch first between 2.2-to-2.6GHz with a 3600MHz HT3 bus speed. This model has a 65-watt TDP, similar to the GP-6550. The next Phenom X2 GP-6xxx model to launch is the GP-6800. This model has a higher 89-watt TDP, but still a dual-core processor. AMD aims for a 2.4-to-2.8GHz clock speed with a 4000MHz HT3 bus speed.

Advanced Micro Devices said on Thursday that even though its ATI Radeon HD 2000-series graphics chips family has experienced massive delays, the company is still positioned to deliver competitive graphics solutions to the market place. ATI, graphics product group of AMD, will concentrate on releasing DirectX 10+ graphics chips next year as well as on improving the multi-GPU technology. Unfortunately, not a lot of information is known about AMD's code-named R700 graphics product family. What was released was that the new graphics cores will support DirectX 10+ capabilities, PCI Express 2.0 interconnection, ATI Avivo HD video engine, universal video decoding (UVD), DisplayPort connector as well as ATI CrossFire multi-GPU technology. The new family of products will be produced using 55nm process technology, which is available already at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). If AMD does not delay the new graphics cards for some reason, like it always do, the new R700 family of chips may emerge in the first half of 2008.

The Sunnyvale company released an updated product roadmap at its annual analyst conference. With its quad-core Barcelona processor on track for an August launch the company announced its next-gen mobile platform Puma that will feature hybrid graphics support. AMD also announced some chips we won't see for a while the new workstation and server oriented Bulldozer chip and mobile device Bobcat chip are scheduled to arrive sometime in 2010 and they represent entirely new chip designs for the company. AMD also announced its first Fusion integrated CPU / GPU chip the Falcon which will use the Bulldozer core. Seems that AMD has some very ambitious plans for the future. For much more info read the source.

AMD today previewed its next two generation of desktop platforms for performance and mainstream platforms. The new platforms outline details of new AMD chipsets, processors and graphics cores. AMD's next new performance platform will be Spider. Spider is the first platform for AMD Phenom X4 and X2 processors, slated for later this year. AMD pairs the Phenom X4 and X2 processors with the upcoming RD7xx series chipsets for Spider. Spider also features PCIe 2.0, and HyperTransport 3.0, or HT3. Following Spider is Leo. Leo is AMD's 2008 platform refresh, again designed to accommodate Phenom X4 and X2 processors with up to 6MB of L3 cache. Leo will still use the RD7xx series chipsets, but with support for up to four GPUs in CrossFire. Following Leo's debut in 2009, are Python, Cartwheel and Copperhead DDR3 platforms. Read more about them here.

AMD Plans Octal-Core Opteron

Debuting in 2009, AMD's third generation Opteron, named Sandtiger, will have 8 Cores on a 45nm die. It will support HyperTransport 3.0 as well as 'G3 Memory Extender,' a new technology that supports larger memory capacities. AMD has not revealed if the new Opteron will support the current socket platform.

Only a couple of days ago Shamino succeeded in managing to reach 25.733 using a pair of GeForce 8800 Ultras but it seems that it didn't take long for his record to be broken. Kinc took first place at the ORB and now holds both the 3Dmark 05 and 06 records. The new record is 25.867 points by using two ASUS Radeon HD2900XT's running in a CrossFire configuration alongside of an Intel QX6700 overclocked to 5029MHz. The HD2900XT's and the CPU were cooled with liquid nitrogen thus making it possible to overclock the GPU's to the awesome 1140MHz core while memories ran at 960MHz. AMD/ATI's Radeon 2900 XT now holds both the first and second place in 3DMark 05, and first and third in 3DMark 06. The thing is how long will it take for someone to use Liquid Nitrogen to cool a couple of 8800 Ultras thus beating Kinc's record ?

AMD seems to be having problems with leakage in their new processors a common problem with shrinking components where electricity can literally burrow out of a semiconductor and even blow entire circuits. A guy over at Investors Hub named wbmw located the problem in AMD's thermal design guide.

Interesting AMD 65nm Process Variation Analysis. I was looking through AMD's thermal design guide, and found some interesting results. If you look at the IDD current of their C1 states, you get an idea of the leakage at various voltages. I looked at their current CZ (F3 stepping, 90nm) and their DD (G0 stepping, 65nm) parts at the max P-state (1.2-1.3V for 65W TDP parts and 1.3-1.35V for 89W TDP parts) and min P-state (1.1V for all products). I pay special attention to their 3800+ part, which was their downbinned part for 90nm (therefore, highest leakage), and their higher bin parts, which presumably require binning for low leakage in order to fit in the power envelopes.

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Advanced Micro Devices announced during the most recent teleconference with analysts that its Fab 36 had been fully converted to modern process technology and also said that the yield of those products was high enough.

Our Fab 36 conversion to 65nm is complete, with yields exceeding expectations and we now turn all our attention to 45nm [transition]

said Dirk Meyer, the president and chief operating officer at AMD, during the conference call.
As a result, AMD's first 65nm quad-core Opteron processors code-named Barcelona will be introduced in August or September, but will only run at 2.0GHz, whereas faster parts are projected to become available in Q4 2007.

AMD is preparing to launch a new high-end desktop processor, the Athlon 64 X2 6400+, which will be the last processor in the Athlon 64 X2 family. Currently, AMD's highest-end desktop processor is the Athlon 64 X2 6000+, however with its performance unable to match Intel's upcoming Core 2 Duo E6850, AMD plans to launch the new 6400+ to cover up the gap in the market. The 6400+ will have a core frequency of 3.2GHz and 2MB L2 cache, while the pricing will range between US$220-248. Samples of the new CPUs are already shipping to motherboard makers, but there's still no official release date.