AMD plots to outclock Intel

[Alpine]

By the end of 2006

INTEL MAY BE LAUNCHING a more efficient core in June, but AMD isn't sitting on its laurels. If AMD can find, of course, its famous laurels.


We hope that the first editions of Conroe aren't going to be available as the Extreme Edition 955 or 965 - also known to journalists as the Intel Press Editions, as a homage to X850XT Press Edition - but AMD's 65nm process will turn a lot of heads.

The voices from the Far East are claiming that by the end of 2006, AMD will have 65 nanometre cores running at 3.0, 3.2 and 3.4 GHz, which are set to be clocked faster than any Intel product at that time.

Conroe Extreme Edition is dead set for Q3 introduction and is clocked at 3.33 GHz with 1.33 GHz bus, and AMD's roadmaps are currently countering only with FX-64, which is a 3.0 GHz clocked Socket AM2 processor.

Originally, it was planned that FX-64 would be the highest clocked Athlon 64 CPU in 2006 (set for introduction in Q3), but the general feeling is that FX could get either a new naming system or simply go straight to FX-66 or even FX-68, clocked at either 3.2 or 3.4 GHz. As far as we are aware of, Opterons will definitely get the 3.2 and 3.4 GHz variants, and you do not have to be a math genius to calculate will AMD ship some of those golden 65nm cores to the FX production lane. However, reality starts with a 2.8 GHz clocked FX-62, which is set for its fab introduction next week.

The INQuirer