AMD recently demonstrated their dual-core CPU.
What is important to take from this demonstration is that any dual-core processors are going to run rather slower than what is possible for single-core processors.
A lot slower. Three to five speed grades slower, which would seem to mean 600MHz to 1GHz slower for each processor.
This shouldn’t be too surprising given the power requirements of the processor. To make two cores run on 95 watts, which is what they want to do, they’re going to have to run pretty slowly, even at 90nm.
What’s “slow?” Probably somewhere between 1.8-2.2GHz.
Don’t expect much different from Intel. Either directly or indirectly (depending on whether they use a core that’s more Prescott- or Dothan-derived), the end result will probably be much the same.
An Overclocking Opportunity?
The ExtremeTech article quotes someone from AMD as saying that they plan to underclock these processors.
Hmmmmmmmm.
In other words, for practical purposes, AMD will more-or-less slap two 90nm processors capable by then of 2.8-3.0GHz together, and run them at around 2GHz.
If you could deliver 200-300 watts’ worth of cooling to this, that ought to get you a 50% overclock.
On the down side, no way you’re going to do this with a fan, or get quite that far even with water. It’s probably going to take a beefed-up Mr. Freeze unit.
Interesting, but expensive.
Something to keep in the back of your mind in the year ahead.
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