AMD to Start Transition to New Platform Form-Factor in March, 2009

From X-bit Labs: Advanced Micro Devices plans to start transition of its desktop processors to a new form-factor socket in the first quarter of 2009, which is considerably later than the schedule set originally. The new AM3 form-factor for central processing units (CPUs) will enable faster memory and some other improvements.

AMD’s socket AM3 platforms will be compatible with both dual-channel PC2-8500 (DDR2 1066MHz) and PC3-10666 (DDR3 1333MHz) memory and will add support for thermal sense interface (TSI) in addition to serial VID interface voltage regulator (SVI). Thermal sense interface is a very accurate, presumably digital, thermal diode that would allow to more precisely monitor temperatures, which ultimately means better control for stability and reliability, even in case of overclocking. Serial VID interface will allow to more precisely set CPU core voltages.

The first processors compatible with socket AM3 will be AMD Phenom X4 chips code-named Deneb and Propus that are scheduled to arrive in March, 2009, X-bit labs has learnt. Starting from Q3 2009, the Sunnyvale, California-based chipmaker will start to offer code-named Heka (triple-core), Rana (triple-core) and Regor (dual-core) microprocessors made using 45nm fabrication process for AM3 platforms.

Sources close to AMD imply that AM3 will allow the chipmaker to make its platforms more flexible, which means both higher performance and lower costs.

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