Barthos Computers Blog

The name of the game is called “unlocking the multiplier", which will be played with the SB700 and SB750 southbridge chips. If you are running an upcoming 2.8 GHz Black Edition CPU, a motherboard with the old SB600 model (RD690) will keep the processor cores operating at 2.8 GHz. However, if you have a motherboard with the SB700 chipset, you will receive a free upgrade to 3.0 GHz. And if you get a motherboard with a SB750 chip, your processor will run at 3.2 GHz, which matches the clock speed of the Athlon X2 6400+ - the highest clocked processor AMD ever offerred.

We have seen motherboards with 780G, 790FX and 790GX chipsets in ATX and mATX form factors, which all support this feature. Now it is up to AMD to execute and deliver a compelling user processor.

The actual overclocking is done either through the BIOS, a utility, or simply by pressing a physical button on certain motherboards. The release date of this technology is unknown, but we know that it will be available in time for the 790GX launch.

There you have it: An overclocking feature for AMD CPUs. It just does not get any more better than this. Now we just need to know how this overclocking feature will compare to Intel’s processors, how power consumption and heat dissipation will be affected and what that all means for AMD’s balanced platform marketing pitch.

TGDaily

In addition to its GPU production, AMD is planning to also outsource CPU production to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) in the second half of this year, according to industry sources. Although Hector Ruiz, CEO of AMD did not mention any plans to outsource production during the company’s recent investors conference, the industry sources revealed that TSMC has already started testing procedures for a SOI manufacturing process in order to land manufacturing orders for AMD’s Fusion CPUs.

More here at Digitimes …

AMD’s triple-core processors have a very simple mission - to protect the higher-end Phenom quad-core processors from pricing threats originating from Intel’s dual-core processors. Leaving aside the fact that AMD recently decided to attach near-mainstream price-levels to its fastest quad-core CPUs, we were told today that the triple cores in fact fetch more money than the quad-cores in the retail segment.

Here are the prices from Amazon, AMD’s tray-prices (1000-units) as well as the lowest retail prices.

Triple-Core
Phenom 8450, 2.1 GHz : Amazon: $169.99; AMD tray-price: N/A; lowest retail price*: $164.35
Phenom 8650, 2.3 GHz : Amazon: $273.26; AMD tray-price: N/A; lowest retail price*: $186.40
Phenom 8750, 2.4 GHz : Amazon: $305.60; AMD tray-price: N/A; lowest retail price*: $218.00

Quad-Core, B3 revision
Phenom 9550, 2.2 GHz : Amazon: $195.99; AMD tray-price: $209; lowest retail price*: $165.00
Phenom 9750, 2.4 GHz : Amazon: $215.99; AMD tray-price: $215; lowest retail price*: $215.00
Phenom 9850 BE, 2.5 GHz : Amazon: $235.99; AMD tray-price: $235; lowest retail price*: $235.00

*) at the time of this writing, according to Pricegrabber.com and Google Product Search

Two things surprised us about this scenario: First, we were not aware that the triple cores are being sold in retail. Three weeks ago, AMD mentioned that these processors would be made available to OEMs and system builders only, at least initially. We are not sure whether AMD is actually cranking out an enormous number of these processors or system builders don?t care about these CPUs, giving AMD enough room to send these chips into retail.

Second, the triple-cores are quite expensive, at least if we compare the price against AMD quad-core CPUs. On Amazon, the triple-core 8650 sells for 16% more than the flagship 9850 BE. Of course, these prices are set by retailers and current market conditions.

AMD has not listed tray prices for its triple-core CPUs yet.

Source: TGDaily.com