Industry Update - Q2-2005: Chipset wars, AMD's growing market share and more...
by Anand Lal Shimpi on June 13, 2005 4:34 AM EST- Posted in
- Trade Shows
Rumor: AMD's Low Cost K8 with Integrated Graphics in 2008?
Apparently, AMD has been talking about doing a very integrated, very low cost K8 derivative for 2008. The CPU would feature an on-die memory controller like the current Athlon 64. However, it would also feature an on-die graphics core and I/O controller - effectively, removing the need for any chipset on the motherboard.If you'll remember a few years back, Intel had a similar chip planned, code-named Timna. Timna was supposed to integrate a graphics core and memory controller onto a single chip to drive total system costs down considerably, but Intel pulled the plug on the project at the last minute and shifted resources to what eventually became Centrino.
AMD is definitely in a good position to piece together such a highly integrated CPU, given that they have already integrated the memory controller on-die with much success. We do wonder where the graphics core would come from, as AMD would either have to design one from scratch or license the technology from another company. Given that this type of a CPU would be targeted at very low cost markets, it would almost have to be an in-house job. Granted, this is a very early rumor that may not pan out at all, so take all of this with a grain of salt.
In the more near-term future, AMD will be transitioning to an on-die DDR2 memory controller by the middle of next year with their new M2 Socket and Socket-F (for desktops and servers respectively). The initial design guides for boards based on these new sockets have been given to motherboard manufacturers, but the first samples won't be ready until the end of this year.
Finally, the last piece about AMD here involves Turion. Either AMD isn't very serious about Turion right now, or manufacturers aren't too impressed with it because we hardly heard any mention of the new mobile CPU at Computex from any of the notebook vendors. Many product roadmaps going through to the end of this year were completely devoid of any mention of a Turion based notebook.
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ceefka - Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - link
Can somebody remind us why BTX was so much better than ATX?It doesn't look like Intel is throwing its weight about either. Having that strong partnership with Dell you wonder what's keeping them from flooding the world with BTX boards in BTX cases. My guess is Dell is holding back because their profits would suffer because of the high costs of implementation.
If I remember right BTX was also introduced to battle a few heatproblems. Now that Jamie Oliver cooks meals on a 3.0GHz Prescott, Intel is working on the problem at the source. Sorry about that, Jamie. Much better than throwing a new standard at it.
Gooberslot - Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - link
I hope BTX takes a long time to take off or better yet that it never does.tygrus - Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - link
31 - Posted on Jun 13, 2005 at 5:13 PM by Nayr"You can see DDR3 anytime you want. Just put any current Gen Mid-High end Graphics card in your computer...=P
As far as Desktop use...who knows.
"
As explained elsewhere.
GDDR2 not= DDR2.
GDDR3 not= DDR3.
The GDDR3 chips used by 3D graphics card manufactures is not the same as what might be used for desktop DDR3 modules. DDR3 will be by the same commitee as SDRAM, DDR and DDR2. GDDR from 1 to 3 were boutique/custom designs by mem makers with assistance from 3D graphic card manufactures and each design (GDDR, GDDR2, GDDR3) were by different people.
Quanticles - Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - link
I want my k8 to have pcie!Nayr - Monday, June 13, 2005 - link
YOu can see DDR3 anytime you want. Just put any current Gen Mid-High end Graphics card in your computer...=PAs far as Desktop use...who knows.
Icehawk - Monday, June 13, 2005 - link
So are we ever going to see DDR3? :(Aenslead - Monday, June 13, 2005 - link
I say its a great win for AMD. I am glad that they are advancing as much as THAT in just a few months, and I hope that VIA nor SiS die over us... otherwise, that'd leave the market to nVidia only, and we know monopoly is NOT a good thing.However, OEMs love VIA chipsets. Heck, we integrators love them too. The warehouse where I buy stuff sells like mofo the Biostar U8668-D, and, as you can guess, its based on the ANCIENT PM400 Pro... but hey, its *cheap*; models for 800Mhz use P4M800 chipset; same goes for AMD K7 and K8 markets: the KM400 is the best selling chipset here in Mexico, suported by ECS/Pc-Chips, and K8M800 is having a real nice penetration in this market. I have not seen a single fellow integrator asking for an nVidia chipset.
As the article said: costs rule.-
Son of a N00b - Monday, June 13, 2005 - link
great arcticle Anand! Keep up the awesome work!SilthDraeth - Monday, June 13, 2005 - link
In Sov...Anyways, when I read the tidbit about AMD building on die graphics into a new K8 core, I got goosebumps all over my body. Let the fantasy commense:
I have visions of them also incorporating that PPU (physics processing unit, if I am not butchering the abreviation).
Imagine, 2008, which means from now till then, 3 years, at least before those first chips become available, which in my eyes means AMD is already working on said chips...
AMD Dual Core 65nm,
On die mem controller supporting DDR2,
On die gpu
On die ppu
All operating at full processor frequency.
I can't help but think, and I may be dreaming but AMD will put out kick ass graphics...
xsilver - Monday, June 13, 2005 - link
I dont care what the name of the chip isas long as the VIA socket 939 boards support dual core -- everybody will be happy
(except for the s754 owners... but they are probably using wishful thinking:P )