A hardware web-site x86-secret.com has revealed a formula describing performance rating of AMD Athlon 64 processors. If you still do not understand how a 1.60GHz Athlon 64 processor is brand-named as Athlon 64 2800+, then the formula will show you how such things may happen.

Apparently, performance rating of AMD 64-bit desktop processors looks as follows:

Performance Rating  = (CPU Frequency x 3)/2 + 400
e.g. 2800+ = (1600MHz x 3)/2 + 400

The first Athlon 64 processors to appear this year will be models 3100+ and 3400+ with 1.80 and 2.0GHz core-clock respectively and 1MB of L2 cache. As we said earlier, in Q1 next year AMD will launch the last and final Athlon 64 processor on ClawHammer core with 2.20GHz frequency and 3700+ performance rating. Additionally, the company will offer a 0.13 micron Paris processor with 256KB of L2, 2.0GHz core-clock and 3100+ performance rating. You can guess that AMD will use another performance rating formula for its value 64-bit desktop chips what is a rather positive sign.

AMD Athlon 64 CPUs made using 90nm fabrication process are now set to come starting from the second quarter 2004. The expensive higher-end 2.40GHz (4000+) and 2.60GHz (4300+) Athlon 64 (San Diego) CPUs will emerge in the second and the third quarters respectively. Also in the second quarter next year AMD will issue bunch of new 90nm mainstream/value 64-bit chips based on Victoria core. 2.0GHz (3100+), 2.20GHz (3400+), and 2.40GHz (3700+) models will come straight away and 2.60GHz (4000+) processor will be available in the third quarter of 2004.

In fact, AMD Athlon 64 “ClawHammer” is not really successful for AMD. There will be only three models of such CPUs on the market and they will be quite expensive. As a matter of fact they will hardly become massive. Furthermore, as I have learnt by now, only one PC3200 memory module will be supported by AMD Athlon 64 ClawHammer. It means you will hardly be able to install even a Gigabyte of RAM into a personal computer based on the first ever 64-bit desktop CPU from AMD. The Athlon 64 processors coming out this year will have 1.50V Vcore and up to 89W Maximum Thermal Power. Hot babes, aren’t they? The 90nm San Diego Athlon 64 processors should be less hot in terms of temperature and support more PC3200 memory.

Manufacturing of AMD Athlon 64 3100+ and 3400+ is set to begin on the 14^th of June and on the 16^th of July respectively.

Watch out, they are coming here!