X-bit labs

AMD to Stretch Transition to Socket 939.

Category: CPU

by Anton Shilov

[ 03/24/2004 | 01:55 PM ]

Advanced Micro Devices is rumored to deliver very few desktop AMD Athlon 64 microprocessors in its new 939-pin packaging in the second and the third quarters of the year, but is expected to ramp up the volume of its chips for Socket 754 platforms.

Sunnyvale, California-based AMD is expected to unveil its new Socket 939 platform and processors in PGA939 packaging on the 25^th of May, 2004, after several setbacks. However, despite of optimistic predictions, availability of such microprocessors will be very limited initially. Currently some sources familiar with AMD’s plans estimate that there are going to be only a little bit more than 50 thousand of 939-pin AMD Athlon 64 and AMD Athlon 64 FX processors available in the second quarter of the year, amid 700 thousand of units in PGA754 packaging shipping during the same quarter.

AMD Athlon 64 processors with 939 pins will integrate 512KB of L2, only a half of the size incorporated into today’s 754-pin chips, but will benefit from very efficient dual-channel memory controller that is likely to decrease the impact of cut-down cache and even improve performance of 939-pin chips over 754-pin processors with 1MB on-die secondary-level cache, which is why CPUs in different types of packaging will not have similar model numbers at equal clock-speeds. The AMD Athlon 64 FX parts will continue to have 1MB of L2 after the transition to Socket 939.

The situation with availability of new microprocessors in 939-pin packaging is going to improve in the third quarter of the year when AMD is hinted to supply roughly 260 thousand of such chips. At the same time, the Sunnyvale, California-based microprocessor maker is expected continue ramping up production of AMD Athlon 64 in 754-pin packaging to 970 thousand of units. In the fourth quarter of the year the company is projected to ship 540 thousand and 900 thousand of AMD64 central processors for Socket 939 and Socket 754 platforms respectively.

According to existing estimates, only in the Q1 2005 the output of more advanced Athlon 64 processors will tangibly outstrip that of the AMD Athlon 64 chips with single-channel memory controller. Sources suggest 1.20 million of PGA939 and 250 thousand PGA754 processors from AMD to ship during the mentioned timeframe.

Predictions of sources close to the company contributing their details for the story are significantly lower than anticipations of AMD in terms of AMD64 product shipments. The world’s No.2 microprocessor designer said it would deliver 1 million of 64-bit processors already in Q1 2004, while the source suggested that there would be only 755 thousand of desktop AMD64 chips available in Q2 2004.

Advanced Micro Devices said its first commercial 90nm microprocessors will show up in “Septermber-October-November” timeframe. The majority of desktop AMD64 processors at 90nm nodes are projected to have dual-channel memory controller.

Officials for AMD did not comment on the story.