X-bit labs

AMD’s Next-Gen Chips To Support DDR2 800MHz – Documents.

Category: CPU

by Anton Shilov

[ 03/21/2006 | 01:12 PM ]

Advanced Micro Devices has always been pretty cautious regarding of support for certain technologies that have not been widely adopted by the market, however, the company is, in fact, testing the possibilities of official support for DDR2 PC2-6400 with its partners. There are high possibilities that AMD’s chips in AM2 form-factor will support DDR3.

“Performance and mainstream AMD socket AM2 dual-core and single-core processors designed to support DDR2-800 at launch,” a confidential document by AMD seen by X-bit labs reads.

Earlier it was expected that AMD’s processors in new socket AM2 will only officially support DDR2 667MHz  (PC2-5300) memory modules, but will be capable of working with 800MHz memory as well. If AMD does not change its plans, the new processors in AM2 form-factor will be able to work with high-speed DDR2 memory legitimately.

Earlier it was revealed that Intel-based platforms from Intel, SiS and Via will also support the 800MHz DDR2 memory officially.

Potentially, PC2-6400 memory will increase overall performance of personal computers. Nevertheless, such memory modules are much more expensive compared to PC2-5300 modules that operate at 667MHz. For example, 2GB PC-6400 memory kit prices start at $250, whereas the lowest price for 2GB PC2-5300 kit is $148, according to PriceWatch.com search engine.

Advanced Micro Devices is expected to officially unveil its dual-core and single-core processors, such as AMD Athlon 64, Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64 FX and AMD Sempron, for different markets on June 6, 2006. For Sunnyvale, California-based chipmaker the highlighters of the Computex 2006 show that begins on that date are expected to be the Athlon 64 FX-62 and Athlon 64 X2 5000+ processors that will support dual-channel DDR2 memory.

AMD did not comment on the news-story.