AMD Turion 64 model ML-40 microprocessors from Advanced Micro Devices are now sold in Tokyo, Japan, despite of not being launched officially. The chips are currently ranked as the fastest AMD Turion 64 offering.
AMD Turion 64 ML-40 processor operates at 2.20GHz and has built-in 1MB L2 cache as well as single-channel PC3200 memory controller. The ML-series of AMD Turion 64 products has thermal envelope of 35W. Additionally, the chip features PowerNow! energy saving technology with C3 Deeper Sleep state that reduces power consumption during idle moments as well as 3DNow!, SSE, SSE2 and SSE3 instructions. Like all AMD Athlon 64 processors, the Turion 64 supports 64-bit capability in addition to Enhanced Virus Protection technology.
Currently the Turion 64 ML-40 is the world’s highest performing processor for notebooks with 64-bit capability. So far AMD has not announced the model, though, the actual sales may mean that AMD is about to reveal the product officially.
Retailers in Tokyo, Japan, sell AMD Turion 64 ML-40 for $610 - $635, reports Akiba PC Hotline.
The chip sold today might be targeted at the upgrade market, but given that the Turion 64 was announced back in early March, there is hardly any installed base for it. It could make sense for Mobile AMD Athlon 64-based notebook owners to swap their processors for the Turion 64: the performance is likely to remain the same or even get higher with the ML-family of Turion 64, but the battery life could improve; still, the size of a notebook will remain the same – pretty large in the case of AMD Mobile Athlon 64. It is also unclear whether AMD Turion 64 is drop-in compatible with all AMD64-based notebooks.
AMD Turion 64 targets the same space as Intel’s Centrino mobile platform – thin, light, but yet powerful notebooks. However, there is a significant difference between the Turion and the Centrino: the Turion 64 is a standalone processor, whereas the Centrino is a platform. AMD Turion 64 may be paired with any validated system logic from companies like ATI Technologies, NVIDIA Corp., Silicon Integrated Systems, ULi Electronics or VIA Technologies and any wired or wireless network adapters preferred by notebook makers. In case of Intel Centrino notebook manufacturers have to choose Intel Pentium M chip, Intel’s core-logic and Intel’s network controllers to be able to use the Centrino brand-name.
AMD did not comment on the news-story.
Comments currently:
6
Discussion started: 05/09/05 07:27:53 AM
Latest comment: 08/05/05 06:25:56 PM
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1.
And THIS is why Yonah can't wait...
If they manage to, and I think they will, bring a dual core A64 to close to 35w for the mobile community, AMD will start to eat heavily into Dothan sales which won't be good for Intel cash flow, given the premium on mobile cpu's. The questions are, can Yonah come early, and two, does Intel see what's coming with this new A64 stuff and dual core A64 mobiles around the corner.
Imagine if when Yonah were to come out in 2006, if as an option you had a 65nm x2 dual core in a 30w envelope that performed as well or better and had 64 bit for a Longhorn 06 release...
Given the same performance, the same battery life, but one with 64 bit and one without 6-8 months before the release of an OS that was designed for 64bit, which would you think a customer would choose?
$.02
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Posted by: Anemone
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Date: 05/09/05 07:27:53 AM]
2.
They choose the one with the Centrino brand name.
You fail to understand the importance of marketing. Features and technology means nothing without it. If you can inform people better than your competitor, who do you think will sell more and grab more of the market share?
Intel has have great success with the Centrino name. AMD doesn't have an equivalent platform. This is what AMD is missing.
Yonah will be 65nm, come in single and dual-core variants, and will come in early 2006. What it won't have is 64bit. (I'm still trying to understand what exactly is the point of 64bit for the home user).
Yonah doesn't need to be pushed forward...It comes when Intel says so. Its what they see as when its most suitable to release it.
As for the next version of Windows, its likely to be a "hard sell".
Current Windows is more than suitable for most people. Why fix something that isn't broken? Is there a need for people to spend money on new things when their existing gear is fine for what they do now? Linux and BSD already have 64bit for quite a while. I don't see the need to completely depend on MS.
Now do you understand the number of factors that play in the world?
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Posted by: 333
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Date: 05/09/05 11:50:31 AM]
3.
Marketing is marketing I'll grant you that. Turion, however is the competition for Centrino, platform vs platform, not cpu's, so AMD does have one now. As for making it take off well that's what we have yet to see.
64bit in any home user setting so far shows little to no benefits. That may come, and it may not but the uneducated will surely think of it as the next big thing and buy accordingly.
New windows? It'll sell. They always do. People bought Millenium and that was a pile of refuse as we all know. But again, only the well educated consumer will wait or hold off. Once Dell starts promoting Longhorn the masses will come in droves.
I agree Win XP works fine now. Due to lower overhead it'll even perform better than what Longhorn looks like it wants to cover. That won't keep people on XP forever though.
$.02
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Posted by: Anemone
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Date: 05/09/05 08:01:11 PM]
4.
Incorrect.
Turion is a CPU.
Pentium-M is a CPU.
Centrino is a CPU/Chipset/Wireless in one package.
AMD doesn't have a direct equivalent.
Centrino as a platform has no competitor. AMD needs to address this issue, once it gains a good, tight grip on other markets. Overall, its gain about 17% of the chip market. (Intel has 82%, VIA and Transmeta has about 1%)...AMD will be more noticeable if they can grab half the market.
They've done quite well with the K8 design, the single-core variants are doing good, and the dual-core are basically mopping up Intel's "slapstick" Pentium-D/XE response without trying.
You also need to consider the business world...There's always the mentality that "no one ever got fired for choosing Intel". AMD has to break that thinking. They've got the performance and some features...What they need is to make more people aware of their products. You talk to the average Jane/Joe PC user, and all they know is Intel.
If AMD does come up with a "Centrino killer", and make the drivers completely open-source, you bet more alternative OSs will take it over Intel.
Intel does things its own way, and some in the open-source community don't like it.
For example, OpenBSD's "main man", Theo, has tried to encourage Intel to release the source for the wireless component for Centrino. Intel's management refuses (but unofficially, Intel's engineers want to help...Their hands are tied by Intel politics).
Linux may not be ready for the average desktop user, but its getting there. MS knows Linux is a threat to its profits.
Once Linux reaches to the same level of "ease of use" maturity as Windows (desktop distros only) and gain more support from software developers, you see more people would be tempted to download (free) and install (no product activation crap) these alternative OSs.
MS will continue support for WinXP for approx 10 yrs. It will continually update some features as found in the upcoming Longhorn. Once 10 yrs are up, you better upgrade or look for something else.
I've already started using Linux and BSD. I don't want to rely on Windows anymore (as much as possible).
My upcoming system upgrades (I have 5 PCs) will be a bit of both AMD and Intel dual-core. Although, I'm more in preference of AMD, as it delivers a better overall performance...Couple this with VMware, and I can install several OSs on one PC.
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Posted by: 333
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Date: 05/10/05 08:12:19 AM]
+ expand thread (1 answer)
- collapse thread
1. Centrino is a CPU/Chipset/Wireless in one package.
2. AMD doesn't have a direct equivalent.
1.
Intel® Centrino™ mobile technology is the brand name for Intel's wireless mobile computing technology. The brand signifies Intel's technology for notebook computers. The technology is based on a new mobile processor microarchitecture and wireless capability. Intel Centrino mobile technology includes features designed to enable great battery life, thinner and lighter form factors, and breakthrough mobile performance.
The technologies represented by the Intel Centrino brand include:
Intel® Pentium® M processor
Intel® 855 Chipset Family or Mobile Intel® 915M Express Chipset Family
Intel® PRO/Wireless 2100/2100A/2200BG/2915ABG LAN MiniPCI Adapters
These components are designed, optimized and validated by Intel to maximize the wireless mobile computing experience.
Centrino is a BRAND (i.e. marketing/advertising) but must include all three Intel chips.
It forces manufacturers to use these Intel chips to get the 'Centrino' label. If they use a Celeron M CPU then, no Centrino sicker for you!
2.
Your right, AMD doesn't have a direct equivalent. The have an equivalent CPU but manufacturers can use any chipset or wireless products. There is no big marketing ‘Blue Man’ budget $$$ for AMD. I don't think springs on my feet, floating surfboards, or helicopter blades on my head will improve my mobile performance.
So who is better? The manufacturer with the best support. Since neither Intel or AMD directly build or sell notebooks then it's all up to the 'third party' support.
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Posted by: XtraCB
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Date: 08/05/05 06:25:56 PM]
5.
stand corrected - on Turion
Reading and taking notes on your other comments. Not sure if I see it all the same way you do, but its quite true that without a platform, even if they partnered with say Nvidia to do it, without doing that Intel rules the roost.
Yes, the corporate folks do think Intel=reliable.
$.02
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Posted by: Anemone
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Date: 05/10/05 09:32:26 PM]
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