Re <400 Mhz k6 with 256 KB integrated L2 cache in Q4>
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May 18, 1998, TechWeb News
MOVING ALONG: New K6-2
Will Increase Socket 7
Platform Speed To 100mhz -- AMD To
Unveil 'Differentiated' Processor
By Kelly Spang
Sunnyvale, Calif. -- Later this month, Advanced Micro
Devices Inc. will unveil its first "differentiated" processor,
charting its own path rather than following Intel Corp.'s lead,
said AMD executives.
On May 28, AMD, based here, will introduce its K6-2,
formerly known as the K6-3D, to boost graphics performance
as well as increase the Socket 7 platform speed to 100MHz
from 66MHz.
Speeds of the K6-2 are expected to start around 300MHz, said
Jerry Sanders, AMD chairman and chief executive, who
presented the chip maker's road map at a shareholders'
meeting.
Sanders said the K6-2 at 300MHz will "substantially
outperform" the same speed Pentium II and will offer
performance comparable to a 400MHz Pentium II.
Into the second half of the year, AMD will boost the speed of
the K6-2 and also will introduce its third-generation K6,
code-named Sharptooth, in the fourth quarter. Starting at
400MHz, Sharptooth will include 256 Kbytes of integrated
Level 2 cache, Sanders said.
"It is our intention to sell the K6-2 in the second half as our
major volume item," Sanders said.
This spring, chip makers are moving to the 100MHz bus. When
it released its 440BX chipset last month, Intel, Santa Clara,
Calif. pumped up system bus speed to 100MHz.
In May, Cyrix Corp. also is expected to increase system bus
speed up to 100MHz with its PR333 M II processor, said Stan
Swearingen, senior director of marketing. The PR333 M II is
the new brand name for the 6x86MX product line from
Richardson, Texas-based Cyrix. Cyrix labels its processor by
"Performance Rating" (PR) rather than MHz.
The differentiating factor of the K6-2 is in the new graphics
instructions which extend MMX capabilities for 3-D
performance. Intel will not release new instructions until the
first half of 1999 with its Katmai New Instructions.
These new graphics instructions, dubbed 3D Now! technology
by AMD, consist of 21 new instructions. Last fall, AMD, along
with its Socket 7 competitors Cyrix and Integrated Device
Technology Inc., Santa Clara, Calif., unveiled proprietary
graphics extensions that each of the Socket 7 chip makers was
developing, though each company vowed it would license its
technology to competitors.
Since then, the three Socket 7 chip makers have collaborated
on 21 new instructions.
In July with the release of DirectX 6.0, Microsoft Corp. will
support the 3D Now! technology, Sanders said.
Copyright (c) 1998 CMP Media Inc.
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Maybe AMD will reach 450MHz by the end of '98 (same max MHz as on
Intel's roadmap, but with full speed L2 cache and 3D support). Does
anyone know if 5 is the max clock multiplier the BX boards implement?
In other words, is P2 limited to 500Mhz before P2 buyers have to get
a new MB? What do you think the odds are Intel will respond to a
450MHz K6 with a 500MHz P2? Any predictions on the 400MHz Sharptooth
pricing? |
