No AMD K8L Processors Until 2008

AMD has recently indicated that its new K8L processor for its next-generation Socket AM3 platform will not be available until 2008, according to sources at Taiwan-based motherboard makers.

AMD's K8L series is expected to be compatible with Socket AM2-based motherboards by adding both DDR2 and DDR3 memory controllers, according to the sources.

According to AMD's latest roadmap, AMD will start manufacturing its Socket AM2 dual-core processors using a 65nm process in the first quarter of 2007, beginning with the Athlon 64 X2 lineup, including the 3800+, 4200+ and 4600+, the sources said.

In addition to the Athlon 64 X2, the production of AMD dual-core Athlon 64FX and single-core Sempron CPUs will also migrate to the 65nm node in 2007, the sources stated, noting that the 65nm Sempron will be upgraded to support DDR2 800 instead of DDR2 667. Prior to the launch of the Socket-AM2 CPUs, AMD intends to begin terminating orders for its non-Socket-AM2 processors—Socket-939 dual-core Athlon FX/X2 (codenamed Toledo), Socket-939 single-core Athlon 64 in the 1MB L2 version (codenamed San Diego), Socket-939 single-core Athlon 64 in the 512KB L2 version and the entry-level Socket-754 Sempron (codenamed Palermo)—by the end of 2006.

AMD's entry-level processors will all feature dual-core architecture by the third quarter of 2007, when its last single-core CPU—the Athlon 64—will start to be phased out in the market.

While AMD is expected to not make any changes to the micro-architecture of its CPUs in the next 18 months or even longer, Intel is ready to bring up a strong campaign based on its new Core Micro architecture, noted the sources. In order to compete with Intel, AMD cannot do anything but cut prices for its current lineup of CPUs, a move that will eventually undermine its profitability, the sources indicated.

Source: DigiTimes

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