The Quadfather: Part II
Still, you can't help feeling that Quad FX is a teaser for when AMD releases its true, 'native' quad-core part. Many of the features of this are now quite widely known - four cores, each with their own Level 1 and Level 2 cache but sharing 2MB of L3 between them. This will be based on the new K10 core, which incorporates improved branch prediction and 128-bit SSE, so can execute twice as many floating point instructions per clock cycle as current AMD processors. There will be a 128-bit path to Level 2 cache, too, doubling the speed at which the core can move data and instructions to and from Level 1.
The new core will also inaugurate a split voltage plane, amongst other fine power management controls. Current processors from both AMD and Intel can only vary the voltage and frequency of all cores simultaneously. With K10, the memory controller and HyperTransport links can be at a different voltage to the cores. Aside from being able to drop the core voltage whilst keeping these Northbridge functions at full speed, this will make it easier to overclock memory and processor clocks independently. With the new quad-core processor, AMD will also be able to vary the frequency of all four cores independently, so if just one core is fully utilised whilst the rest remain idle, the others can ramp down.
Although a desktop version of the K10 is still officially on the roadmap for at least Q3 2007, the Opteron spin is due earlier - within the first half of the year. Since Quad FX is based on the Opteron rather than the Socket AM2 derivatives, AMD will be able to move its 4x4 over to 8x4 at the same time. That will make Quad FX the first consumer platform to offer eight cores. So although the initial Quadfather may not win a shootout with Core 2 Quad hands down, its sequel, Quadfather: Part II, could be the one which really makes a wise guy out of Intel again. And there's a third part of the trilogy mooted for the end of 2007, too, with DDR3 and HyperTransport 3.
Until then, we have the first episode to tease your expectations. Keep your eyes closely on our front page for our comprehensive evaluation - it could be here sooner than you think.
