AMD Hammer information

[[Corporal Dan]]

Here's what's known so far:

1) the parts have stupid names.

2) Will run 32-bit apps as well if not better than current AthlonXPs.

3) Supports 64-bit apps.

4) Coming out in 2003.


Here's what I'd like to know.


- Will it support SSE/SSE2/MMX

- What about 3DNOW/3DN2

- Will it cost as much or more than the overpriced P4s, or similar to AthlonXPs?

- WHY! WHY COULDN'T THEY NAME IT Megatron?!! Opteron? WTF is that! ARG!

[sebazve]

One thing i am sure is that it will be a lot more expensive that any XP o P4, especially the first chips that will be only for servers solutions. I am not sure when desktop hammer will be available.

Although i think they will be cheaper that Intel 64bits solutions (Itanium 1 and 2) just like Athlons XP with P4.

I am still not sure if 32bits programs will run better with the Hammer (since it will be clocked lower than Athlons).

We will se the true power of this baby when we finally use 64 bits 0S, he and Games.

Have anyone use or see Windows XP 64? How well runs?

[vampireuk]

hammah hammah!! sorry got a bit carried away there :)

[sebazve]

hammah hammah!! sorry got a bit carried away there

:D :D

[StealthHawk]

last i heard, the Hammer supports SSE2, and it probably supports SSE and MMX as well. who cares about 3dnow? that is pretty dead...either that, or it is coded behind the scenes and no mention is made of it, much like MMX. somehow, i doubt 3dnow is used very much though.

Megatron is probably trademarked by Hasbro :D

[Nutty]

What do you mean no-one uses 3dnow?! All nvidia drivers use it! And AFAIK it craps over SSE immensly.

[[Corporal Dan]]

Nope.

SSE has always been much better.

The problem is that none of these instructions were ever used to any great benefit.
'cept for video encoding

[volt]

Why would AMD drop 3dnow and SSE ?

[Cotita]

Hammer is expected to debut at least @2ghz.

Supposedly its 10~20% faster than the athlon with 32 apps at the same clock speed, using 64bit apps will give up to 60~150+% performance increase (depending on application of course)

It will support MMX, SSE, SSE2 3dnow, and 3dnow2 (actually 3dnow2 is what AMD calls its SSE implementation)

we won't be seeing 64bit games until the HAMMER becomes mainstream and it probably won't happen for at least a couple of years.

Optimus Prime+Megatron= Opteron?

[[Corporal Dan]]

Optimus Prime+Megatron= Opteron?

OMG never thought of that LOL

[SavagePaladin]

Hammers will do SSE2 and another enhanced 3dnow! set

The desktop chip is coming first

I couldn't say if the processor will be costly, it looks like since the processor and motherboards won't be normal, the cost structure won't either. As for right when it launches, probably costly...I don't know.

32 bit apps run much better, I'm told. They've said things about it, but those numbers change often enough I ignore them until release. (usually in the 20-25% range above Athlon XPs)

[[Corporal Dan]]

According to the hammer presentation PDF, 64 bit performance wont be so great, compared to 32bit.

oh yeah, and whats this about 32 stage pipeline?

[SavagePaladin]

i've read that multiple times, and i don't remember that....then again, I have no memory.
What I'm hearing though is that when 64 and 32 bit apps are mixed, its slowed.
It definitely doesn't have a 32 stage pipeline
Slightly longer than the Athlon XP, though

[[Corporal Dan]]

you mean like a 64 bit executable and 32 bit dlls?

(sorry if it doesnt make sense, i'm no programmer)

i'll grab a pic ofthe pipeline thingy :)

[[Corporal Dan]]

here

[[Corporal Dan]]

Here is what i meant:

notice the following.

1) Best in class 32bit
2) Excellent 64bit

Best in class is a quantifiable statement.

It is THE BEST.

Excellent, however is relative.

Why'd they use excellent instead of "the best" for 64 bit? Because it's not that great.

[SavagePaladin]

not quite what I meant, no. A 64 bit application and a 32 bit application....
beyond that, i can't explain it

[[Corporal Dan]]

You mean both types of instructions in ONE program?

[SavagePaladin]

I mean seperate programs...most people run an OS, multiple internet programs, sometimes a game as well at the same time.
If WinXP64 will use some emulation instead of direct 32 bit code, it'd probably help that out immensely.

[StealthHawk]

because of the Hammer architecture, it will not be as fast as a dedicated 64bit CPU. Intel's 64bit CPU was supposedly going to be faster when running 64bit programs, but since it emulated 32bit code it would be slaughtered there. however, since Itanium has relatively low clock speed, the Hammer might be able to best it at 64bit too. much in the way that the fastest P4 is faster than the fastest Athlon now.

Is Hammer going to be an actual 2GHz? or is that PR?

[SavagePaladin]

It isn't PR at all...it's a rumor. They haven't released that information, to my knowledge.

As for Intels 64 bit, I've heard its horribly inefficient (as its cost would suggest) and sure its faster, if you don't mind a. paying for the processors (I would) b. using special software (I would)

anyway, there you go

[sebazve]

Is hammer going to emulate 32 bits code? I heard somewhere is going to be like 2 chips in one (one for the 32 bits application and another for the 64 bits).

Also guys how will be this pass from 32 bits to 64 bits, (the same as 16 to 32)? I was very young when the first 32 bits desktop processors came. I remember that my brother had an XT and then we change to a 486 (quite jump).
I think it is going to be a slow process.I guess it is on the hands of developers if they are willing to make 64 bits apps quickly.

[SavagePaladin]

The 32 bit is native, as the 64 bit is. But to use them both, you get a tradeoff, as x86 isn't very good at extensions. 32 bit code wouldn't even recognize the extra parts of the processor.

No emulation involoved there, in other words.

[StealthHawk]

Originally posted by SavagePaladin
It isn't PR at all...it's a rumor. They haven't released that information, to my knowledge.

As for Intels 64 bit, I've heard its horribly inefficient (as its cost would suggest) and sure its faster, if you don't mind a. paying for the processors (I would) b. using special software (I would)

anyway, there you go

heh, i meant, will that be 2GHz Performance Rating, or will it be the real clockspeed. i would think it would be the actual clockspeed, but you never know.

[SavagePaladin]

we're given to believe the rating will be ~3400+, but i have no idea