Bulldozer at ISSCC 2011

Heinz68 · 02-24-11, 03:49 PM

Read much more at PCPerspective, it's two page article. Good read.

Quote:

Bulldozer at ISSCC 2011 - The Future of AMD Processors

The more I read about Bulldozer, the more impressed I am becoming. AMD has barely been able to keep up with Intel for the past 6 years, which is disappointing considering the success they found with the original Athlon and then Athlon 64. Since Intel introduced the Core 2 series, AMD has only been able to design and sell processors that would sometimes achieve around 90% of the overall performance of Intel’s top end processors. AMD also suffered from die size and performance per watt disparities as compared to Intel’s very successful Core 2 and Core i7/i5/i3 processors. The latest generation of Sandy Bridge based units again exposed how lacking in overall design and performance AMD’s Phenom families of chips were.

Before we all go off the deep end and claim that AMD will surpass Intel in overall performance, we need to calm down. We are getting perilously close to the very limits of IPC (instructions per clock) with current technology and designs. It appears to me that with the Bulldozer architecture, AMD should reach parity with Intel and their latest generation of CPUs when it comes to IPC per core. Where AMD could have an advantage over Intel are in several specific categories.

Redeemed · 02-24-11, 04:49 PM

Very good read, thanks.

I hope Bulldozer puts AMD back in the game, and proves a platform that they can build upon for future releases while remaining competitive across all segments.

I had high hopes for Barcelona, but that obviously didn't pan out. Not gonna' complain about the Phenom 9600 BE I sported for a while- it was a hardy chip and did everything I needed without complaint.

However, I do know that AMD's offerings just aren't level with Intel's. I'm sticking with Intel my next upgrade cycle only because of how cheap I can get their parts for via my job. Otherwise I'd be AMD.

That said, my best friend owns 4 low end gaming computers (at one time they were relatively high-end). He's looking to upgrade them and he's a devote AMD fan. I hope Bulldozer pans out as likely, he'll be getting four of 'em and I'd be the one to put 'em together. Would be very fun.

ViN86 · 02-24-11, 05:50 PM

I hope they're right. It'd be nice to see AMD competitive again not just because their prices are better.

Peoples-Agent · 02-24-11, 06:13 PM

Are the pointers indicating Bulldozer will compete with Sandy Bridge from a gaming perspective?

Intel17 · 02-25-11, 01:15 AM

I don't want AMD to have super high priced stuff. The fact that their stuff is cheap but performs more or less as well is awesome and allows me to put together tons of budget gaming PCs for people...

wheeljack12 · 02-25-11, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Intel17

I don't want AMD to have super high priced stuff. The fact that their stuff is cheap but performs more or less as well is awesome and allows me to put together tons of budget gaming PCs for people...

I agree. The fx-55 cpu I had back in the day was $1000 OEM. As soon as socket 775 was cheap, I was there. although i went to xfire over sli because of nvidia's chipset taking so long to release for socket 775. After my 5970 experience (one died and was purchased off shore, had to be shipped back to hong kong which the guy I sold it to didn't and ate the cost) of driver poop with games, I won't go back to amd for graphics ever again. Love their mb chipsets and cpu's. very affordable right now. It would be nice to see amd keep it that way. Or we might see price gouging or a price war depending on how the ceo's approach it. I doubt AMD will price gouge because frankly they can't afford to.

red777star · 02-27-11, 10:38 AM

AMD new approach to CPU design is very interesting. AMD calls it Dual Core. It would be very interesting to see it in practice.

Intel17 · 02-27-11, 05:03 PM

I do think that AMD has a chance of beating Intel's stuff. But I feel like Intel's a lot smarter than to let this happen...

**K007** · 02-28-11, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Intel17

I do think that AMD has a chance of beating Intel's stuff. But I feel like Intel's a lot smarter than to let this happen...

love it!!...

red777star · 02-28-11, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Intel17

I do think that AMD has a chance of beating Intel's stuff. But I feel like Intel's a lot smarter than to let this happen...

Bulldozer is completely different animal from AMD64 and Intel Core 2 architecture. It might suprises all and be another 'AMD64'

Intel17 · 02-28-11, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red777star

Bulldozer is completely different animal from AMD64 and Intel Core 2 architecture. It might suprises all and be another 'AMD64'

Doubtful. 'AMD64', as you put it, was successful mostly because Intel had *REALLY* messed up, and had been building on a mistake that had been in place for years.

Don't get me wrong -- I love AMD, and I've built 7 PCs in the past 3 months for folks using AMD CPUs, but it'd take a lot to displace Intel of today.

02-24-11, 04:49 PM	#2
Redeemed Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 17,986	Re: Bulldozer at ISSCC 2011 Very good read, thanks. I hope Bulldozer puts AMD back in the game, and proves a platform that they can build upon for future releases while remaining competitive across all segments. I had high hopes for Barcelona, but that obviously didn't pan out. Not gonna' complain about the Phenom 9600 BE I sported for a while- it was a hardy chip and did everything I needed without complaint. However, I do know that AMD's offerings just aren't level with Intel's. I'm sticking with Intel my next upgrade cycle only because of how cheap I can get their parts for via my job. Otherwise I'd be AMD. That said, my best friend owns 4 low end gaming computers (at one time they were relatively high-end). He's looking to upgrade them and he's a devote AMD fan. I hope Bulldozer pans out as likely, he'll be getting four of 'em and I'd be the one to put 'em together. Would be very fun.

02-24-11, 05:50 PM	#3
ViN86 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 15,486	Re: Bulldozer at ISSCC 2011 I hope they're right. It'd be nice to see AMD competitive again not just because their prices are better.

02-24-11, 06:13 PM	#4
Peoples-Agent Vape Therapist Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,308	Re: Bulldozer at ISSCC 2011 Are the pointers indicating Bulldozer will compete with Sandy Bridge from a gaming perspective? __________________ For The Fallen With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children, England mourns for her dead across the sea. Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit, Fallen in the cause of the free.

02-25-11, 01:15 AM	#5
Intel17 Is not an Intel fanboi Join Date: May 2004 Location: Burlington, VT Posts: 1,368	Re: Bulldozer at ISSCC 2011 I don't want AMD to have super high priced stuff. The fact that their stuff is cheap but performs more or less as well is awesome and allows me to put together tons of budget gaming PCs for people... __________________ Intel Core i7 980X Extreme Edition @ 4.00GHz, 2.94GHz uncore\| Corsair H60 \| ASUS P6X58D-E \| Zotac GTX 580 @ 872/1744/2145\|Western Digital Caviar Black 1.5TB (Games/Steam)\| Seagate 1.5TB (media/misc.) \|Seagate 1 TB (OS/Main) \| 24 GB G.Skill RipJaws X 1.5V DDR3-1333 \| Creative X-Fi Titanium \| Sennheiser HD 202 Headset \| Dual Gigabit Realtek LAN \| Antec True Power Quattro 1200W \| Acer G235Hbmbd 23" LCD Display \| Logitech K320 Wireless Keyboard \| Logitech Performance MX Mouse

02-27-11, 10:38 AM	#7
red777star Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 161	Re: Bulldozer at ISSCC 2011 AMD new approach to CPU design is very interesting. AMD calls it Dual Core. It would be very interesting to see it in practice.

02-27-11, 05:03 PM	#8
Intel17 Is not an Intel fanboi Join Date: May 2004 Location: Burlington, VT Posts: 1,368	Re: Bulldozer at ISSCC 2011 I do think that AMD has a chance of beating Intel's stuff. But I feel like Intel's a lot smarter than to let this happen... __________________ Intel Core i7 980X Extreme Edition @ 4.00GHz, 2.94GHz uncore\| Corsair H60 \| ASUS P6X58D-E \| Zotac GTX 580 @ 872/1744/2145\|Western Digital Caviar Black 1.5TB (Games/Steam)\| Seagate 1.5TB (media/misc.) \|Seagate 1 TB (OS/Main) \| 24 GB G.Skill RipJaws X 1.5V DDR3-1333 \| Creative X-Fi Titanium \| Sennheiser HD 202 Headset \| Dual Gigabit Realtek LAN \| Antec True Power Quattro 1200W \| Acer G235Hbmbd 23" LCD Display \| Logitech K320 Wireless Keyboard \| Logitech Performance MX Mouse