TechSpot - PC Technology News and Analysis

boeingfixer · #1 04-24-2002

Hey gang,

I listened in on AMD's conference call today talking about the Hammer, which is now called Opteron. There was a ton of stuff they talked about. Here are the high points and related links.

Duron out as in gone

Opteron is hammer for servers (sledge hammer)

AMD AThlon (the name we all love) is staying for Claw Hammer, but will probably have a subtitle like Athlon XP+ or Athlon 64

64 bit proccessing will be for all including End-users(thats us!!)

First Athlon (64 ?) will be out in Q-4 of this year !!

Full stories here.

Opteron Article

Call notes and press release

Phantasm66 · #2 04-24-2002

Quote:

[SIZE=4]AMD's Hammer gets a new name: Opteron[/SIZE]

Introducing Opteron - Don't Worry, the Athlon still lives!

While everyone was looking for a new name for the forthcoming Hammer line of processors, AMD did what we all should have expected them to do and today announced a new brand for their workstation/server microprocessors.

As we've already announced in the past, the desktop version of AMD's Hammer core will continue to use a derivative of the Athlon name. This is akin to the Thunderbird core using the name Athlon while the Palomino core was introduced with the Athlon XP moniker. There have been many suggestions as to what the Hammer based Athlon processor should be called but you can bet it won't just be Athlon XP. Rumors such as Athlon 64 have been flying around but even AMD isn't ready to formalize a name for the highly anticipated processor due out later this year.

One of the big announcements today is the introduction of an entirely new brand for all multiprocessor capable Hammer based parts. The name is Opteron and although it somewhat reminds us of the pain we went through when the Duron was announced, it's here to stay. The idea behind Opteron is to build off of the Latin root optimus meaning best or if you play with the translation a bit you get optimal unit or flagship. Indeed this is AMD's goal for the server/workstation processor as the Hammer was originally designed as a server/workstation part and later watered down for the desktop and mobile markets. This is a departure from the Athlon (K7) processor which was first designed as a mainstream desktop part with mobile, workstation and server parts later spun off from it.

What will it take for a processor to be called an Opteron? According to AMD, the main distinction will be that any Hammer based processor that is DP or MP capable will be branded as an Opteron. So we'll have ClawHammer based Opterons as well as SledgeHammer based Opteron processors. AMD's official comment on whether a desktop ClawHammer based Athlon would differ architecturally from a ClawHammer based Opteron was the usual spin: the dual processor ClawHammer (Opteron) will be multiprocessing capable while the Athlon version will not. This could mean anything from the only difference being validation procedures to AMD actually limiting the next-gen Athlon to uniprocessor operation only; we simply don't know at this time.

As far as architectural details of the Opteron, we've already given a very extensive look at the Hammer architecture in general which you can read about here (and you can see the first public demo here). It's also interesting to point out that AMD has said the maximum L2 cache size for the Opteron processor will be 1MB. This is one of the benefits of having such a high-speed memory controller, it is the closest you can get to having a very large L3 cache without wasting expensive die space but it's still interesting to see such a cap placed on the server parts this early in the game.

Full article here: http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1611

Phantasm66 · #3 04-24-2002

According to www.slashdot.org :

Quote:

AMD's x86-64 Moves Forward
Posted by chrisd on Wednesday April 24, @05:46PM
from the nacho-flavored-computer-chips dept.
MBCook writes "AMD Hammer line is definatly moving forward. The Inquirer has a supposidly leaked memo from MS saying that they have working x86-64 silicon that runs both 32 and 64-bit Win XP. Van's Hardware is reporting that MS is backing x86-64 over Intel's IA-64, and that MS has apparently convinced Intel to move to x86-64! There is an article over at Ace's Hardware from CeBIT that includes some coverage of AMD's Hammer line (including its NUMA). Last but not least is News.com's report that MS is preparing Windows to support NUMA." And it looks like the line will be named Opteron.

TS | Thomas · #4 04-24-2002

Opteron though... still I suppose most disliked "GeForce 256" initially too.

Phantasm66 · #5 04-24-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by 3DSThomas
Opteron though... still I suppose most disliked "GeForce 256" initially too.

I liked the name Athlon. Athlon is from the greek, meaning "prize", from where we derive the words Athlete (prize winner), Decathlon (the prize of 10 events), etc...

A good name that suggested connotations of power, strength.

Then we have "Duron", which suggests "endurance".

But "Opteron"??? It sounds like something someone made up on the spot.

"We need a cool name for this name chip...."

"Erm... Okay.... Erm.... Pooferon? Magnatron? Oh, I know, Opteron!"

"Cool!"

Octon might have been a good bit better, since this is a K8 CPU. Or "Octeron". But "Opteron" seems a little weird....

Rick · #6 04-24-2002

Let's face it.. The name "Opteron" is awful.

It sounds like a a new Transformers figure

boeingfixer · #7 04-25-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by Rick
Let's face it.. The name "Opteron" is awful.

It sounds like a a new Transformers figure

Yeah I am with you there, when I was on the conference call, the V.P. had to catch himself from NOT saying Athlon, he just couldn't get OPTERON out. One of their points was building on what Athlon has done for AMD in the past few couple of years. I would have kept the Athlon theme and named it something like Athlon 64 or Hammerthon or something....but not Opteron...or even Opterthon.

Arris · #8 04-25-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by Rick
Let's face it.. The name "Opteron" is awful.

It sounds like a a new Transformers figure

I almost thought it was an old transformers name

Phantasm66 · #9 04-25-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by Arris

I almost thought it was an old transformers name

Hehehehhe! LOL!

Those were the Decepticons I believe... The coolest ones were the leader one which transformed into a gun, and the second in command that turned into a tape deck. It had a cassette inside that also transformed into a kind of flying bird, and I think if you were a real transformers freak (not quite as bad as me!) you could get extra transformer tapes for it as well.

Transformers.... More than Meets the Eye!!

I can think of hundreds of names that sound cooler. Why not something from Roman or Greek mythology? I thought perhaps Hyperion would have been a lot better....

Quote:

Hyperion
[fr. L, fr. Gk Hyperion, a Titan, the father of Helios, Selene, and Eos] ; one of the many moons of Saturn.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/1664/h.html

The AMD Hyperion
(pronounced AMD Hi-peer-ee-on)

Now that's a chip I want to buy!

Phantasm66 · #10 04-25-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by boeingfixer

....or even Opterthon.

Try saying that with a speech impediment....

Arris · #11 04-25-2002

Optimus Prime (the image above) was an autobot, transformed from a truck...

Megatron was the evil decepticon gun transformer.

"Transformers.... Robots in disguise"
I have to say it always puzzled me how the decepticons could ever hide in the human world. Trucks and cars are a fairly good disguise. But a Robots disguise which is a gigantic gun.. and an obsurdly oversized tapedeck...! (I had the lame tapedeck transformer as a kid

)

Phantasm66 · #12 04-25-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by Arris
(I had the lame tapedeck transformer as a kid )

Did it break easily?? Coz I know that mine did.

Arris · #13 04-25-2002

Should we add a transformer forum

I don't think the tape deck door lasted very long

Had Jazz (porsche) as well but really wasn't that in to transformers at the time, maybe the fault of that darn tapedeck!

(I think mines was red... I had forgotten about the heat colour changing stickers you got with them

)

Rick · #14 04-25-2002

Opteron Prime...

Arris · #15 04-25-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by Rick
Opteron Prime...

Will the processor transform into a gun and kill Intel?

Phantasm66 · #16 04-25-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by Arris

Will the processor transform into a gun and kill Intel?

Its not a match for the power of the evil Intel Itanium

KICK ***!

Arris · #17 04-25-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by Phantasm66

Its not a match for the power of the evil Intel Itanium

KICK ***!

What does it transform into?

boeingfixer · #18 04-25-2002

A bomb, if it is in a place that it "sniffs" other Intel products in, it sends out a signal that melts down the Intel CPU forcing people to buy the better Opteron.

And then in August of 1997, when Sky Net goes fully auto, it cannot be unplugged, and creats a world of super inhumane machines that try to kill this chick named Sarah......

Wait, this sounds like a great movie....I'll get back with you guys, i gotta write this down....

uncleel · #19 04-26-2002

MaximumPC

Quote:

Claw-Hammer will include an integrated heat spreader, similar to the heat spreader *ntel intriduced w/ the P4. The metal plate will help dissipate heat & protect the delicate cpu core from getting crushed.

Also:

AMD will implement a new mounting & retention system in order to apply & remove the hsf.

Phantasm66 · #20 04-26-2002

At last!!! I HATE THAT AMD CORE AND THAT CRAP HSF!!!

Thankyou!

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