Press Release: New AMD Athlon(tm) MP
Processors Extend AMD's Performance Leadership In Multiprocessing Server,
Workstation Markets
Posted By
Van Smith
Date: October 15, 2001
High-performance multiprocessors align with AMD's True
Performance Initiative to develop new processor performance metric.
SUNNYVALE, CA-OCTOBER 15,
2001-AMD today introduced its newest processors
for multiprocessing servers and workstations, the high-performance AMD Athlon(tm)
MP processors 1800+, 1600+ and 1500+. The new AMD Athlon MP processors, which
feature patented QuantiSpeed(tm) architecture and AMD's Smart MP technology,
deliver breakthrough application performance versus competitive processors on
single and dual-processor platforms.
The model numbers are strategically aligned with AMD's recently announced True
Performance Initiative, or TPI, which seeks to assist customers in understanding
the benefits of processor performance. TPI also will help define a new, more
accurate measure of processor performance for standard applications.
"The AMD Athlon MP processor's superior architecture delivers outstanding
overall performance for one- and two-way servers and workstations," said Ed
Ellett, AMD vice president of AMD's Computation Products Group. "With today's
announcement, AMD's new initiative to provide a reliable performance metric
extends to the new AMD Athlon MP processors, continuing our commitment to
commercial customers."
Benchmarks for single and dual processor-based platforms powered by AMD Athlon
MP processors 1800+, 1600+ and 1500+ show distinct performance advantages over
similarly-configured single and dual processor-based platformspowered by
competitive processors operating at certain higher frequencies. For example, a
workstation based on a dual 1.53GHz AMD Athlon MP processor 1800+ outperforms a
similarly-configured workstation based on a dual 1.7GHz Intel Xeon processor by
up to 23 percent on various application benchmarks, such as High-end
Microstation, SoftImage XSI and Alias Wavefront/Maya.
"The AMD Athlon MP processor 1800+ provides the extreme performance we need for
our real-time digital puppeteering system," said David Barrington-Holt, Creative
Director for Jim Henson's Creature Shop. "We require the most advanced
technology, and that's what we get with a system powered by the AMD Athlon MP
processor 1800+ -performance, efficiency and reliability."
AMD is working to ensure that the AMD Athlon MP processor, based on AMD's stable
Socket A infrastructure, is fully compatible with industry-leading hardware and
software, and that it integrates seamlessly into existing infrastructures.
Systems featuring the AMD Athlon MP processor, including models 1800+, 1600+ and
1500+, are expected to be available from computer manufacturers in the United
States, Europe, Japan and greater Asia-Pacific.
Pricing
The AMD Athlon MP processors 1800+, 1600+ and 1500+ are priced at $302, $210 and
$180, respectively, in 1,000-unit quantities.
About the AMD Athlon(tm) MP Processor
The AMD Athlon MP processor is a seventh-generation x86 processor designed for
high-performance multiprocessing servers and workstations.
A key advantage of AMD's multiprocessing platform is Smart MP technology, which
greatly enhances overall platform performance by increasing data movement
between the two CPUs, chipset and memory system. Smart MP technology features
dual point-to-point, high-speed 266MHz system buses with Error Correcting Code (ECC)
support designed to provide up to 2.1GB per second per CPU of bus bandwidth in a
dual-processor system. Smart MP technology also has an optimized Modified Owner
Exclusive Shared Invalid (MOESI) cache coherency protocol that manages data and
memory traffic in a multiprocessing environment.
The new AMD Athlon MP processor features the patented QuantiSpeed(tm)
architecture, which includes a high performance full-speed cache with hardware
data pre-fetch, a fully pipelined superscalar floating point engine, and an
exclusive L2 Translation Look-aside Buffer (TLB). The processor also
incorporates 3DNow!* Professional technology, which has 52 new instructions that
extend AMD's 3DNow! technology, enabling smoother, richer and more lifelike
images, more precise digital audio and an enriched Internet experience.
The new AMD Athlon MP processor is compatible with AMD's stable Socket A
infrastructure, and supports DDR memory technology.
About the AMD-760(tm) MP Chipset
The AMD-760 MP chipset, the world's first AMD Athlon multiprocessor chipset to
support DDR memory technology, is AMD's high performance two-way multiprocessor
core logic solution for the AMD Athlon(tm) MP processor. It consists of two
chips-the AMD-762(tm) system controller (northbridge), and the AMD-766(tm)
peripheral bus controller (southbridge). The AMD-760 MP chipset unleashes the
power of DDR memory technology, which combines with other sophisticated core
logic in data, memory and I/O control as well as system and power management to
provide a powerful solution for server and workstation platforms. The AMD-760 MP
chipset supports up to two AMD Athlon MP processors with independent 266MHz
front side buses, as well as PC2100 DDR memory and AGP 4x graphics.
AMD on the Web
For more information on today's announcement, please visit our virtual pressroom
at http://www.amd.com/news/spotlight.
Additional press releases are available at
www.amd.com/news/news.html.
About AMD
AMD is a global supplier of integrated circuits for the personal and networked
computer and communications markets with manufacturing facilities in the United
States, Europe, Japan, and Asia. AMD, a Fortune 500 and Standard & Poor's 500
company, produces microprocessors, flash memory devices, and support circuitry
for communications and networking applications. Founded in 1969 and based in
Sunnyvale, California, AMD had revenues of $4.6 billion in 2000. (NYSE: AMD).
Cautionary Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the
safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Forward-looking statements are generally preceded by words such as
"plans," "expects," "believes," "anticipates" or "intends." Investors are
cautioned that all forward-looking statements in this release involve risks and
uncertainty that could cause actual results to differ materially from current
expectations, including the risk that computer manufacturers may not offer
systems based on the new AMD Athlon MP processors in volume or in certain
geographic regions. We urge investors to review in detail the risks and
uncertainties in the Company's filings with the United States Securities
Exchange Commission.
-30-
AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, AMD Athlon, and combinations thereof, and QuantiSpeed,
3DNow!, AMD-760, AMD-762, and AMD-766 are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices,
Inc. Other product names used in this publication are for identification
purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective companies.
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Contact
Olga Flores Finneran
AMD Public Relations
(512) 602-9435
E-mail: olga.finneran@amd.com
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