The PC Report

Today AMD has released their first six-core processors into the desktop world. The AMD Phenom II X6 “Thuban” processors released today come in two flavours – the 1090T which comes with a core clock of 3.2 GHz with a maximum Turbo Core clock of 3.6 GHz and the 1055T which packs 2.8 GHz across all six cores along with a 3.3 GHz Turbo clock. Each processor comes with 3 MB of L2 cache and 6 MB of L3 cache, happily fits into an AM2+ or AM3 socket motherboard.

Prices start at US$285 and US$199 for the processors respectively, and therefore are priced to compete with Intel’s “Lynnfield” processors – namely the Phenom II X6 1090T is matched up with the Intel Core i7-860 in terms of price and the Phenom II X6 1055T is matched with the Core i7-750. Of course, the Intel processors aforementioned are only quad-core processors but they still fair pretty well against the Phenom II X6s.

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MSI, Gigabyte and Asus have announced that they will be releasing new motherboards that are set to unlock the true potential of some Phenom II processors. These motherboards will support a hardware method of unlocking and using disabled cores in some new AMD Phenom II processors – an option which will be available in the BIOS of the special motherboards. Each manufacturer is set to have their own name for this technology, eg. Asus’s name for the tech is “Core Unlocker”.

As you may be aware, some processors do not meet design specifications are dumbed-down and have cores disabled so that they can still be sold, usually for a cheaper price and under a different model name. The M4A89GTD series from Asus, the 89FXA-UD7 motherboard from Gigabyte and the 890GXM-G65 for MSI will all support unlocking of these disabled cores, with more motherboards presumably coming in the future.

Note: Pictured motherboard is not the new core unlocking motherboard

Intel has already kicked off the consumer six-core race with the Core i7-980X, and as we’re waiting for AMD’s six-core processor we are getting specs leaked by Gigabyte. While the specs sheet has since been pulled, Hexus caught a glimpse of what’s coming in the Thuban CPUs – the Phenom II X6 1055T and Phenom II X6 1035T.

In the X6 1055T we’ll be seeing a clock speed of 2.8 GHz, 512 kB of L2 cache per core and 6 MB of L3 cache. The X6 1035T will be clocked at a lower 2.6 GHz but with the same amount of cache as the bigger brother. TDPs have not been leaked, but it is expected that the processors will be rated as either 95W or 125W.  Both processors are built from AMD’s 45nm process and will fit into the AM3 and AM2+ socket, and are set to be released in April.

A new rumour surrounding AMD’s latest six-core processors has leaked out of AMD HQ. Their “Thuban” six-core CPUs will apparently be showcased at CeBIT 2010 in Germany, followed by a release to the public on April 26. This release will coincide with AMD’s 880G chipset debut.

The new hexa-core processors will go under the Phenom II X6 name and start with the 1075T, 1055T and 1035T models. All CPUs will be based off AMD’s 45nm process and compatible with the AM2+/AM3 sockets. Thuban processors will also have a speed boost-type technology that will function similar to Intel’s Turbo Boost technology featured in their Core i5 and i7 CPUs.

New reports are coming through about when both AMD and Intel will release their new six-core processors into their ranges. According to Taiwanese motherboard manufacturers the Intel six-core “Gulftown” CPUs, starting with the Core i7-980X, will be coming out at the end of March this year and priced at greater than US$1,000.

AMD will be releasing their six-core “Thuban” processors sometime in May of 2010. The CPUs will go under the Phenom II X6 1000T series, and will start with the Phenom II X6 1075T, 1055T and 1035T and will all be based off the 45nm process. A quad-core Phenom II X4 960T will also be released along with the six-core CPUs, and the new 890FX and 890GX chipsets will come a month before.

AMD has released 5 new processors into the Athlon II and Phenom II line-up to fill out the lower-end of the scale, and also to compete with the recently released Intel Clarkdale processors. In this selection, we’re seeing two Phenom IIs and three Athlon IIs with prices ranging from US$74 up to US$169.

To get into the itty-bitty details, there is a Phenom II X4 910e running at 2.6GHz with a low power consumption of 65W but the highest price of US$169. Also new to the Phenom II range is the X2 555 BE – a dual-core processor clocking 3.2GHz and costing just US$99. In the Athlon II range there is the X4 635, X3 440 and X2 255 – with clock speeds of 2.9GHz, 3.0GHz and 3.1GHz respectively and prices of US$119, US$84 and US$74 respectively.

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The Dragon Technology team just loves to push processors to their max, and has done so again with an AMD Phenom II. Via the use of some super-cool liquid helium they managed to push the CPU all the way up to 7.08GHz, shattering the 3DMark06 record. Check out the cool documentary above to see how the team achieved such a feat.

AMD’s rare Phenom II chip, the TWKR, is up for sale on eBay now, with the current bid sitting at $7,500. The TWKR is an extreme performance chip that AMD released to select people to showcase its ability as a super-fast chip. The CPU is best known for its insane overclocking performance under liquid nitrogen. Because only 100 of these processors were ever made, the chip is fetching insane prices on eBay, and, luckily, all the proceeds go to the Family Eldercare charity. Head down to eBay now to check it out.