AMD did not announce plans for multi-core models of its Mobile Athlon series, cores from which
are repurposed in some models of the company's Geode embedded chips. However, as in the server and desktop markets, multicore chips are proliferating in embedded, due to heat and power advantages in certain applications. Embedded chip vendors working on or shipping chips with multiple processor cores include
Sony/IBM/Toshiba (Power),
Broadcom (MIPS),
PMC-Sierra (MIPS),
Freescale (PowerPC),
Cavium (MIPS),
TI (ARM11/DSP),
ARM Ltd. (ARM),
NEC (ARM), and
Centrality (ARM9/DSP).
Like the dual-core processors Intel said it shipped last week, AMD's dual-core chips have separate caches for each processor, a design that reduces design complexity at the expense of optimized hardware performance, according to an article about the new chips at
eWEEK.
The first of AMD's dual-core chips to ship are its 8xx series, intended for use in boards with four to eight processor slots. The 2xx series, for dual-slot boards, is due in late May, while the 1xx series, for single-slot boards, is expected sometime after that. All three product families will comprise 1.8, 2.0, and 2.2 GHz parts, named x65, x70, and x75, respectively. The shipping 8xx series is priced from $1,514 to $2,649 in 1,000-unit quantities.
Further details about AMD's dual-core chips are available at
eWEEK and at
PCMagazine.
Intel, AMD Fire First Multicore Salvos (eWEEK)
AMD Announces Its Dual Core (PC Magazine)
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