AMD Turion64 X2 Launched

AMD just released details of the new dual core Turion64 X2 cpu's

AMD Turion™ 64 X2 Mobile Technology

TL-60 - 35W - 2.0 GHz - 2 x 512 KB
TL-56 - 33W - 1.8 GHz - 2 x 512 KB
TL-52 - 31W - 1.6 GHz - 2 x 512 KB
TL-50 - 31W - 1.6 GHz - 2 x 256 KB
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_13909_13911,00.html

They support DDR2 memory upto PC2 5300 or DDR2 667.

Press Release...
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Corporate/VirtualPressRoom/0,,51_104_543~108456,00.html

Pricing:
AMD Turion 64 X2 models TL-50, TL-52, TL-56 and TL-60 are available immediately worldwide. The AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology family ranges from $184-$354 in 1K-unit quantities.

AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology is based on the same industry-leading Direct Connect Architecture featured in the AMD Opteron™ and AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 processors, providing high-speed links between cores, memory and I/O for increased system performance. The advanced feature set of AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology also includes:

* Multi-core Power Management, enabling reduced power consumption for extended battery life;
* AMD Digital Media Xpress for accelerated image processing, audio and video encoding and decoding, 3D graphic rendering; and
* AMD Virtualization, providing improved performance, reliability, and security for virtualized environments.

Business professionals and consumers worldwide can expect to see notebooks based on AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology in retail stores and through commercial distribution channels this quarter. Systems are initially expected from Acer, ASUS, BenQ, Flocity, FSC, Fujitsu, Gateway, HP, MSI, NEC, Packard Bell, Sotec and TongFang.

Thanks brianstretch

 

AMD still use 512kb cache instead 2x1MB.

 

The basic architechture is not really too hungry for cache's plus the advantages offered by the on board memory controller allows faster access to the RAM. Although more is better it comes down to the ratio between the increase in price/power to the performance gain. The 128K L1 cache is also inclusive so it adds on to the L2 unlike Intels L1 cache.

Larger the cahce higher is the latency, so it all comes down to what type of architecture a cpu has.

 

Yeah and I just took delivery of my Asus A6K Turion64 x1 notebook! Any idea on pricing? I'm hoping they'll be more so there's some comfort for me there! Happy with the unit though, apart from the glossy screen.

 

oh no you really dont want the matt screen unless you are couped up in a room all day.

My turion notebook has a matt screen and the A6v the glossy colour shine one, and its much nicer! specially when the light is bright! IMHO


insane

 

AMD hasofficially announced its next generation of mobile processors, theAMD Turion 64 X2 mobile processor family, the first64-bit dual-core processor to make it to market for notebook PCs.

AMD is touting the fact they are first to market with 64-bit dual core technology for mobile processors, highlighting the fact they've beaten Intel to such a release. Intel will release their Merom family of dual core 64-bit processors in the August time frame:

"AMD is first to market with the only 64-bit dual-core mobile processor, driving the wave of next-generation mobile platforms that are ready today to run the upcoming 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows Vista," said Chris Cloran, vice president, AMD Mobile Division. "This is advanced mobile technology for the office or home, packing dual-core processing for extreme multi-tasking, 64-bit computing, extended battery life and cutting-edge technology from industry leaders in wireless, connectivity and graphics."

HP will be one of the first companies on board with notebooks featuringthe Turion X2 processor. Last week HP announced the HP Pavilion dv2000 and Compaq Presario v3000 notebooks that will incorporate the Turion X2 processor. Availability of these HPnotebooks with the Turion X2 is expected for June. Other notebook makers expected to use the Turion X2 are Acer, ASUS, BenQ, Flocity, FSC, Fujitsu, Gateway, HP, MSI, NEC, Packard Bell, Sotec and TongFang.

AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology is based on the same industry-leading Direct Connect Architecture featured in the AMD Opteron and AMD Athlon 64 X2 processors, providing high-speed links between cores, memory and I/O for increased system performance. The advanced feature set of AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology also includes:

• Multi-core Power Management, enabling reduced power consumption for extended battery life;
• AMD Digital Media Xpress for accelerated image processing, audio and video encoding and decoding, 3D graphic rendering; and
• AMD Virtualization, providing improved performance, reliability, and security for virtualized environments.

Below are the specific chips in the Turion X2 family that havebeen announced by AMD

AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile Technology

TL-60 - 35W - 2.0 GHz - 2 x 512 KB
TL-56 - 33W - 1.8 GHz - 2 x 512 KB
TL-52 - 31W - 1.6 GHz - 2 x 512 KB
TL-50 - 31W - 1.6 GHz - 2 x 256 KB


Windows Vista Compatibility

AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology is optimized for the 64-bit versions of the upcoming Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. AMD has worked closely with Microsoft to identify and develop key hardware components in support of Microsoft Windows Vista, the next generation Windows operating system.

Pricing:

AMD Turion 64 X2 models TL-50, TL-52, TL-56 and TL-60 are available immediately worldwide. The AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile technology family ranges from $184-$354 in 1K-unit quantities.

Press Release

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Corporate/VirtualPressRoom/0,,51_104_543~108456,00.html

 

Yeah, but that doesn't matter. Look at their desktop dual-core line. The extra cache helps, but it's not a deal-maker...yet. As previously stated, their current architecture doesn't benefit too much from extra cache

 

According to hardwarezone AMD has also updated their budget mobile Sempron chips. They now include dual channel memory configurations, support DDR2 667 memory and now come with 512k L2 cache. Basically older single core Turions are now being sold as the mobile Semprons but with the added benefits of moving to dual channel and DDR2 memory.

Hardwarezone has an article(preview) on the Turion64 X2 & mobile Sempron...
http://www.hardwarezone.com/articles/view.php?id=1904&cid=2&pg=1

 

is this a "paper launch"? i cannot find any sites actually reviewing the product.

 

yeah, it's paper so there's no real hard numbers to show. In the end, this is mostly marketing hype until AMD hands the processor over to a review site.

 

Yippee!! I have been waiting for this... dual core, 64 bit, low power. Now just need to find them coupled to an Nvidia gpu and I will have my ultimate linux laptop for modeling! Oh, Joy!

 

Yeah I wonder how the X2 loaded and configd with high end graphics and memory will be for gaming, photoshop, etc. in comparison to the intel core duo.

lol the question is should I wait another month to get a really nice X2 laptop or go now and get a really nice core duo laptop

 

OK where can I get one? This is by far my first choice processor at the moment, and I've been waiting for it. Hoping for something in a widescreen format no bigger than 14". I don't care too much about graphics speed. Airgo wireless a plus.

How big is the screen going to be on the Asus A6T?

 

http://www.pioneercomputers.com.au/products/configure.asp?c1=89&c2=93&id=1693

Regards
Raptor

 

I think I'm going to wait about a month to see how well the X2 does and if HP's 15" laptops will have a designated graphics card for the AMD processor.

Does anyone know about when the release of conroe and merom is for intel? I'm worried I'll get the X2 and then a little bit later merom will be this uber chip that totally mops the floor w/ the X2 =/.

 

Remember that AMD processors have an on-die memory controller, and don't have as much room to put cache on there as Intel does. For reasons stated earlier, it will remain competitive with Intel.

Can't wait for the benchmarks. Glad to see it is 'officially' released.

 

some benchmarks:
http://www.matbe.com/articles/lire/299/amd-turion-64-x2-socket-s1-et-ddr2/

 

Here's a Google translation of the benchmarking article --> http://translate.google.com/translate?sourceid=navclient&hl=en&u=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2ematbe%2ecom%2farticles%2flire%2f299%2famd%2dturion%2d64%2dx2%2dsocket%2ds1%2det%2dddr2%2f

 

I knew it, Core duo is a bit faster.

Regards
Raptor

 

I would wait for a few more test suites before determining final speeds. I don't really care which is faster, as long as the x2 is reasonably close, i'd take a dual core 64-bit processor for my personal machine, but you're not going to lose with either CPU.

 

Well even if intel is faster (need more bencharks to determine this) its not 64bit and won't be for about another quarter. Also AMD is cheaper.

 

god..... that's really disappointing.. =/

 

Once Intel reduces prices of core duo on May 28 Turion x2 loses that advantage as well. XP 64-bit aint great and Vista release is still a while away.

Merom which is at an average 20% clock for clock faster would stretch the lead even further. Looking at the TDP for Turion x2 it seems to increase with clockspeed. So AMD would struggle to release faster cpus until 65nm which may not be until H1 2007 at the earliest.

Intel is having better IPC and higher speeds as well.

 

Those bench are certainly deceving. Still I hate when company makes promises and dont deliver. I remember hearing 5 hours autonomy for X2 and a processor that could read 3 Divx at the same time, including one in HD.

So far it sure wont' keep with the promises... wait for a couple more reviews? I don't think it will be different. AMD missed the train with the first Turion. It won't surprise me if they repeat the exercise with the X2.
-

P.S. Now you see why Apple cutted a deal with Intel, not AMD!

.... .... ....

 

wow are the prices really going to drop again at the end of May? If that is so that might make me consider holding off getting core duo laptop, if soon it will even cheaper.

 

My post is a bit long, pardon. My opinion on the Turion X2:

Although the Turion X2 is supposed to be a competitor to the Intel Core Duo, I don't believe it to be one for a few reasons.
One - the Turion X2 is still using the AMD K8 microarchitecture. That's comparable to the last-gen of Intel products, not the Core architecture present in the new Core Duo processors. The K8 arch. used in the Turion X2 isn't even improved; it's the same as it has been for a long time. Sure, it adds DDR2 memory support, but who cares? DDR2 doesn't do much for AMD to begin with. The onboard memory controller and DDR400 dual-channel memory already gave AMD great performance together. Having an onboard controller minimized latencies and the bandwidth it could achieve was much closer to the RAM's maximum theoretical bandwidth capability than anything Intel had to offer. Because of the onboard memory controller, AMD can't fit as much cache onto the die as Intel can; then again, because of the onboard controller, they don't need to.

The Turion X2 is more of an experiment for AMD in my opinion . . AMD has now figured out how to vary the voltages for each core, employ DDR2 memory, and wrap it up in a new socket. Sounds good. The inner product, what really matters - the K8 microarchitecture - isn't improved. That's the problem. When AMD busts out its new architecture, then we'll see how it stacks up to the Core. Don't expect anything more out of AMD this year, if their schedule doesn't change. Moving the socket is the major step forward for future AMD processors. We're just getting the previous/current (whatever you want to call it)-gen hardware on the new socket to hold us and the manufacturers over in the mean time.

I'm not blasting AMD, simply stating some overlooked facts. Until AMD rolls out its new architecture next year as I said, things will stay as they are. AMD built up its reputation and got "street cred" over the last couple years, especially with the Athlon 64 and Opteron lines. That will hold them high until next year. For now, sit tight.

Chaz

 

I want to buy a laptop with TL60 but I cant see it available anywhere. Any idea how soon one would be available at a reasonable price.

 

yeah i agree with Chazman421, It looks like AMD are feeling now what Intel felt when they introduced Prescott. too little too late.

I'm a total AMD fanboy, but i concede that they're been out-done 'this time'.

*speculation* i reckon Intel are releasing core 2 duo not cos they have to, but to teach AMD a leason for the big law suit going on.


insane

 

any idea if the hp dv2000z will take ddr2 667 or do i have to stay with 533? also, soes anyone know what kind of ram comes in the dv2000z?