AMD 3DNow! instructions finally extinct as LLVM compiler drops support

(Image credit: AMD)

AMD’s near-ancient 3DNow! instructions have faded even further into obscurity. Open-source compiler LLVM is finally removing support for the set of instructions that hasn’t been supported by AMD’s CPUs since 2011.

The 3DNow! instruction set was introduced in 1998 as a competitor to Intel’s MMX. It added Single Instruction, Multiple Data (SIMD) instructions to AMD’s base x86 instruction set, which helped the CPUs do vector processing of floating-point operations using vector registers.

“This set of instructions was only supported by AMD chips starting in the K6-2 (introduced 1998), and before the “Bulldozer” family (2011). They were never much used, as they were effectively superseded by the more-widely-implemented SSE (first implemented on the AMD side in Athlon XP in 2001).

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Jeff Butts has been covering tech news for more than a decade, and his IT experience predates the internet. Yes, he remembers when 9600 baud was “fast.” He especially enjoys covering DIY and Maker topics, along with anything on the bleeding edge of technology.

2 Comments Comment from the forums

usertests

I have a Llano APU that supports this. My 3D graphics are safe.
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DS426

Oh yeah, AMD K6-2... that was the first CPU that I used when my dad taught me how to build a PC way back when. :) 380 MHz if I recall?
Seems to have also intentionally or unintentionally planted a spirit of underdog enthusiasm in me ever since.

Anyways, I imagine everyone expect for maybe one or two yahoos in the Universe are safe with 3DNow! being dropped. Seemed like a neatly marketed instruction way back when, even if it wasn't nearly implemented as much as Commander Intel's SSE instruction line. Gaming was more of a shock and awe thing for me back then -- if I could even play the game (if it would run, have sound, and have enough playable FPS), it was awesome.
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