AM2: AMD Reinvents Itself

All New AM2 Processors

AMD is fitting the AM2 socket with 17 new processors with the DDR2 memory interface, including six Sempron CPUs, two new Athlon 64s and a top model: the Athlon 64 FX-62 with 2.8 GHz. According to AMD, processors for Socket 939 will continue to be available, but no new models will be developed.

The new top CPU from AMD: The Athlon 64 FX-62

The Athlon 64 FX-62 is now clocked at 2.8 GHz

The fastest available Athlon 64 with 2.6 GHz

The switch to DDR2 means that the CPUs need a stepping update. The old E stepping was replaced in both the Athlon 64 and Athlon 64 FX by the new F revision. This has also raised the number of transistors slightly; among the processors with 1 MB L2 cache, the number of transistors has grown from 223.5 million to 227.4 million, while those with 512 kB cache have increased from 150 million to 153.8 million. The models with 1 MB have a die surface area of 230 mm². The processors with 512 kB Cache usually cover 183 mm², but may also be the same size as a 1 MB CPU, if the active cache is cut in half. The new CPUs continue to be manufactured using 90 nm process technology.

Taking a close look at the CPU list, along with the processors' properties and memory clock speeds, it's plain to see that the 5000+ is surplus to requirements. The 4000+ is included as a new candidate in the middle, which wasn't around for Socket 939.

The Sempron now has more than 81.1 million transistors. All previous Sempron models were only available for Socket 754 and had to make do with a single-channel memory interface. That is a thing of the past at AMD, as all CPUs for the new Socket AM2 have a dual-channel interface. Because the Sempron still has a very small cache of 128 kB or 256 kB, it depends on high memory bandwidths. All Sempron fans can now look forward to faster speeds on the new platform.