The representatives OF AMD already attempted to tell analysts and investors by statements about increase in the speed to 40-60% with the transfer to four core processor generation K8L; however, these forecasts related predominantly to the server processors with four core. Processors with two cores will be proposed to the majority of desktop systems in the following year, and supporters AMD would for sure be desirable to know, what increase in the speed will obtain the processors athlon 64 X2 after the passage to the architecture K8L.
For the beginning, let us check the assortment of dual core from this architecture. The processors athlon 64 X2 of new generation will exist in two varieties: with the divided cache in the third level (Kuma, previously Anatares) and without it (Rana, previously Arcturus). Both families processors will have socket AM2+ and allotted by 2 X 512 KB cache in the second level. Increase in the speed must ensure architectural changes, and also introduction of support DDR 2-1066 and expansions SSE4A. However, the influence of last factor will depend on the degree of the concrete optimization under applications with this collection of commands.
The representatives OF AMD appeared in Japan before the local journalists. for Japanese associates it was possible to entice from AMD representatives very important commentaries. In particular, it became known that by the divided cache of the third level the processors athlon 64 X2 (Kuma) will work on the average on 20% faster than their predecessors generation K8. In the context of this statement it is complicated to understand that an increase in the speed in 20% is ensured only by cache of the third level.
According to our estimations, the divided cache of the third level cannot exert a substantial influence on the speed of the processors generation K8L. In the case with the four core processors it will ensure increase in order 5% on the average. Dual core processors from its appearance will win less. the fact that the cache of the third level of shared into four core processor work as exchange of data between cores . The cache of the third level has sufficiently high delays. Increase performance from the cache of the third level will approach 20% only in those tasks, which actively work with memory using several cores simultaneously. However, the average value of increase will be modest, especially in the case with the dual core processors.
Thus, the named number “20%” has sense in the total increase of performance for dual core processors, ensured by all architectural innovations K8L in totality. will be these 20% sufficiently in order to fight with processors core 2 Duo from Intel? The answer will give the first tests, and also the data about the frequency range of processors K8L and their retail cost.