Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has started sampling its dual-core Opteron to PC OEMs in Taiwan, according to sources at the makers. When contacted about the samples, several makers, including Tyan, stated they had received samples but refused to comment further.
Sources close to Tyan revealed that the motherboard and server maker had already tested the dual-core Opteron in combination with Nvidia’s Nforce4 professional chipset for workstations and servers, and it has passed all preliminary tests for a single-CPU configuration. However, they have yet to test the dual-core CPU in a multi-processing system, the sources said. The Opteron part that Tyan is currently testing is in the 940-pin configuration, said the sources, adding that Tyan will also receive a 939-pin version of the Athlon 64 platform for workstations and entry-level servers.
AMD’s latest addition to its Opteron family runs a little hotter than its predecessors, with its power consumption at around 95W, said the sources.
Tyan’s OEM customers are increasingly building solutions based around the Opteron processor from AMD, said the sources.
Sources at the makers believe that AMD plans to launch the dual-core Opteron sometime in the second quarter, and very likely before Computex.
Tyan is expected to announce an 8-way Opteron-based server at CeBIT or Computex in 2005, said the sources. This server board would likely be based on a chipset from ServerWorks, a Broadcom subsidiary, according to the sources.
Sources at Asustek said the maker plans to launch a dual-Opteron server sometime in the first half of 2005 but could not give specifics on the release date. The sources explained that the company’s relationship with Intel was very good and it did not wish to jeopardize its position in any way. However, with more of its customers requesting AMD solutions, the maker decided to start developing motherboards and servers based on the Opteron and AMD64 parts.
Article edited by John McClure
