AMD sets out quad-core stall

AMD's multi-core processors will be available for servers, workstations and high-end desktops

AMD has revealed plans to bring quad-core chips to the market by mid-2007. 

The multi-core processors will be available for servers, workstations and high-end desktops.

AMD will use its 65nm Silicon-on-Insulator process to build the new chips, which reduces current leakage by placing an insulating layer between the silicon and the transistor.

To reduce power consumption, the processors will be able to dynamically vary the frequency at which each core runs depending on the workload.

This capability will also be included in dual-core processors designed for mainstream desktop machines and notebooks.

Mobile chips will be able to dynamically power one or both cores on or off, improving battery life.

A platform for enthusiasts, codenamed 4x4, will also provide a four-core system by combining two dual-core processors.

The 4x4 platform has been designed to accommodate the quad-core chips when they launch, providing eight cores for gaming, digital video and processor-intensive applications.

AMD demonstrated the 65nm products built in its newest Fab 36 facility in Dresden using technology jointly developed with IBM. 

The company plans to move to 45nm technology 18 months after the initial introduction of 65nm products.