AMD adjusts three-core Phenom roll-out plan, moles claim

Quad-core roadmap revised too

By Tony Smith • Get more from this author

1st February 2008 11:21 GMT

AMD's upcoming tri-core Phenom 8000-series desktop processors will appear next month, though only two of the anticipated three three-core CPUs will make it to market, it has been claimed.

According to PC manufacturer sources cited by Chinese-language site HKEPC, only the 2.1GHz Phenom 8400 and the 2.3GHz Phenom 8600 will arrive in March - presumably after a CeBIT launch.

Skip a month, however, and May will see the arrival of the 2.4GHz 8750, with the 2.1GHz 8450 and 2.3GHz 8650 following it in the broader May-June timeframe, the moles suggested.

What distinguishes the 8x50 chips from 8x00 parts is, apparently, that they're based on a more recent version of the core, the so-called 'B3 stepping'. The 8400, 8600 and 8700 are all B2s. With the 8700 most recently scheduled for a Q2 appearance, AMD presumably decided that was too close to the debut of a B3 part at the same clock speed and - if the moles are correct - cancelled it.

Likewise, the quad-core Phenom 9900, clocked at 2.6GHz, is claimed to have been knocked on the head. Ditto the 2.4GHz 9700.

According to the moles, Q2 will see the arrival of the 2.2GHz 9550, the 2.3GHz 9650 and the 2.4GHz 9750. The 2.6GHz P9950 will ship in Q3, it's said. All the quad-cores are down as being based upon the B3 core stepping.

Related Reviews
• AMD Phenom 9500 processor
• More processor reviews...