Recently there have been a lot of rumors going around AMD’s coming processor models, among others we’ve at least heard of Windsor, Orleans and Manila. Well now they’ve appeared again in a report about a whole new platform from AMD. At X-bit Labs they’ve posted an article on AMD’s Socket M2 that will be launched during the first half of 2006. Socket M2 will at first become haven for AMD’s flagship(s) on the processor market, much like Socket 939 was when it was brand new.
The three processors that initially will be launched for Socket M2 are the previously mentioned Windsor, Orleans and Manila. The thing they seem to have have in common are DDR2 SDRAM support, at least it seems all three will support it. Although that does not appear to be the reason for the socket change since sources indicate to X-bit Labs that also Socket 939/940 could handle an integrated DDR2-memory controller.
Instead it seems the technologies Presidio and Pacifica (security and multi-user-technologies) are to be introduced with the top models.
“The Windsor is a high-end core for AMD that is likely to be used on premier AMD Athlon 64 FX and AMD Athlon 64 chips. The product will sport two processing engines, dual-channel DDR2 SDRAM controller, as well as security and virtualization capabilities code-named Presidio and Pacifica, respectively. The Orleans – a chip expected to power AMD’s mainstream Athlon 64 products – will also sport dual-channel DDR2 memory controller in addition to security and virtualization capabilities. The Manila is a future incarnation of AMD Sempron processor: it is unlikely to support advanced features like Presidio and Pacifica, but is claimed to have dual-channel DDR2 memory controller.”
If this information is correct, which of course hasn’t been verified by AMD, is accurate it means the hope for their dual-core architecture Toledo isn’t as certain as one might believe. Toledo will probably be launched during the third quarter of 2005 on the Socket 939 platform without support for DDR2 and similar. If Toledo would be delayed there is a big risk many consumers will start to look at the next platform instead, AMD’s Socket M2 and the Windsor.
