AMD took the hexa-core desktop processor code-named Thuban and turned into something even fiercer. The processor that will launch as Phenom II X6 series is said to sport a technology dubbed “C-state performance boost”. Just like Intel’s Turbo Boost, AMD’s technology can control the individual cores of the processor and turn them off when idle, or increase clock frequency on the active cores to improve performance in single-threaded applications.
The goal is to lower the average power consumption by deactivating cores when they are not needed, but at the same time maximize performance with applications that can’t make use of the many cores available.
Exactly who AMD has developed the technology is uncertain, but everything will happen on-die and be completely dynamic. in other words it doesn’t matter which operating system you use since the technology works without any user interaction.
AMD Phenom II X6 is slated for may 2010 and with the same base architecture as the current Phenom II family it will need some extra toppings to be really competitive. Especially since the top model is expected to arrive with relative modest 2.8GHz clock frequency. With AMD’s Phenom II series up and running at 3.4GHz stock frequency we would assume that the “Turbo- boost” will land at least north of that, perhaps even 3.6-3.8GHz when using only two cores, but that’s only speculation on our behalf since AMD chose not to comment on this new information.
