AMD has launched its new Opteron 6000 series server platform.

The Opteron 6000 series CPUs addresses three key data center trends:

Virtualization – Support up to 48 cores in a 4P configuration as well as virtualization acceleration technology
Power management – Incorporates AMD-P suite of power management features, which minimize the usage of the whole CPU, of individual cores and even specific logic within each core based on current workload
Value – Twice the performance of the previous generation platform, double the cores, all at the same price point
The catch? Well, it’s that upgrading to the Opteron 6000 series will mean whole-scale server replacements because directly upgrades of the servers isn’t possible because the Opteron 6000 series use a G34 socket as opposed to the Socket F used on older Opteron processors. The G34 platform provides support for four DDR3 channels and up to four processor sockets.

Target: Enterprise Class 2-way and 4-way Servers

Twelve-core and Eight–core, L2 – 512K/core, L3 – 12MB of shared L3 Cache
AMD CoolCore™ technology, AMD PowerNow!™ technology, Enhanced C1 state, AMD CoolSpeed technology, APML (in APML enabled platforms)
Quad-Channel LV & U/RDDR3, ECC, support for on-line spare memory
Supports up to 3 DIMMs/channel, up to 12 DIMMS per CPU
Planned platforms 2P/2U, 2P Tower, 4P rack,
4P Blade
Single Series for performance DP and MP platforms

2P economics for 4P servers
Compelling price/performance for volume market
G34 Socket Infrastructure

Balanced performance with power/thermals
Quad 16-bit HyperTransport™ 3 technology (HT3) links, up to 6.4 GT/s per link
AMD SR56×0 chipset with I/O Virtualization and PCIe® 2.0

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This board is prepped for the hexacore AMD Phenom II X6.

AMD and its motherboard partners today released the AMD 890GX Chipset, integrated with the ATI Radeon HD 4290, and are designed to be compatible with the upcoming AMD Phenom II X6 six-core processor.

The AMD 890GX Chipset supports the SATA 3.0 6Gb/s hard drive interface and many AMD 890GX-based motherboards feature SuperSpeed USB 3.0 support.

We’ve got our hands on the Gigabyte GA-890GPA-UD3H, the Asus M4A89GTD Pro/USB3, and the MSI 890GXM-G65. After putting them through a barrage of tests, our reviews department found that AMD’s SB850 southbridge is probably the best reason to select an 890GX motherboard over the products it replaces thanks to the new integrated SATA 6Gb/s controller.AMD’s chipsets have long provided great features for the money, especially compared to high-end platforms like X48 and X58 from its chief rival, Intel. Everything between the mid-priced (still high-end) 790FX to its more commonplace integrated-graphics products can be attractive, depending on your usage model.

AMD’s multi-monitor advantage comes from the way it separates PCIe and GPU functions to deliver sixteen PCIe 2.0 lanes to graphics cards (up to two) without sacrificing integrated graphics functionality. Its Catalyst driver package controls both onboard and discrete Radeon graphics controllers simultaneously, seamlessly managing multiple desktop configurations. The three boards in today’s roundup have another advantage over those of our recent H55 comparison, in that those products didn’t support DVI dual-link mode for extra-large displays.

Another advantage today’s motherboards have over the Intel H55-based competition is the chipset’s additional PCIe 2.0 lanes, one of which supplies each of today’s motherboards with the same USB 3.0 controller at its full 5.0 Gb/s interface bandwidth. Intel’s chipset lanes run at half-speed, so that two lanes and a costly PCIe switch are required to reach the controller’s maximum throughput.

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The year 2009 was a busy but good one for AMD. The company won a huge victory when the European Antitrust Commission found Intel guilty of anticompetitive practices and fined the company $1.45 billion. Though AMD didn’t received a share of the fine, the case laid the foundations for a similar case in the United States. The FTC is still investigating Intel, but late last year, the company settled with AMD, resolving all legal disputes. The settlement saw Intel hand over $1.25 billion in damages and it was that money that helped AMD post its first profit in three years.

AMD yesterday posted a Q4 revenue of  $1.65 billion, an increase of 18 percent compared to the previous quarter and 42 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2008. Net income attributable to AMD common stockholders was $1.178 billion, or $1.52 per share. AMD reported an operating income of $1.288 billion.

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Gigabyte has showcased their latest range of motherboards featuring their 24-phase power VRM design and Smart 6 technologies at Computex 2009. Also on offer were a sneak peek at various motherboard models featuring the highly anticipated Intel P55 chipset series, as well as the GA-MA785G-UD3H based on the exciting AMD 785G chipset.

The first of its kind, Gigabyte’s proprietary 24-phase power VRM is designed to enhance efficiency of power delivery to the CPU while reducing heat by spreading the workload over the 24 power phases. The new technologies that are being unveiled are not only limited to hardware. Gigabyte will also introduce smarter computing with its Smart 6 Technologies that have been designed with user-friendliness in mind. They include Smart QuickBoot, Smart Recorder, Smart TimeLock, Smart Recovery, Smart QuickBoost and Smart DualBIOS for easier, Smarter PC system management.

Gigabyte displayed live demos of the flagship X58 chipset-based GA-EX58A-EXTREME motherboard and the upcoming Intel P55 chipset-based GA-EP55-UD5 motherboard. Both motherboards feature the 24 phase power VRM design that enable unadulterated power delivery to the system for unparalleled overclocking ability combined with the lowest possible temperatures for enhanced stability. They also support next generation SATA at 6Gbps to deliver twice the data transfer rate of current SATA motherboards.

Also on display was the Gigabyte’s Smart TPM that allows users to lock the TPM protected content remotely using a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone.

On the AMD front, Gigabyte presented the GA-MA790FXT-UD5P – the highest performing AMD Dragon Platform motherboard for next generation AMD AM3 Phenom II processors that deliver definitive high performance computing for work, home and gaming.

The new Gigabyte flagship motherboard for the AMD platform supports 45nm AMD Phenom II processors featuring HyperTransport 3.0 technology. Other noteworthy features include high-performance DDR3 support that allows the Gigabyte GA-MA790FXT-UD5P to reach memory speeds of up to 1666+MHz (OC) for fast memory access during the latest applications and games.

Also on showcase were the Gigabyte GA-MA785G-UD3H that offers DirectX 10.1 gaming and fluid computing with ATI Stream technology. The Gigabyte GA-MA785G-UD3H features the latest AMD 785G chipset with ATI RADEON HD 4200 graphics and is AMD’s Mainstream Desktop solution for Microsoft Windows 7.

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