AMD Unveils Groundbreaking Platform Design for Its Next Generation Microprocessors
The AMD-8000 Series of Chipsets to Provide Evolutionary Building Blocks for Future Computing Platforms
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 21, 2002--AMD (NYSE:AMD - news)
today disclosed details of the AMD-8000(TM) series of chipsets, which
in conjunction with AMD's next generation processor architecture --
codenamed "Hammer" -- is expected to provide a groundbreaking
advancement to dramatically improve the overall performance of future
computing platforms.
The AMD-8000 series of chipsets is designed to be flexible and
modular in order to deliver building blocks for PC manufacturers to
produce advanced, high-performance desktop and mobile PCs, servers,
and workstations. The chipsets will incorporate HyperTransport(TM)
technology, which helps to diminish system bottlenecks, enable better
efficiency, and increase throughput to improve overall system
performance.
"We believe the AMD-8000 series of chipsets will represent a major
breakthrough in system chipset design, and will fundamentally alter
the way computers are made in the future," said Ed Ellett, vice
president of Marketing for AMD's Computation Products Group. "To meet
the high-bandwidth demands of current and future graphics and other
I/O devices, computer architecture will need to evolve from the
existing platform infrastructure. These chipsets are designed to be
compatible with today's hardware components, and allow for a seamless
transition to tomorrow's far more advanced, higher performance
platforms."
When introduced, the AMD-8000 series of chipsets will include the
AMD-8111(TM) HyperTransport I/O hub, the AMD-8131(TM) HyperTransport
PCI-X tunnel, and the AMD-8151(TM) HyperTransport AGP3.0 graphics
tunnel. These chipsets for the "Hammer" processors are planned to be
available in the fourth quarter of 2002, and are designed to provide
the basis for AMD processor-based systems to serve the PC,
workstation, and server markets.
The AMD-8000 series of chipsets is another example of AMD driving
beneficial new technologies into the market. Chipset vendors Ali, SiS,
NVIDIA, and VIA are also working closely with AMD, and are expected to
design and produce chipsets for AMD's "Hammer" processor.
About "Hammer" Processor Architecture
Industry leaders understand the need to anticipate and plan for
future computing needs while meeting today's challenges. The "Hammer"
processor architecture is designed to provide unparalleled PC
performance on 32-bit applications while allowing a migration path to
64-bit applications. The "Hammer" architecture is designed to allow a
seamless execution of both 32-bit and 64-bit code and allows
applications to meet the need for memory-intensive programs. The
"Hammer" family of microprocessors features a high-performance
integrated memory controller and a high-speed scalable system bus
using HyperTransport technology.
About AMD's x86-64 Technology
AMD's straightforward approach to 64-bit computing builds upon the
x86 instruction set, one of the industry's most proven and widely
supported technologies. AMD's x86-64 technology is designed to support
applications that address large amounts of physical and virtual
memory, such as high performance servers, database management systems,
and CAD tools. The x86-64 technology seamlessly integrates into the
current computing and support environment, and is designed to enable
enterprises to deploy high performance 64-bit capable systems that
build upon the billions of dollars already invested in 32-bit
software.
About HyperTransport(TM) Technology
HyperTransport technology is a high-speed, high-performance,
point-to-point link for integrated circuits, and is designed to meet
the bandwidth needs of tomorrow's computing and communications
platforms. HyperTransport technology helps reduce the number of buses
while providing a high-performance link for PCs, workstations, and
servers, as well as numerous embedded applications and highly scalable
multiprocessing systems. It is designed to allow chips inside of PCs,
networking and communications devices to communicate with each other
up to 48 times faster than with some existing bus technologies.
About AMD
AMD is a global supplier of integrated circuits for the personal
and networked computer and communications markets with manufacturing
facilities in the United States, Europe, Japan, and Asia. AMD, a
Fortune 500 and Standard & Poor's 500 company, produces
microprocessors, flash memory devices, and support circuitry for
communications and networking applications. Founded in 1969 and based
in Sunnyvale, California, AMD had revenues of $3.9 billion in 2001.
(NYSE:AMD - news).
AMD on the Web
For more information about today's announcement, please visit our
virtual pressroom at http://www.amd.com/news/spotlight. Additional
press releases are available at www.amd.com/news/news.html. For more
information about AMD's future products, please visit:
http://www.amd.com/us-
en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_4699,00.html.
Cautionary Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements, which are made
pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are
generally preceded by words such as "plans," "expects," "believes,"
"anticipates" or "intends." Investors are cautioned that all
forward-looking statements in this release involve risks and
uncertainty that could cause actual results to differ materially from
current expectations, including the risks that AMD will not introduce
the AMD-8000 series of chipsets and/or the "Hammer" processor by the
end of 2002 as is currently planned, and third-party chipset vendors
will not produce chipsets supporting the "Hammer" processor consistent
with AMD's current expectations. We urge investors to review in detail
the risks and uncertainties in the Company's filings with the United
States Securities Exchange Commission.
AMD, the AMD Arrow logo and combinations thereof, AMD-8000,
AMD-8111, AMD-8131, and AMD-8151 are trademarks of Advanced Micro
Devices, Inc. HyperTransport is a trademark of the HyperTransport
Technology Consortium. Other product names are for informational
purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective companies.
Contact:
AMD
Todd R. Burch, 408/749-4581 (PR)
todd.burch@amd.com
or
Toni Beckham, 408/749-3127 (IR)
