14 DAY TRIAL // Advanced Micro Devices is a company that has its collective hands full at the moment. For one thing it has to promote as best as it can the server line of the quad core processors that they just released and on the other hand (I'm running low on hands, here) they must prepare a new generation of mainboard chipsets, the quad core processors for desktop use, the second iteration of the server CPUs and it would be nice if it could find some time to extend its graphics cards offerings.
For now, let's talk about the upcoming AMD chipset that is intended to power the next generation of mainboards that will house the AM2+ socket and the next generation of central processing units based on the native quad core architecture. This chipset, the RD790, is intended as a high end, high performance solution that should be on the same level with the most powerful solutions made by Nvidia.
As the RD790 is going to be the high end offering when it comes to AM2+ compatible mainboards, Advanced Micro Devices decided that the commercial designation of this chipset should attract users and inspire some greater degree of confidence into undecided potential customers. So, the RD790 will be known as the 790FX, where FX is the famous designation sported by the enthusiast class of AMD processing units. Best known from the Athlon 64 series, the FX will make a second splash on the market as it will appear next to the Phenom line of products too.
While the 790FX mainboards will be designed for the AM2+ Phenom processors, they will also be compatible with older AM2 compatible CPUs and this should prove a good point for the manufacturing company as it may help it gain some ground on a market massively dominated by Nvidia. The 790FX will offer integrated support for DDR2 memory modules with a speed of 1066MHz and it will also support up to four graphics cards.
The official launch date for the first mainboards based on this new AMD chipset is not yet certain but it looks like it is most probable to be sometime in October or November.