14 DAY TRIAL // AMD might have been ahead of everyone else when it came to launching graphics cards with support for DirectX 11, but the company's central processing unit business can't really boasts of having achieved a similar performance. Over the past several months, the company has been lagging behind Intel, offering little in the way of new processors, whereas the Santa Clara CPU maker released new chips for virtually all market segments. AMD still hasn't managed to match its rival's collection of chips, but plans to make a significant step towards this end by introducing not just one but an entire collection of six-core CPUs.
Not long ago, a leaked Gigabyte slide revealed the clock frequencies of some of the upcoming Thuban processors. Among those mentioned were the 2.8GHz 1055T, the 2.6GHz 1035T and the 1075T, whose exact frequency is unknown but is expected to revolve around 3GHz.
What will immediately strike consumers is the variety of this offer. Intel may have been the first to market six-core chips, but it only has one model and that one is meant for enthusiasts only. AMD's units, on the other hand, come in multiple performance capabilities, which means they will cover multiple price points.
The fact that the Sunnyvale, California-based company's lineup is more varied is obviously meant to rekindle consumer interest in AMD chips. The only loose end in the report was the fact that no mention was made of any chip that would have a chance at the same market segment as Intel's Core i7-980X EE.
ATI-Forum.de suggests that there will, indeed, be a Phenom II X6 capable of engaging the Gulftown. Unfortunately, the name and specs are unknown, although, to compete, the chip would have to have a clock of at least 3.1/3.2GHz.
The processor should be out by the third quarter.