AMD confirms Hexa-core 'Thuban' processor

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**Gwar!**

AMD has confirmed to Maximum PC that it will release a Hexa-core (6 cores) processor (codename Thuban) next year that will be backwards compatible with AM3 and AM2+ socket-equipped motherboards. The confirmation comes after numerous rumors suggested that the company had a new 6-core chip in the works. "We are all about platform longevity and long-lived upgrade paths," an AMD spokesman said.

The comment is likely a jab at Intel for offering three different incompatible socket infrastructures currently for Desktop computers. The "Thuban" chip is expected to be marketed as the Phenom II X6, and is derived from the Opteron chip that surfaced earlier in the summer. It will feature all six cores on single 45nm die.

Thuban is likely to pack 904 million transistors in a 346mm2 chip, compared to Intel's Core-i7-975's 262mm2/731 million transistors and the Core i5-750's 296mm2/774 million transistors. It is expected to feature 3MB of L2 cache and 6MB of L3 cache.

The company did not offer up clock-speed details to Maximum PC, but it is expected to be lower than the quad-core parts due to the additional thermal output of two extra cores.

Please excuse me while I get new trousers.

The best bit is it is compatible with AM3 Socket. I just hope AMD include both memory controllers on it, DDR3 is still far to expensive compared to DDR2 for a minimal performance increase. Can't wait for the OCTOCORE!!!!!

**warpcrafter**

Awesome, now more stuff can go wrong with a computer all at the same time. Sounds like an extra cooling fan or two would be a no-brainer.

**Roze**

......moist.

**SilverMK2**

*waves a little AMD flag in celebration at the news*

**Roze**

do they have anything that would use 6 core?

**Gwar!**

Roze wrote:do they have anything that would use 6 core?

3 Dual Thread applications?

As for Cooling, Enthusiasts like me will be fine. I just bought an Antec 1200 along with a Xigmatek Thor's Hammer with Two Scythe 1900 Slipstreams on the Hammer

Short of Watercooling (not worth it IMO) I can't get much cooler

**SilverMK2**

Oh, I don't know, you could always get the latest pocket protector and scratch proof calculator cover

I am currently re-arranging the gubbins within my PC to take myself down from 6 hard drives and 2 disk drives to 2 hard drives and 1 disk drive as I am getting a lot of problems with heat (even though it worked fine for years).

I think I have partially melted my drive extension card...

**Fateweaver**

OS's take advantage of multiple cores, even if individual apps do not. I'm betting Win7 is going to for sure show improvement between dual and quad and hex.

I think next semester part of my student loans is going to go to building a new comp. DoW2 is barely playable at the lowest setting on this.

**Gwar!**

The main thing I find nice about multiple cores is multitasking. I play Eve Online, where it is practically a running joke about how much CPU time it eats. I always have 2 Accounts open at once and sometimes 3 (logged into their test server). Being able to assign 1 core to each client is a major boost for me