AMD Shipping Triple-Core Phenoms
Advanced Micro Devices has begun shipping its triple-core Phenoms to OEMs, a source close to the company confirmed Thursday.
The source said that AMD is shipping the chips in volume to OEMs and PC makers, with a plan to officially launch the chips during the first quarter.
AMD said: SAN FRANCISCO—Advanced Micro Devices is adding a triple-core Phenom processor to its roadmap, AMD executives said Monday, selling processors that it would otherwise throw onto the scrap heap.

The chips will actually be a four-core Phenom with one core disabled, according to AMD representatives. It will be released during the first quarter of 2008, following the Phenom's launch this December, at an undetermined price.

AMD made the disclosures as part of a roadmap update that the company simultaneously provided to its customers and journalists alike, which added the "Toliman" triple-core chip in 2008, a second "Heka" triple-core chip in 2009, plus a next-generation "Regor" dual-core chip in 2009 as well. AMD's plans for its 65-nm "Stars" cores are now essentially public. The announcement was also timed to steal a bit of thunder from the Intel Developer Forum, taking place here this week. What does this the additional three-core Phenom mean? Potentially additional confusion for enthusiasts wanting to calculate the exact divisions of price and performance between AMD's various chips.

2  out of 2 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?