Am more interested in Bulldozer.

1. K8=K7+memory controller
2. K10=K8+minor tweaks

When you think about it, it's almost time to be celebrating the Athlon's 10th anniversary. In AMD's defense, it doesn't have the resources to come up with a new architecture every now and then, but at this rate they'll be eternally playing catch-up.

I expect the 45nm Phenom to surprise everyone.

We know AMD practically "gave up" on it's 65nm process this year and focused it's engineers into improving the upcoming 45nm process. This hurt Phenom sales for 2008 but could have helped AMD's 45nm process to catch up to Intel's. The big question is, how much has AMD been able to reduce Intel's development lead?

Those AMD engineers don't have the funding Intel has, but judging from AMD's past performance, I think 45nm Phenom will show an impressive leap in IPC over 65nm. It doesn't necessarily have to beat Core i7 straight up. Phenom can survive in second place if it's a close second. All they need is decent speed, power usage and heat production. I'll be shocked if the 45nm Phenoms in January run hot.

So what about the Opterons? AMD could be launching those first, as with the first K8's and K10's. Lower clocked parts of course. But it would certainly meet the "shipping 45nm processors" goal.

The best we can hope for is AMD doing something like this.

2900 = 65nm Phenom
3870 = 45nm Phenom
4870 = AMD's next gen

I'm wondering how much these 45nm phenoms will actually cost, should be somewhere in the $250-$300 neighborhood

I've done my part to support AMD, I purchased a 4870 and I'm happy with it but until some serious numbers come out of AMD for benchmarks I won't be upgrading.
(and considering how quick this 45nm 4ghz E8500 I just got is, I can't see them offering something substantially quicker for a long time, PLUS nehalem is coming and is to be even quicker!)

I may however recommend AMD for budget machines for other people if they get their price / performance ratio fixed up (Sadly intel are fighting well at the low cost end too)

The lesson today is that, if you repeat a rumor enough, it becomes the truth.

OK, so one site posts a rumor, and then a bit later another site repeats the same rumor with some added embellishment, and suddenly the rumors are "gaining traction" when the rumor is repeated a third time by TR...? It seems to me that regardless of how often a given rumor is repeated that it remains rumor until proven otherwise...;)

Dont worry. AMD will pull an awsome CPU out of their magic hat, just like they did with the 4870. Wait, that was ATI...

Twas sarcasm ... meaning K8 was more than the memory controller, but added 64 bits...

That would be unfortunate, as I was hoping to see them available to end user purchasers in a November-ish timeframe.

Mmm. My next build will be with the Bulldozer core in late 09... wait... I mean late 2010. :)

(Gotta give some breathing room!)

miss posted...

Deneb is coming with socket AM3 which directly aim against iCore7