| Q: | Why is Cool`n`Quiet™ technology not running on my AMD-based system with Windows Vista™?
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| A: | Microsoft Windows Vista has the latest Cool`n`Quiet driver built in and has Cool`n`Quiet enabled by default. No additional driver installation is required. If Cool`n`Quiet is not running on your Windows Vista based AMD64 desktop system please ensure that your motherboard BIOS is Windows Vista compliant and Cool’n’Quiet enabled. Customers may have to contact their system or motherboard vendor for a BIOS update that can enable Cool`n`Quiet technology on Windows Vista. |
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| Q: | Where can I download the latest AMD Cool`n`Quiet™ driver for use with Microsoft® Windows Vista™?
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| A: | Microsoft Windows Vista now has the latest Cool`n`Quiet driver built in and has Cool`n`Quiet enabled by default. No additional driver installation is required. |
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| Q: | How do I enable Cool`n`Quiet™ on my AMD-based system with Windows Vista™?
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| A: | Microsoft® Windows Vista has the latest Cool`n`Quiet driver built in and has Cool`n`Quiet enabled by default. No additional driver installation is required.
To check that Cool`n`Quiet technology is working please follow the below steps –
- Please ensure that your motherboard BIOS is Windows Vista compliant and Cool`n`Quiet enabled. You may have to contact your system manufacturer or motherboard manufacturer for help to do this or for possible BIOS updates that may enable support for Cool`n`Quiet.
- Under Microsoft Windows Vista, from the main menu please open “Control Panel” then open the “System and Maintenance” option and then from there select “Power Options”. From the “Power Options” menu please ensure that the “Balanced” power plan is selected. This is the Windows Vista default setting.
- Download and install the AMDclock utility from http://www.amd.com/drivers this utility shows the processor speed in real time and you can easily see Cool`n`Quiet technology working to slow down the processors speed when the system is not under high use.
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| Q: | What is AMD announcing?
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| A: | On May 23, 2006, AMD announced the top-to-bottom transition to socket AM2 in the commercial and consumer desktop space. As a customer-centric company, AMD believes in delivering technologies that benefit customers and end users. The transition to socket AM2 is designed to enable performance enhancements and next-generation platform innovations such as AMD Virtualization and high-performance, unbuffered DDR2 memory.
AMD also plans to announce the immediate availability of the AMD Athlon™ FX-62 dual-core processor, the world’s ultimate processor for PC enthusiasts, and the AMD Athlon™ X2 dual-core processor 5000+.
AMD expects to have client systems available from leading OEMs and system builders worldwide. For information on “where to buy,” please visit www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_9485_9488^13702,00.html |
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| Q: | Why are the desktop processors transitioning to AM2?
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| A: | AMD believes in bringing customer-centric technology to market that benefits the industry of providers for the AMD ecosystem and end users. By offering the AMD64 processors in the socket AM2 platform, AMD is helping enable performance enhancements and next-generation platform innovations with the use of cost-effective four-layer circuit boards and a 128-bit integrated DDR memory controller. In addition, the socket AM2 transition is designed to allow consolidation to help streamline the work for motherboard manufacturers, while helping reduce prices through economies of scale, which can result in better products at lower costs. |
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| Q: | Which OEMs will offer systems with socket AM2 processors?
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| A: | Systems with socket AM2 processors are expected to be available from leading OEMs and system builders worldwide. |
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| Q: | What benchmarks are you using?
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| A: | Please visit www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_9485_9488^9532,00.html for a complete list of benchmarks we use. AMD divides its benchmarks into three categories: overall performance, overall productivity, and overall digital media (and overall gaming – for the FX family of processors). |
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| Q: | What are the key features and benefits of the AMD Athlon FX and AMD Athlon X2 dual-core processors?
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| A: | The AMD dual-core processors are based on AMD64 technology, which provides:
Choice:
- OEMs can select from industry-leading technologies to build differentiated solutions.
Performance:
- Leading-edge performance to enable an immersive experience.
- HyperTransport™ technology for increased bandwidth and reducing bottlenecks inherent in traditional front-side bus architectures.
- High-performance on-die cache.
- Integrated DDR2 memory controller designed to increase performance on memory-intensive applications.
Security :
- Enhanced Virus Protection* designed to prevent the spread of certain malicious viruses, computer worms and Trojan horses.
Dynamic Power Management:
- Cool‘n'Quiet™ technology designed for reduced power consumption and quieter and less heat intensive systems.
Investment Protection:
- The ability to seamlessly migrate from today's 32-bit software to 64-bit PC applications.
AMD Virtualization
- Chip-based ‘virtualization' allows for a single PC to act like multiple virtual machines
AMD Athlon FX-62 dual-core processor only :
- Full-throttle 64-bit and dual-core technologies for amazing gaming and digital media capabilities
- True dual-core design for increased performance when multi-tasking
- Takes advantage of multi-threaded PC software
- Integrated memory controller to reduce memory access latencies
- Runs today's 32- and 64-bit software with leading-edge performance
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| Q: | Does AMD still plan to support socket 939-pin package parts? If so, for how long?
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| A: | As a customer-centric company, we plan to support the socket 939-pin package parts as long as customer demand warrants it. |
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| Q: | What are the major differences between socket AM2 and socket 939-pin?
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| A: | Socket AM2 provides support for DDR2 memory. Socket AM2 is almost identical to socket 939 but uses a protective mechanism (a manufacturing “key”) designed to prevent any socket 939-pin CPUs (DDR1 only) from being inserted into a socket AM2 motherboard, and to prevent socket AM2 CPUs (DDR2 only) from being inserted into a socket 939-pin motherboard. |
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| Q: | What is DDR2 memory and what is the benefit to customers? What speeds of DDR2 will AMD support?
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| A: | DDR2 memory is the next generation of DDR memory that supports the open standards efforts of the Joint Electronic Device Engineering Council (JEDEC), the governing body for integrated circuit specifications. It uses an advanced signaling scheme that can offer higher data transfer rates than DDR1 memory. The advanced signaling scheme mentioned above allows high transfer rates using traditional PC motherboard manufacturing techniques. DDR2 benefits to customers include lower voltage and higher frequency headroom than DDR1 memory.
Socket AM2 processors from AMD will support DDR2 speeds of 400MHz, 533MHz, 667MHz and, for AMD Athlon™ X2 dual-core and AMD Athlon™ FX dual-core processors, 800MHz.
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| Q: | What types of end-user capabilities are enabled by dual-core technology?
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| A: | Consumers and businesses should realize an immediate benefit from AMD dual-core processors with the capability to run multimedia and security applications with outstanding performance. AMD dual-core processors can deliver advanced multi-tasking capabilities and exceptional multimedia performance as multi-threaded applications spread from the enterprise server market to the client and consumer markets. Examples include:
- Background Productivity , such as burning a CD or running firewall software in the background while working from home, banking online, or delivering video in the foreground.
- Digital Content Creation , such as photo editing, video editing or audio mixing.
- 3D Games , that take advantage of multithreading can provide enormous performance benefits and can offer more immersive experiences.
- Programming
- Commercial convergence applications , such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) supporting audio, video and data collaboration.
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| Q: | Will AMD processors eventually have more than two cores?
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| A: | As we have said since 1999, AMD64 processors are designed in a way to allow for multiple cores. As part of AMD’s focus on customer-centric innovation, we will continue to determine the needs of the market and will deliver solutions to meet those needs. |
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| Q: | What is the target market for the AMD Athlon™ FX dual-core processor?
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| A: | The AMD Athlon FX dual-core processor is the ultimate processor for PC enthusiasts, designed to address the needs of gamers, enthusiasts and prosumers who want to run multiple process intensive applications and still rely on exceptional performance. It can rise to meet the demands of serious enthusiasts, enabling them to discover the true potential of their PC and 3D games. PC enthusiasts who own and use the AMD Athlon™ FX processor are part of an elite crowd. |
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| Q: | With the AMD Athlon FX-62 dual-core processor coming to market, what happens to the AMD Athlon FX-57 and AMD Athlon FX-60 processors?
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| A: | As a customer-centric company, AMD is committed to bringing the right products to the right markets at the right time. We plan to continue to offer the AMD Athlon FX-60 processor as the market demands, but will discontinue the AMD Athlon FX-57 processor. |
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| Q: | Will the AMD Athlon FX processor continue to be AMD’s performance leader?
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| A: | Yes, the AMD Athlon FX processor continues to be AMD’s highest performing PC processor available in the market today. However, AMD’s success today is based on more than pure performance leadership. AMD has enjoyed several quarters of market share gains with our differentiated solutions, broadening customer relationships and expanding global market presence. We offer our customers the ability to differentiate their products and thus help ensure competition, while others increasingly lock customers into closed platforms, eroding their ability to innovate and compete. We believe that it is because of our relationships and the value that we bring to our customers, that AMD will continue on a successful trajectory of leadership in the industry. |
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| Q: | Why are you offering both the AMD Athlon FX-62 and AMD Athlon FX-60 processor at the same time?
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| A: | Both the AMD Athlon FX-62 and FX-60 dual-core processors continue to demonstrate leading-edge performance for PC enthusiasts and can outperform others in key applications. As a customer-centric company, AMD is committed to bringing the right products to the right markets at the right time. We plan to continue to offer the AMD Athlon FX-60 processor as the market demands, but will discontinue the AMD Athlon FX-57 processor. |
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| Q: | Why are the model numbers for the AMD Athlon FX processor series different than for AMD Athlon processors?
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| A: | The AMD Athlon FX processor is sold according to series numbers to distinguish it from the AMD Athlon processor. Customers of the two processors differ substantially. The customer for the AMD Athlon FX processor often performs his or her own benchmark tests and makes his or her own evaluation of processor performance. |
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| Q: | Does AMD promote the practice of “over-clocking?”
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| A: | AMD does not ‘endorse’ any activity that voids the warranty including over-clocking. Any modifications to the processor are done at the users’ risk and such action may result in the voiding of the processor warranty. |
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