In the midst of the impending Pentium 4 launch, AMD was eager to remind us that the Athlon is still a powerful force by demonstrating a 1.5GHz system, which did not appear to be using any exotic cooling techniques. Right next to it, AMD's upcoming 760MP chipset powered a dual-processor Athlon system and although we were unable to run any benchmarks, we were allowed to snap a quick picture of the CPU usage meter in Windows 2000 task manager, confirming both processors working together.

AMD also updated their roadmap, showing the next iteration of performance and mobile processors scheduled for release in the first half of 2001. These new CPU's, the Palomino and Morgan, will add PowerNow! and clock frequencies in excess of 1.2GHz to the Athlon and Duron lines. The first half of 2002 shows the Thoroughbred and Appaloosa (performance and value, respectively) slated to be unveiled. Based on a .13-micron process, both of these new lines promise to enable even higher clock speeds in addition to cooler operating temperatures.

The timeline is similar for AMD's upcoming x86-64, 8th generation “Hammer” line, which we will not see until the beginning of 2002. The ClawHammer will support single and dual processor applications while the SledgeHammer will be able to handle 4-8 way configurations. Each model will be fully compatible with today's x86 architecture, and offer 64-bit support as well to facilitate faster processing of intensive applications like decryption. Utilizing DDR memory and Lightning Data Transport, the Hammer line should be a competitive force on the workstation and server market.

When a few hundred thousand computer enthusiasts converge on a wild city in the middle of the desert, something special is bound to happen, and that something is Comdex. After browsing through many of the products on display, we are certain of one thing – the future holds some exciting technology, and much of it is right around the corner. Whether your interest lies in a 24” LCD display or Sony's AIBO mechanical dog, you should rest assured that some pretty neat stuff is coming; oh, and if your eye is dead-set on that dog, start saving now because that thing is expensive.

Chris Angelini
Editor