AMD goes nuts, slashes and burns Opteron prices

[IronBits]

Puts the proverbial boot in
By INQUIRER staff (javascript:__doPostBack('article_body$lnkEmailForm','')): Tuesday 24 January 2006, 05:09

MID PACIFIC sources say that AMD is set to put the boot into Intel by slashing prices on its 2xx series Opteron processors. The aggressive action is set to start in mid February, with AMD taking the war to Intel, rather than the opposite. Here is how it’s looking so far.
The 265 currently costs about $700 and that price is set to cascade down to $341. The 270 costs $864 as we speak, and in mid Feb the price is likely to tumble to $476.
Then the 275, which costs over a gigahertz of money at $1,063, will become a $700 part. Lastly, but far from leastly, the 280 will fall from its high $1,300 podium to $865.
These prices are for processors in a box, with full warranties. The INQ understands that there are more price shocks on the way, but these, as they stand, are pretty shocking.
Perhaps Fab 36 is ramping faster than we imagined.
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=29195

[IronBits]

AMD Processor Pricing
Effective January 23, 2006

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_609,00.html?redir=CPT301

[Shish]

Just looked at a couple supplier sites here and 165 has gone up to £241 from £230. 170 still in stock with old price.
Some sites are trying to charge £265 for the 165 saying that`s the normal dollar to pound pricing.
Know who`s getting my business and as they are a server/oem manufacturer, they have plenty in stock which several retail sites say they still can`t get `em cos the US is taking all they can make.
Can anybody say Dell and AMD in the same sentence?:confused:

[Bok]

If the 265 comes down to that price, I'll be looking into a dual-dualcore opteron, but only if the boards overclock....an effective 10Ghz machine (4x2.5Ghz) would :rock:

Bok

[Jeff]

Oh God... I think I just wet myself after reading your post Bok. ;)

[Shish]

Just got another updated price list and that supplier had 150 165 cores delivered on the 23rd and now sold out. Price increase now settled at +£23 (£253) or $40? increase and no visible drops on the desktop cores of the 165 or 170 so far as reported by ZDnet. Still, you can still get a better 170 core for much less than the nearest desktop which I reckon is thex2 4400.

@Bok.
Asus board with the new NF pro chipset overclocks like stink so I`m told but reg memory is not so common at the 4000/4400/4800 speeds but you can get some cas 2 and 2.5 3200 which may go well.
A double double Asus would be a nice machine but I might have to wait and get a mortgage on the new house before I`d dare even think about it cos Milady (`er indoors) has very strict requirements for the new house including everything new to go in it except for me and her and the me bit could be optional if new computers are mentioned cos I`m worth a lot more dead than alive. :slap: :scared:

[Bok]

Asus has a dual opteron board ? Linky ?

Come on, I'm already salivating if it overclocks!!!

Bok

[gopher_yarrowzoo]

*THUD as jaw hits floor!*
NO! RESIST, must reisist urge to buy, must resist urge to buy as I can't afford it but a dual opti would be nice shame I can't afford it :cry: :cry: :cry:

[Digital Parasite]

Asus has a dual opteron board ? Linky ?

A quick look at the ASUS website reveals they have two dual Opteron boards, the K8N-DL and K8N-DRE:
http://usa.asus.com/products3.aspx?l1=9&l2=39&l3=174&slname=AMD%20Opteron%20Dual%20Processors


So there is a huge price difference between the Opteron 170 and 270. Do they run at the same clock rate and have the same size cache, only difference being you can't but the 170 in a dual board?

[Shish]

The 1 series is only one per board, ie disabled interconnects, the 2 is 2 per board (or 4 cores total) and the 8 series is....well you get the idea. Other problem comes in when you want to run windoze on them cos for more than 2 cpu`s ( I believe they`ve disregarded that 2 cpus have 4 actual cores) you need one of the server versions. And if you`re wealthy enough to get one of the 4 way boards.....whoopie do.... not sure what you need as I`m out of date with my Win$ 2003 and higher requirements but I know you need Advanced server or a Datacentre edition license for the 8 way ones. Or of course, you can run as many cpus as you want (more or less) on Tux.
I believe Iwill also has a very nice set of boards for the Opteron servers as well and a well deserved following but the only one I have direct experience of is the Asus and check which chipset it`s running cos 1 is the 2200 pro and 1 is the new NF4 pro I believe though oc`ing results and memory etc is reported to be very good on the AMD chipset ones which is nice for a change. Their single 940 pin is also a noted oc`er as well. MSI also have a board or 2 (3rd revision?) around but they seem to stick to the Rage Pro built in graphics that a lot of servers used to have and I hate.
As usual, server boards all need reg/ecc memory and are twice the price of a good normal board but they do cater for more massive memory allocation and normally give each separate cpu a chunk on separate buses and/or linked.

[MAOJC]

The 1 series is only one per board, ie disabled interconnects, the 2 is 2 per board (or 4 cores total) and the 8 series is....well you get the idea. Other problem comes in when you want to run windoze on them cos for more than 2 cpu`s ( I believe they`ve disregarded that 2 cpus have 4 actual cores) you need one of the server versions. And if you`re wealthy enough to get one of the 4 way boards.....whoopie do.... not sure what you need as I`m out of date with my Win$ 2003 and higher requirements but I know you need Advanced server or a Datacentre edition license for the 8 way ones. Or of course, you can run as many cpus as you want (more or less) on Tux.
I believe Iwill also has a very nice set of boards for the Opteron servers as well and a well deserved following but the only one I have direct experience of is the Asus and check which chipset it`s running cos 1 is the 2200 pro and 1 is the new NF4 pro I believe though oc`ing results and memory etc is reported to be very good on the AMD chipset ones which is nice for a change. Their single 940 pin is also a noted oc`er as well. MSI also have a board or 2 (3rd revision?) around but they seem to stick to the Rage Pro built in graphics that a lot of servers used to have and I hate.
As usual, server boards all need reg/ecc memory and are twice the price of a good normal board but they do cater for more massive memory allocation and normally give each separate cpu a chunk on separate buses and/or linked.


It is true that the 4 core setups require Winders server, but fedora core 4 recognizes them nicely and runs them like mad. I have a Tyan with a pair of 280's in it and have tested both win adv server and fedora on it and the Rosetta benchamrks and nearly the same with Fedor nudging out the winders box on benches.

Next test is an overclocked 165 @ 2.55 Ghz and winders vs fedora.

[Shish]

Tyan boards overclocking????
Whatever is the world coming too :confused: :eek:

Mind you, I`ve got a couple old Supermicros that have "engineering" bios and overclock a bit.

2CPU is where most of the fans hang out and you may get some more info from their firums Bok.

[MAOJC]

Tyan boards overclocking????
Whatever is the world coming too :confused: :eek:

Mind you, I`ve got a couple old Supermicros that have "engineering" bios and overclock a bit.

2CPU is where most of the fans hang out and you may get some more info from their firums Bok.


Nope no OC yet on the Tyan, probably won't

the 165 is in an abit K8n-ultra

[Shish]

:D :clap:

[Jeff]

Nope no OC yet on the Tyan, probably won't

the 165 is in an abit K8n-ultra

For the 165 and 170, I wholeheartedly recommend the BioStar T-Force 939. Don't let the BioStar name scare you because this is one hell-of-a board for ~$80 delivered. ;) (had a 170 at [email protected] with the stock cooler running full-load 24/7)

[MAOJC]

For the 165 and 170, I wholeheartedly recommend the BioStar T-Force 939. Don't let the BioStar name scare you because this is one hell-of-a board for ~$80 delivered. ;) (had a 170 at [email protected] with the stock cooler running full-load 24/7)

Yeah the Abit does those number as well with a 165. Memory at 277 X 9 is real doable. I got 4 of them from Newegg on a deal as "refurbs". Some crack addict must of had then as the case plates were all bent up, but the boards and all accessories were there for about the same money.

Good to know about the Biostar for future farm expansion. I would have never even considered it.