AMD bringing "Quad-father" to desktops

AMD is preparing to give game enthusiasts an offer they can't refuse. AMD announced a new 4x4 desktop gaming platform today during its analyst briefing.

Nicknamed the "Quad-father," AMD's new 4x4 platform will support two dual-core processors on a single motherboard for a total of four processing cores. The platform will feature AMD's Direct Connect architecture, which gives each processor a direct line to system memory and enables efficient CPU-to-CPU communication.

Talking to GameSpot, AMD vice president of marketing Patrick Moorhead acknowledged that today's "multiprocessor workstation boards are not enthusiast-friendly." The 4x4 platform will make it easier for enthusiasts to put together Athlon 64 X2 and FX-based multiprocessor systems by supporting the new AM2 socket and unbuffered memory commonly used in desktop systems as opposed to buffered, ECC memory used in workstations.

AMD expects the first 4x4 systems to ship in the second half of this year.