AMD Building 45-nm Microprocessors as We Speak
AMD intends to begin ramping 45-nanometer technology in the first half of next year. Acording to the Chief Operating Officer, the company is “building 45 nanometer microprocessors as we speak”.
A 45-nanometer process technology will give AMD much-needed economies of scale. However, it won’t give them high-k/metal gate transistors. Expect the processors to run hotter than competitive offerings and not as fast.
AMD and everyone else in the industry has to move to high-k/metal gate transistors sometime. AMD may do so at a second-generation 45-nm process node at a later date in time.
High-k/metal gate transistors leak less electrical current and can either run cooler or be clocked to run much faster.
Intel is supposed to launch 45-nm high-k/metal gate CPUs on November 12.