AMD processor sets world record

CPU maker AMD announced that its yet-to-be-released FX processor nabbed the Guinness World Record for the “Highest Frequency of a Computer Processor.” To attain the title, the company brought in overclocking specialists who pushed the company’s 8-core “Bulldozer” processor architecture to record setting 8.429 GHz, beating the previous record of 8.309 GHz.

Attaining that kind of raw CPU power, however, required a bit more cooling than the standard heat sink and fan common in desktop computers. The overclocking specialist, “Team AMD FX,” first poured liquid nitrogen and later liquid helium to cool the chip to near absolute zero on the Kelvin scale. The team then ramped the CPU’s clock frequency up incrementally. Still, even without the extreme measures, the AMD team said it was able to get past 5 GHz using only fans and an inexpensive water-cooling system.

While clock speed doesn’t necessarily translate to increased performance, gaming enthusiasts commonly focus on GHz since many popular computer games are limited to single or dual core processing, as is most CAD software.

In its marketing, AMD is focusing on the “unlocked” nature of its FX processor to distinguish it from Intel and previous AMD processors which have frequency multiplier limits set on the chip. Whatever the appeal of its forthcoming FX CPU, the company is quick to point out that its warrantee doesn’t cover damage caused by overclocking.

AMD’s FX line is set to launch in the fourth quarter of 2011.
www.amd.com