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Advanced Micro Devices plans to tie up transition to a new process technology and to a new memory type, according to documents seen by X-bit labs. While the move has its own logical explanations, back in the past the company did not risk to execute a similar plan. AMD’s microprocessors produced using 45nm process technology code-named Deneb, Prophus and Sargas, due to be out in the second half of 2008, will be AMD’s first processors to support DDR3 memory and coming in AM3 form-factor. As a result, the new processors will symbolize three important transitions for the world’s second largest maker of x86 chips: transition to 45nm fabrication process, transition to AM3 infrastructure and transition to DDR3 memory.

Currently it is unclear which DDR3 speed-bins AMD plans to support, as the company aims at PC2-8500 (DDR2 1066MHz) standard now, as its arch-rival Intel readies chipsets with PC3-10600 (DDR3 1333MHz) support for introduction later during the year. Even though some observers expected AMD to align transitions to AM2, DDR2 and 65nm, AMD migrated its chips to a new infrastructure first and then started to transit production to the new process technology. The Sunnyvale, California-based chipmaker planned to start using 65nm process technology at its Fab 36 in parallel with ramping up chips in AM2 form-factor at its Fab 30, but in mid-October 2005 it changed its intention and said it would produce 90nm chips at the new fab with the aim to transit it to 65nm later on.