The addition of yet another 754-pin option allows AMD to offer a comprehensive line-up of desktop 64-bit chips that now includes AMD Athlon 64 3000+ at $218 as well as Athlon 64 3200+ and Athlon 64 3400+ at higher price bins. The firm also offers Athlon 64 FX processors at above $700 price-point for hardcore gamers and enthusiasts that represent only a minor part of the market.The official announcement of this new processor is expected to follow real soon.
In the second quarter of 2004 the company is likely to push the speed of its ClawHammer core up once again by introducing the Athlon 64 3700+ chip that is supposed to be the fastest and the last processor for Socket 754 ever made. After the transition to Socket 939 by desktop AMD CPUs, the Athlon 64 processors will gain a dual-channel memory controller, but will loose half of their L2 cache. The Athlon 64 FX will still have 1MB of level-two cache and a dual-channel memory controller, therefore, the additional on-chip memory will be practically the only peculiarity to differ the Athlon 64 from the Athlon 64 FX processors.
Source: X-bit Labs