AMD Outlines Its 2012-2013 Client Roadmap, Big Focus is on APUs

[Cristian_25H]

Today at its annual Financial Analyst Day, AMD has presented an updated roadmap detailing the hardware it plans to bring to the table during 2012 and 2013. For this year, the Sunnyvale-based company is preparing a processor quarter which includes the Trinity, Brazos 2.0 and Hondo APUs (accelerated processing units) and the Vishera CPU.

Set to be the main weapon in AMD's x86 arsenal, the Trinity APU (aka the 2nd gen A Series) is made on 32 nm process technology, and features DirectX 11 graphics, two/four Piledriver cores (Piledrive is said to deliver 25% better performance than the Stars cores found in Llano APUs), and a TDP that can go as low as 17 W on mobile parts. Trinity is expected to debut in Q2 and already has close to 100 design wins (more than Llano had before its release).





The Brazos 2.0 (C and E Series) and Hondo (Z Series) APUs are 40 nm parts and feature up to two Bobcat cores, DirectX 11 graphics, and a TDP going from 4.5 W to 18 W. These are designed for low-power/low-cost mobile and desktop devices.

On the CPU front 2012 will see to the arrival of the 32 nm Vishera parts (2nd gen FX Series) which will feature 4, 6 or 8 Piledriver cores. Interestingly-enough, Vishera is listed as the sole CPU for 2013 desktops too so it seems AMD won't be doing much in this segment, apart from maybe releasing higher-clocked models.

For 2013 AMD is readying a LOT of 28 nm chips, including the Sea Islands GPUs - said to have a 'new architecture' and HSA (Heterogeneous Systems Architecture) features, and the Kaveri, Kabini and Temash APUs.

Kaveri is Trinity's successor and it will feature a DirectX 11.1-supporting (GCN-based) GPU, 2 to 4 Steamroller x86 cores, and HSA application support. Kaveri will cover the mainstream mobile and desktop segment so Kabini and Temash will focus on lower-cost/lower-power hardware.

Both Kabini and Tamesh will have GCN graphics and will make use of Jaguar x86 cores. Kabini will have up to four x86 cores while Tamesh will feature two. No ARM in sight here, maybe we'll have to wait a bit more...

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[camoxiong]

can't wait until the new APU's comes out

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

intersting news ,Piledriver FX(?) 32nm 4-8 cores and no mention of 10

and what about seaislands 2013 HSA everything , dont know what it stands for but im thinking its the start of some advanced cpu gpu work shareing etc , anyone know more?

 

[devguy]

Hmm, no Steamroller FX parts in 2013. I wonder what the deal is?

 

[kajson]

I cant believe the successor of Trinity wont be on 22nm, if intel can do it now why cant amd do it a year later.

Isnt it strange to suddenly go for gfx amount nm?


They're right though to focus on apu, thats where they can make a bundle and it's a really big potential market. Profit margins on ultrabooks should be a bit more allowing as well. As Apple have set the standard there money wise.

 

[mastrdrver]

I cant believe the successor of Trinity wont be on 22nm, if intel can do it now why cant amd do it a year later.

Because GF is not Intel. Just because one company has dump trucks of money to throw at a new process does not mean it is just easy. Intel leads in process tech because of all the money they make. Everyone else will trail behind because of that simple reason.

Though just because Intel is on 22nm while everyone else is on 32/28nm doesn't mean that the Intel process is better then everyone else.

 

[meirb111]

they are using 40nm for brazos and hondo that's very disappointing!!!

 

[St.Alia-Of-The-Knife]

AMD you have failed me!

 

[Super XP]

Hmm, no Steamroller FX parts in 2013. I wonder what the deal is?

The new management are moving out parts faster. In a way this is good news.

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

AMD you have failed me!

Really !!

they are using 40nm for brazos and hondo that's very disappointing!!!

why would they need to for 4 cores+ gfx at medium to low performance price point, and if they dont need to and 40nm is cheaper why the hell would they, plus 40nm prod line has something tobe getting on with

 

[Flanker]

I wonder if the ultra low power parts are efficient enough for smartphones and tablets

 

[Dent1]

I think I found a mistake,

Under desktop performance 2012 chart and desktop performance 2013 chart they both mention Piledriver 4-8 core 2nd Gen "Vishera".

So is Piledriver coming out in 2012 or 2013. Someone clear this up!

 

[ensabrenoir]

I think I found a mistake,

Under desktop performance 2012 chart and desktop performance 2013 chart they both mention Piledriver 4-8 core 2nd Gen "Vishera".

So is Piledriver coming out in 2012 or 2013. Someone clear this up!

Yes

The answer will be released in q1 of 2014

 

[seronx]

I think I found a mistake,

Under desktop performance 2012 chart and desktop performance 2013 chart they both mention Piledriver 4-8 core 2nd Gen "Vishera".

So is Piledriver coming out in 2012 or 2013. Someone clear this up!

It is coming out this year

Abu Dahbi, Seoul, Delhi, and Vishera will span 2012-2013 you can take it as the death of the high-end/server for AMD

G2012/C2012/FM2 not being the three new chipsets equals death and Cray is going to be pissed

Aries Interconnect delayed till 2014+

 

[meirb111]

Really !!



why would they need to for 4 cores+ gfx at medium to low performance price point, and if they dont need to and 40nm is cheaper why the hell would they, plus 40nm prod line has something tobe getting on with

if i use logic its cheaper to use 90nm but than the product will be crap and slow and power hungry ,amd need to move forward fast not be stuck in place that kind of thinking makes them
loser !

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

if i use logic its cheaper to use 90nm but than the product will be crap and slow and power hungry ,amd need to move forward fast not be stuck in place that kind of thinking makes them
loser !

no what i said was at/ for the targeted performance and spec they can do this on 40nm, and still with there advanced power gateing achieve better performance and lower TDP plus get em for the right price now everything majors stepped off 40nm, and chipset manufacture has been reduced signifiacantly due to Soc, so it makes sense all round ,mature reliable process with a new core type and at the right price and YIELD (ahem exbox), 90nm is being silly isnt it, and if some guy clocked a soddin lano to 6Ghz anythings poss dude as i stated new tech on seaislands too and 28nm they are getting their .

 

[mastrdrver]

they are using 40nm for brazos and hondo that's very disappointing!!!

That's because BF 28nm is coming so late that it is going to be irrevelent to release the products that were going to come out on 28nm just to see them replaced with in a couple months.

Besides TPU didn't include the slide that talked about the 18mm thick ultra thin platform that AMD talked about that would be less then $900. 17w Trinity and 18mm thin notebooks, Brazo really isn't needed then. Push Brazo down in to tablets as that is the real purpose of that platform anyway.

 

[HumanSmoke]

?

The new management are moving out parts faster. In a way this is good news

Hmm, no Steamroller FX parts in 2013. I wonder what the deal is .

So in three months, AMD's roadmap has slipped a year...or more...

Hey, Super XP, I like your optimism

 

[Mussels]

i dunno about you lot, but i love APU's.



instead of the usual where bottom end is ignored (and always terribad) with progress only being made in the expensive high end, now we suddenly get low end devices with so much more GPU power than we're used to.


i prefer the minimum spec to get the most improvements over the high spec, because it means the average machine is now more powerful, instead of just extremely expensive ones.

for people buying or using low end hardware, its awesomesauce.

 

[Super XP]

?

So in three months, AMD's roadmap has slipped a year...or more...

http://www.bjorn3d.com/Material/revimages/cpu/AMD_FX_8150/roadmap.png

Hey, Super XP, I like your optimism
http://static.lulu.com/product/pape...ough-rose-colored-glasses/44583/thumbnail/320

The new management can't turn around a company overnight. It will take time and one strategy is keeping Piledriver on the AM3+ platform. Once they get there heads on straight AMD should be back into the high performance desktop platform.

 

[seronx]

So in three months, AMD's roadmap has slipped a year...or more...

Kaveri is still Steamroller but the CPU version of Steamroller is an unknown

 

[eidairaman1]

Im pretty stoked over them id really like to build one with a radeon triple 7-0 vid card. I may go FM2 honestly and i see APUs being AMDs future. Eventually you will see a high end model that is unleashed. 25% IPC improv over Stars core is a solid start considering Bulldozer had a negative IPC % over stars core.

i dunno about you lot, but i love APU's.



instead of the usual where bottom end is ignored (and always terribad) with progress only being made in the expensive high end, now we suddenly get low end devices with so much more GPU power than we're used to.


i prefer the minimum spec to get the most improvements over the high spec, because it means the average machine is now more powerful, instead of just extremely expensive ones.

for people buying or using low end hardware, its awesomesauce.

 

[seronx]

25% IPC improv over Stars core is a solid start considering Bulldozer had a negative IPC % over stars core.

Piledriver doesn't have a 25% IPC improvement over Stars it has a 25% IPS improvement

IPC for Trinity has stayed the same and Clock Rate has went up 25%

The only Piledriver to have an IPC increase is Vishera(and other parts that are on the server) and it isn't Komodo which would have been on FM2

 

[ensabrenoir]

i dunno about you lot, but i love APU's.



instead of the usual where bottom end is ignored (and always terribad) with progress only being made in the expensive high end, now we suddenly get low end devices with so much more GPU power than we're used to.


i prefer the minimum spec to get the most improvements over the high spec, because it means the paverage machine is now more powerful, instead of just extremely expensive ones.

for people buying or using low end hardware, its awesomesauce.

Verry true this is amds future and if they stick to it and release the product on time....they will be fine

 

[JMccovery]

It is coming out this year

Abu Dahbi, Seoul, Delhi, and Vishera will span 2012-2013 you can take it as the death of the high-end/server for AMD

G2012/C2012/FM2 not being the three new chipsets equals death and Cray is going to be pissed

Aries Interconnect delayed till 2014+

Did you miss where this is the 2012-2013 CLIENT (desktop and mobile) roadmap?

I don't think Mr. Read is dumb enough to ditch a processor segment that has some of the highest ASPs. It is possible that the server/workstation roadmap hasn't changed much. What this roadmap tells is that the 'Performance Desktop' segment will probably die with Vishera.