Wednesday, June 2nd 2010

AMD Demonstrates Graphics Processing Power of Llano Fusion APUs

AMD demonstrated its first Fusion APU (accelerated processing unit), which is a "fusion" between a processor and a graphics processor. The first such processor in the works is based on the 32 nm silicon fabrication technology, codenamed Llano, and fuses a quad-core processor with a DirectX 11 compliant GPU. AMD's Rick Bergman showed off a wafer of the Llano APUs, but it didn't stop there. Rick surprised the press when he went on to claim that the APU can power Aliens vs. Predator in DirectX 11 mode, with a reasonable level of detail, which was demonstrated. Find a video of the same at the source.
Source: TweakTown
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77 Comments on AMD Demonstrates Graphics Processing Power of Llano Fusion APUs

#26
theubersmurf
FrickAMD keeping it's sockets around is a great thing.
Admittedly, I forgot about their having removed pins for the AM3 cpus. But in all honesty, when the AM3s were released having it use the same socket caused more problems than it solved, I recall tons of people having problems upgrading, as well, they should switch to something like the Land Grid Array from pins. Yeah, keeping it in the same socket makes for an inexpensive upgrade, but I don't think people's confusion and the related difficulties was worth it. Just my opinion.
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#27
theubersmurf
Tech2I was thinking of buying a new CPU soon, but now that I've seen this, I might just wait another couple of months so the prices of the Phenom II's come down a little more :p

Great to see AMD finally putting their backbone in something though :toast:
My suspicion is that this isn't going to be an enthusiast architecture, more of an almost integrated system.
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#28
Lionheart
Looks pretty awesome, hope it does well
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#30
nascasho
Yeah yeah... but will it run Cry... *gets shot*
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#31
_JP_
ZubasaActually no.
The AM3 socket have 938 pins that is 2 less pins than AM2(+) that have 940.
Well, actually no.
The AM3 socket has 941 pins, it's the AM3 processors that have 938 pins.
They made it like this due to compatibility.
If you still don't believe me, go count them.
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#32
Trigger911
JP is right the AM2 has 1 more pin than am3. This is pretty sweet news I cant wait for a few years to pass and see how this goes.
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#33
a_ump
kewl, i like seeing AMD beat Intel to it. bet intel was "SON OF A BITCH!!!! we should have been doing this instead of larrabee!!!"
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#34
EastCoasthandle
Just think about it for a minute, a world that no longer needs discrete graphics solutions. I think that may happen if both AMD and Intel both push for this as the only solution for OEMs. Here's an example:
someone buys a Dell that has the same graphical power as your home built top of the line PC at 2/3's the cost (well I can only hope that those APUs or whatever they decide to call them doesn't cost that much). That would change most enthusiast opinions on how they decide to build their PCs. Who is going to pay (hopefully) more for a separate cpu and video card when they can get the combination of both in one package at a cheaper price? Heck, even if having both comes at a slightly slower performance.

Now I'm not talking about 1st gen APUs either.
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#35
a_ump
true....but upgradability would the deciding factor in that and there's no telling how much a future ALU processor may cost so you can't depend on that, discrete graphic cards however are predictable on price.
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#36
Techtu
Personally I think AMD have hit the nail on the head here, and we will see them surpass Intel in the coming year's, unless Intel simply build a better version.
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#37
a_ump
Tech2Personally I think AMD have hit the nail on the head here, and we will see them surpass Intel in the coming year's, unless Intel simply build a better version.
that's the big problem with intel thou. they have no great gpu experience or knowledge, not compared to what AMD got when merging with ATi. So the chances of intel taking a lead in ALU market....very slim imo
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#38
Techtu
But... this only mean's one thing... who has Intel got to "team up" with if they are going to compete with AMD on this road? I see the only option being nVidia which may lead to great thing's, I'm just hoping AMD keep trumps on this one :D
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#39
koorosh
Yeah AMD rocks! I knew it:p
EastCoasthandleJust think about it for a minute, a world that no longer needs discrete graphics solutions. I think that may happen if both AMD and Intel both push for this as the only solution for OEMs.
Of course we'll have the old classified market segments. After all, all of this is to sell us products:D
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#40
lyndonguitar
I play games
this would be great for small PC and laptops
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#41
theubersmurf
Tech2But... this only mean's one thing... who has Intel got to "team up" with if they are going to compete with AMD on this road? I see the only option being nVidia which may lead to great thing's, I'm just hoping AMD keep trumps on this one :D
They're probably not teaming up any time soon. Only if this puts financial pressure on both do I think they would lay down their arms and join forces.
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#42
ArmoredCavalry
Nice, I wouldn't be surprised to see combined gpu/cpu's take over the market eventually.

Having a separate "video card" can't last forever. Just look at the Sound Card. :)

Eventually, I think CPU's will just get much better at generalized tasks, including graphical processing.

Then you will have a cpu processing video/sound, so what comes next? Maybe physics cards really is the business to be in.... maybe....
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#43
Unregistered
If they dont kick out too much heat,they might be ok for lappys.
#44
EastCoasthandle
ArmoredCavalryNice, I wouldn't be surprised to see combined gpu/cpu's take over the market eventually.

Having a separate "video card" can't last forever. Just look at the Nic and hard drive controller cards. :)
Fix'd!
But to be honest that's true. You can't expect to have discrete video cards forever. Eventually that will be consolidated into a smaller and more efficient package of some kind. If AMD/Intel doesn't do it someone else will. If it was the future we would see something like this being more popular for laptops, for example, IMO.

Look at the market now, we don't need these big discrete VCs for ipods, ipads, touch sensitive phones, etc. The market is moving away from that to something smaller and more efficient.
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#46
Kitkat
the lowest bulldozer should end am3. along with "Phenom III" a shrunk down phenom II that we already know is coming.

Even tho he said what it could power (game) im sure the intention is just to show its very capable im sure it wont be directly marketed to gaming. "Oh and it can even play ______ ".


Here is video pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/event/20100602_371640.html


Also shows off there IE APU Acceleration


EDIT EDIT EIDT AND A XGP!!!!
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#47
Unregistered
so this is amd GRAB phisyx co-founder, so maybe we will se rapid development of stream SDK
#48
Imsochobo
theubersmurfAdmittedly, I forgot about their having removed pins for the AM3 cpus. But in all honesty, when the AM3s were released having it use the same socket caused more problems than it solved, I recall tons of people having problems upgrading, as well, they should switch to something like the Land Grid Array from pins. Yeah, keeping it in the same socket makes for an inexpensive upgrade, but I don't think people's confusion and the related difficulties was worth it. Just my opinion.
the problem was you stuck the cpu in the socket.
You boot up the pc.
maybe it discovers it as eng sample.
mobo webpage.
dl bios.
Flash.

Solved.
This is the same if there is a new chip for a LGA1156 platform, doesnt matter, you still need the same update.
So thats not a valid statement in my opinion, i stuff in AM3 cpu's in AM2 boards and they work, yes AM2, with AGP and nforce 3( good old asrock) worked as easy as any other cpu upgrade.
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#49
theubersmurf
tiggerIf they dont kick out too much heat,they might be ok for lappys.
If you watch the video I linked to, they talk about versions as low as 25 watts.
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#50
a_ump
25watts is quite a bit for a CPU, however if it can pull off performance of say a mobility HD 4670 or 5770 then that's dam good. the detail in that screenshot looks good, but can't tell how smooth it was running.
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