AMD's Fastest Mobile Fusion Processor Detailed

[btarunr]

One of AMD's design goals for its Fusion architecture must have been its application in mobile processors, where AMD isn't the brightest in terms of energy efficiency. The company's fastest product for the notebook platform is based on the Llano silicon, will release in 2011, and is a quad-core APU. Enter the AMD A8-3530MX.

Built on the 32 nm process with FS1 package, the A8-3530MX is an accelerated processing unit (APU), it combines a quad-core processor with a powerful GPU and northbridge component. With a default clock speed of 1.90 GHz and TurboCore speed of 2.60 GHz, the A8-3530MX packs 4 MB of L2 cache, and a dual-channel DDR3-1600 MHz memory controller, that also supports DDR3L-1333 MHz.

The GPU component is the DirectX 11 compliant AMD Radeon HD 6620G, with 400 stream processors, and engine clock speed of 444 MHz. To drive it, the northbridge component is entirely integrated into the APU, which packs a PCI-Express 2.0 hub to support discrete graphics. Despite so much machinery, the top-of-the-line chip maintains a TDP of 45W (common for notebook quad-core chips).

The AMD A8-3530MX will be backed by a single-chip chipset, which isn't much more than a southbridge (just like PCH on the Intel platform). The platform will launch with AMD A60M chipset, and later the company will introduce A70M, which packs native USB 3.0 support. That's not to say that A60M-based notebooks won't feature USB 3.0, they'll just use third-party controllers like Intel-platform notebooks do.

Source: DonanimHaber

[cheesy999]

sounds good for a CPU+GPU of that speed, still 10 watt more then intel but intel's use more once you couple them with a discreet gpu

[TheLaughingMan]

That all seems nice, but the clock rate seems a bit on the low side, but I have not bought a laptop in like 2 years so what do I know. This could be exactly where most Laptops currently fall as far as clock rates.

I will still hold my doubts about DonanimHaber being a trusted source of consistent, reliable information. case in point this whole article is now wrong if this one is right.

Seems like they are just guessing based on a few leaked slides. I think I will wait when Btarunr post information with no sources. That will let me know someone from AMD told him directly or at a press event what is really going down.

[devguy]

Even with DDR3-1600 support, how much y'all wanna bet most OEMs are gonna bundle these with DDR3-1066 RAM at godawful timings? With the GPU integrated in there and having to share memory bandwidth with the CPU, having faster RAM could be a big benefit. At least it'll be across a 128bit bus this time (unlike Brazos).

I'm aware that the DDR3-1333 RAM doesn't make even a noticeable benefit on Brazos, but bear in mind that DDR3-1066 @ 7-7-7 vs DDR3-1333 @ 9-9-9 is practically zilch anyway. No one has compared with DDR3-1333 @ 7-7-7, let alone DDR3-1600 @ 7-7-7 (which'll be supported by Lllano).

As for the low clockspeed, bear in mind this is the quad-core. While the title says "AMD's Fastest Mobile Fusion Processor Detailed", I'd wager that we'll see the dual-core (maybe even tri-core) clocked higher than this, and remain in the same TDP envelope.

[Jstn7477]

Considering that my X920 2.3GHz is 45w, and this is 1.9GHz with basically an HD 5650 on-chip, it looks like it has great power consumption. I think my 450/800 HD 5650 takes 20-30w alone.

[MikeX]

consider this run on DDR3, performance should be on par with a HD 5550 (320 cores, ddr2-3).

[Kantastic]

THIS is what I've been waiting for. If they can squeeze 4 hours of battery life into this under moderate load, they have my money.

[donanimhaber.com]

forget the 32 nm.. the battle is not started yet.... guess who will gonna strike first at 22 nm? it gonna be Huge.

[Thatguy]

Originally Posted by donanimhaber.com

forget the 32 nm.. the battle is not started yet.... guess who will gonna strike first at 22 nm? it gonna be Huge.

AMD has intel corned on design, Intel has AMD corned on process tech, at 22nm-18 nm and below alot of thos differences are going to become increasingly less relevant. The big gains in energy efficiency are about to smack into the effects of dimishing returns.

Things are about to become more about architecture.

[NC37]

Yeah. Wouldn't be surprised how things change once more walls are hit in technology. Intel years ago was all about the Mhz till they hit the wall. Then things shifted into MP and what you do with the CPU. Now its more refinements.

Not really surprised Windows 8 is prepping for ARM and RISC. Really should have moved to RISC a long time ago instead of trying to get more and more out of CISC.

[Thatguy]

Originally Posted by NC37

Yeah. Wouldn't be surprised how things change once more walls are hit in technology. Intel years ago was all about the Mhz till they hit the wall. Then things shifted into MP and what you do with the CPU. Now its more refinements.

Not really surprised Windows 8 is prepping for ARM and RISC. Really should have moved to RISC a long time ago instead of trying to get more and more out of CISC.

problem is that risc end up looking just like cisc when you add enough features for it compete in computation workloads against cisc.

cisc is going no where, microsoft wants the andriod and iphone app market. They see exploding growth in mobile devices, but when you must handle big heavy workloads, cisc sort of has the marekt cornered.

[thunderising]

I really think they, for a CPU+GPU of discrete level performance, can have a bithigher clock, like 2.2GHz, and a 55W TDP will be easily forgivable.

[Thatguy]

Originally Posted by thunderising

I really think they, for a CPU+GPU of discrete level performance, can have a bithigher clock, like 2.2GHz, and a 55W TDP will be easily forgivable.

they will make what the market demands.

[TheLaughingMan]

Originally Posted by Thatguy

they will make what the market demands.

They need to look like they make a processor as good or better than Intel. Releasing a chip with a lower clock than Intel is not the way to do that with general population.

AMD needs to advertise the stock clock as being the turbo clock, and the 1.9 Ghz actual clock as being a feature to save power. A few TV ads would also be a blessing....a campaign that should honestly have started already.

Price is a good think to market in this economy, but AMD needs to reach the people with that information in an effective manner. Just being the cheapest Laptop is NOT going to work across several price markets.

And I still think this "news" is a load because it conflicts with DH's own information.

P.S. the 22 nm shrink isn't whats going to be the focus of the Intel chips next year. 3-D gates are. We will not be hitting a wall because these chips will introduce a new production method with is own walls that have not been explored.

[Thefumigator]

Wondering what's DDR3L....
It looks very good to me. Just mentioning "quad core" in a laptop is quite special.

[TheLaughingMan]

Originally Posted by Thefumigator

Wondering what's DDR3L....
It looks very good to me. Just mentioning "quad core" in a laptop is quite special.

DDR3L most likely just means below the AMD recommended RAM clock rate.

And there have been quad core laptops for years, it is not special. A power efficient one that uses real cores would be, especially since this will be in the mid-range market and not the high end gamer laptops.

[nINJAkECIL]

DDR3L is for DDR3 Low Voltage, which operates at default voltage of 1.35v, comparing to the default voltage of common DDR3 @1.5v

[mastrdrver]

Unless AMD has lower dram supported clocks on the notebook parts then the desktop parts, the quad core Llano will support 1866mhz dram speed. According to the Electircal Data Sheet (from March of 2010) dram voltages supported are 1.5v, 1.35v, and 1.25v. Core and CPU-NB VDD voltage maximums were 1.475v at the time. How much of this has changed I don't know.

[Thefumigator]

Originally Posted by TheLaughingMan

DDR3L most likely just means below the AMD recommended RAM clock rate.

And there have been quad core laptops for years, it is not special. A power efficient one that uses real cores would be, especially since this will be in the mid-range market and not the high end gamer laptops.

To me quad cores in laptops are special. I wasn't making my point on how long they've been available... but only taking the fact there's a quad core in them. I mean, I've never had a quad core laptop in my hand, nor even know a friend who owns one, also don't even serviced one.

Moreover, look at newegg:
quad core laptops available: 86 (core i7) + 11 (Phenom II X4) total of 97 laptops

dual core laptops available: 134 (Core i3), 233 (Core i5), 76 (Core 2 Duo) and most of the rest AMD like 50 to 100 more. Total of 400~500 laptops.

Of course Llano just makes the whole thing even more special to me.

[futurechips]

Originally Posted by Thatguy

problem is that risc end up looking just like cisc when you add enough features for it compete in computation workloads against cisc.

cisc is going no where, microsoft wants the andriod and iphone app market. They see exploding growth in mobile devices, but when you must handle big heavy workloads, cisc sort of has the marekt cornered.

Sorry for being blunt but how is risc vs cisc even relevant to this argument? ARM is not RISC by any means and thats what Windows is being ported to.
---
futurechips.org

[filip007]

If it's using HT than it's no Quad, i think that would be too much on the power for quad cpu and gpu.

[beautyless]

Please note that, it's included "Northbridge and Mainstream GPU" inside. And it's quadcore.

[Xaser04]

Originally Posted by filip007

If it's using HT than it's no Quad, i think that would be too much on the power for quad cpu and gpu.

It's a true Quad core CPU (essentially a Phenom X4) with most NB functions and Integrated HD56xx class GPU.

I don't think AMD has anything like Intel's HT.

[Imsochobo]

Originally Posted by Xaser04

It's a true Quad core CPU (essentially a Phenom X4) with most NB functions and Integrated HD56xx class GPU.

I don't think AMD has anything like Intel's HT.

amd's bulldozer will have somewhat the answer to intel's ht, but twice the power but its still not a fully functional core, but its pretty close but anyways.

This is: Northbrigde (link to SB and Pci-e bridge) GPU, Cpu, IMC, everything in one chip!
how small can you now make a performing HD6000 series with quad mobo ? mini-itx performance without any addin cards!

[a_ump]

Originally Posted by Imsochobo

amd's bulldozer will have somewhat the answer to intel's ht, but twice the power but its still not a fully functional core, but its pretty close but anyways.

This is: Northbrigde (link to SB and Pci-e bridge) GPU, Cpu, IMC, everything in one chip!
how small can you now make a performing HD6000 series with quad mobo ? mini-itx performance without any addin cards!

the Llano APU's i think are going to bomb for ITX builds, esp with the integrated GPU being able to handle HD, blue-ray, and mild gaming.