Apart from the premium A85XA-G65, and mini-ITX A85IA-E53, MSI has two other mainstream socket FM2 motherboards, the A85MA-E35, and A55M-P33 (F2).

The A85MA-E35, like its mini-ITX cousin, has a misleading name. It is actually based on the AMD A75 FCH chipset. The socket FM2 APU is powered by a simple 5-phase VRM, it is wired to just the two DDR3 DIMM slots, and a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slot. Other slots include two PCI-Express 2.0 x1 and a legacy PCI. Display outputs include DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI. All six SATA 6 Gb/s ports from the FCH are wired out as internal ones, the board features a total of four USB 3.0 ports.

Among GIGABYTE's new motherboard extravaganza, are some of its first socket FM2 motherboards, which based on the new AMD A85 FCH chipset (higher price-points) and previous-generation A55 FCH (lower price-points) and support next-generation "Trinity" APUs. Among these are the high-end F2A85X-UP4 with Ultra Durable 5 construction, mainstream F2A55-DS3, and entry-level F2A55M-DS2 Ultra Durable 1 motherboards.

The F2A85X-UP4 is loaded with top-tier VRM components, including high-current ferrite core chokes, IR3550 PowIRstage driver-MOSFETs, which make up an 8-phase CPU VRM. The FM2 socket is wired to four DDR3 memory slots, with support for dual-channel DDR3-2400 MHz by overclocking; and two PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slots (x8/x8, when both are populated). Other expansion slots include three PCI-Express 2.0 x1, a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x4), and a legacy PCI, all of which are wired to the A85 FCH.

AMD is proud to announce that it has received Windows Hardware Certification (WHC) for an AMD Catalyst graphics driver (with full support for the new WDDM 1.2 driver model) on Windows 8. This landmark moment reflects both our commitment to AMD Radeon graphics customers, and our vision of providing quality hardware/software solutions for Microsoft Windows products.

Formerly known as the Windows Logo Program, WHC is a rigorous mark of compatibility and reliability for products intended for use with Microsoft Windows. It also allows AMD to serve as an official partner in the upcoming Windows 8 release, use the "Windows 8 Compatible" logo, and offer the drivers on Windows Update.

AMD will welcome attendees, customers and partners to COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2012 with system demonstrations of the second generation AMD A-Series Accelerated Processor Unit (APU) and the newest AMD E-Series APUs, both designed for best-in-class PC entertainment, gaming, and battery life. A debut event the morning of June 6 in Taipei will underscore the diverse range of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and independent software vendors (ISVs) supporting AMD's 2012 product offerings, provide updates on new products, and demonstrate the powerful applications leveraging the unique processing power of the APU. A live webcast of the "Life More Brilliant" event will be available.

"There could not be a better location than COMPUTEX in Taiwan to recognize our customers and technology partners, and celebrate their contributions to the rapidly growing APU ecosystem," said Lisa Su, senior vice president and general manager, AMD Global Business Units and host of the upcoming event. "AMD saw consumers wanting a more visually-demanding, entertainment-focused PC experience long ago and created a product strategy to enhance those experiences. This week we will proudly share with the rest of the world the latest advances and accomplishments we have made with our customers."

AMD today announced its AMD A-Series APUs (Accelerated Processing Units) are winners of the 2012 Best Choice of COMPUTEX TAIPEI award, the second consecutive win for the product family. The award is given by the Taipei Computer Association, a driving force behind the annual event and the leading technology organization in the country. Extensive reviews are conducted by a panel of esteemed government officials, academics, research analysts, editors-in-chief of key media outlets and industry experts to select winning products based on outstanding design and cutting-edge technology in nine product categories.

The second generation AMD A-Series APU combines the company's latest multi-core x86 CPU core architecture and award-winning AMD Radeon HD 7000 Series graphics to provide an increase in performance of up to 29 percent on productivity applications (as compared with the first generation AMD A-Series APUs), an increase of graphics performance up to 56 percent, and deliver up to 12 hours of battery life. Its unique features enable improvements in the areas that matter most to consumers today, including entertainment, gaming and mobility, through a growing ecosystem of APU-accelerated applications.

AMD today launched the AMD Embedded R-Series accelerated processing unit (APU) platform. Designed for mid- to high-end graphics-intensive applications such as digital signage, casino gaming, point-of-sale systems and kiosks, as well as parallel-processing-intensive applications spanning medical imaging and security/surveillance, the AMD Embedded R-Series APU combines the new "Piledriver" CPU architecture, an evolution of the "Bulldozer" architecture, with discrete-class, DirectX 11-capable AMD Radeon HD 7000 Series graphics in a heterogeneous multicore embedded processing platform.

"AMD pioneered the embedded APU to offer our customers a high-performance, power-efficient, small form-factor embedded processor," said Buddy Broeker, director, AMD Embedded Solutions. "With the AMD Embedded R-Series, we are taking our APU technology to the next level. By leveraging its seamlessly integrated heterogeneous system architecture, developers can tap into a high-performance and efficient parallel processing engine to accelerate their graphics- and compute-intensive applications, all while using industry-standard libraries such as OpenCL and DirectCompute."

AMD today announced the widely anticipated launch of its 2nd-Generation AMD A-Series Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) for mainstream and ultrathin notebooks, All-in-One and traditional desktops, home theater PCs and embedded designs.

The 2nd-Generation A-Series APU, codenamed "Trinity", is a grounds-up improved design over the previous generation, enabling a best-in-class PC mobility, entertainment, and gaming experience. New features of the product design include:

● Double the performance per watt of the previous generation;
● The AMD HD Media Accelerator with a unique set of technologies designed to optimize video quality available with premium and Internet video content, and accelerate video file conversion;
● An increase in CPU performance of up to 29 percent with higher processor speeds thanks to the next-generation AMD "Piledriver" CPU core with 3rd-Generation AMD Turbo Core technology, where power is dynamically shifted between the CPU and GPU depending on application needs, effectively providing a more responsive experience that can boost CPU frequencies to up to 3.2 GHz;

ARCTIC releases its new generation MC101 Series most advanced all-in-one entertainment centers. Featured with the latest AMD Trinity APU A10-4600M / A8-4500M and 4 GB pre- installed memory, it is made to take on any challenges at high and fast speed. With vivid 3D HD graphics delivering an ultimate visual experience made for gaming and movies. You can immediate enjoy and share unlimited entertainment hassle-free. No need to check your storage space, MC101 series allows storage with up to 2 TB! Store everything with over 2,000,000 photos, 625,000 songs or 2,600 movies. You can simply plug- and-play these home entertainment centers with their pre- installed Windows 7 Home Premium, TV tuner and with an extensive connectivity.

The Giada team has this week revealed its newest 'home entertainment and games center', the A51. Measuring 192 x 155 x 26 mm, this Mini PC comes equipped with an AMD E-300 or E-450 APU (accelerated processing unit), 2 GB of RAM (4 GB are supported), a 320 GB hard drive, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, a card reader, one USB 3.0 port and both D-Sub and HDMI outputs.

The A51 consumes just 30 W and will be available in black and white, with and without Windows 7 Home Premium pre-installed.

MSI is working on a Wind U270 11.6-inch netbook variant that's driven by AMD E2-1800 "Brazos 2.0" dual-core APU. The E2-1800 packs two x86-64 cores clocked at 1.70 GHz, 1 MB of total cache, Radeon HD 7340 integrated graphics, and TDP of 17W. The APU is backed by AMD A68M FCH, which provides up to four SATA 6 Gb/s ports. 2 GB of single-channel DDR3 memory is included, so is a 320 GB 5400 RPM HDD. Connectivity options include 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, and gigabit Ethernet. Other features include a 1.3 MP webcam, and a 6-in-1 flash card reader supporting SD/SDHC/SDXC/XD/MMC/Memory Stick. Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit comes pre-installed. The 11.6-inch screen packs a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. Slated for May 18, the Wind U270-412 is priced at 46,800 JPY (US $587), in Japan.

HP today expanded its award-winning notebook portfolio with thin and light Ultrabook systems and Sleekbooks packed with the latest technologies for both consumer and business demands. "Building on the success of the HP Folio13 and HP ENVY14 Spectre, we are now offering the most comprehensive Ultrabook portfolio in the industry," said James Mouton, senior vice president and general manager, Personal Computer Global Business Unit, HP. "Our expanded portfolio of HP Ultrabook systems and HP Sleekbooks for both consumers and businesses delivers uncompromised performance, quality and entertainment experiences within distinctive designs."

Devon IT, Inc., a leading provider of thin client and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) hardware and software solutions, today announced the powerful Devon IT TC6 thin client based on AMD's Dual Core G-T56N 1.6 GHz Processor with AMD Radeon HD 6320 Graphics. The TC6 will be fully manageable by Devon IT's Echo thin client management software.

"The TC6, operating with AMD's powerful, newly-designed processor, sets the thin client computing industry standard with high-performance application capabilities that rival the user experiences delivered by PCs," says Joe Makoid, president of Devon IT. "Devon IT's goals have always been anchored in driving innovation to develop high-performance products that use less energy and reduce IT costs across-the-board. We are excited to work with our industry partners, including Citrix and Microsoft, to deliver the enterprise-wide benefits of the TC6 to customers needing high-performance, low-cost IT solutions."

The Aspire One 725 was designed to skillfully combine a tasteful and stylish look with terrific performance enabling users enjoy a sensational visual experience for superb multimedia - movies, games, photos, videos - wherever they go. This netbook delivers a state-of-the-art user experience and amazing HD visuals anytime, anywhere.

The Aspire One 725 definitely stands out and not only for performance. Available in two color options, Caribbean blue and Volcanic black, it flaunts a gorgeous glossy, glittery cover. The soft matte finish of the palm-rest matches the color of the cover, for a more pleasant look, and prevents fingerprints and palm smudges. Thinner than 1-inch and around only 1.2 kg, it easily fits into any handbag or backpack while providing a comfortable viewing thanks to the 11.6" screen.

It's confirmed that AMD's "Trinity" APUs, which started shipping to ODMs in mid-April, will launch in May, only that these will be the mobile variants of the APUs, featured in mainstream and compact notebooks, and value netbooks. The launch of desktop variants of these chips will have to wait till August. A DigiTimes report points out that the new Piledriver microarchitecture-based Trinity APUs will bring with them up to 25% increase in processing performance, and up to 50% increase in graphics performance, over current-generation "Llano" APUs.

AMD today announced that its AMD Embedded G-Series platform now supports Windows Embedded Compact 7, the next generation of the Windows Embedded CE real-time operating system. Windows Embedded Compact 7, paired with AMD Embedded G-Series Accelerated Processing Units (APU) is optimized to deliver feature-rich applications on small, specialized devices for industries such as medical, retail and industrial automation. This enables board, module and system OEMs, among others, to develop a wide range of applications requiring high performance and integrated graphics processing with minimal size, power and cooling constraints.

"AMD is committed to providing our customers with the broadest possible range of operating system support to help them bring devices to market quickly and cost effectively," said Buddy Broeker, director, AMD Embedded Solutions. "Seamless support for Windows Embedded Compact 7 helps ensure that AMD Embedded G-Series customers are equipped to take full advantage of the many benefits afforded via the combination of these leading technologies."

Here are some of the first pictures of Acer Aspire E1-421, which caught the eye of a shopper in Asia. Its most distinctive feature is AMD E1-1200APU "Brazos 2.0", driving the machine. The dual-core APU is clocked at 1.40 GHz, and packs Radeon HD 7310 graphics. Other vital components include 2 GB of DDR3 memory, and 320 GB HDD storage. A DVD SuperMulti drive handles removable storage. The notebook's 14-inch screen packs 1366x768 pixels resolution, the GPU utilizes 256 MB from the system memory. 802.11 b/g/n WLAN, and a 6-cell battery make for the rest of it.

Foxconn's Channel brand introduced a new line of fanless compact PCs under the Nano PC brand. The two newly launched models include the AT-5300, which is driven by Intel Atom D2700, and the AT-5600, which is driven by by AMD E-450 "Brazos" APU. The two are barebones, and require at least one DDR3 SO-DIMM module (up to 4 GB) and a 2.5-inch HDD or SSD. Both models measure just 190 x 135 x 38 mm, and weigh about 600 g. Connectivity includes two USB 3.0 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, an SD/SDHC/MS/MS Pro/MMC card reader, 802.11 b/g/n, gigabit Ethernet, and display outputs that include D-Sub and HDMI. Available soon, the two Nano PC models will be priced under US $200.

AMD today announced an agreement with GameFly, Inc., to give gamers who leverage the quality and performance of AMD CPUs and APUs easier access to GameFly's leading online video game rental and PC download services for a limited time. Gamers purchasing select AMD A-Series APUs, AMD Athlon II CPUs, AMD Phenom II CPUs or AMD FX Series CPUs in regions where GameFly is accessible receive a free, 30-day GameFly membership as well as a 20 percent discount on a new PC game purchase via the new GameFly PC store.

"AMD draws inspiration from gamers, game developers and the PC gaming industry," said John Taylor, director of Global Product and Technology Marketing at AMD. "Hand-in-hand with the AMD Gaming Evolved program, we continue to listen to gamers and fulfill our 'Gamers Come First!' pledge. AMD's close affiliation with GameFly shows our gratitude to gamers and to GameFly for recognizing how AMD represents best-in-class PC gaming experiences."

AMD's Brazos 2.0 platform has (quietly) hit the streets in South Korean as part of MSI's newest 11.6-inch notebook, the L2700. Seen below, MSI's mobile machine weights 1.3 kg, and features an 1366 x 768-pixel display, a 1.7 GHz E2-1800 APU (with two Bobcat x86 cores and Radeon HD 7340 graphics), 4 GB of RAM, a 64 GB solid state drive,a webcam, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 4-in-1 card reader, a HDMI output, one USB 3.0 port, and a 6-cell battery.

The L2700 costs just about $431.

AMD announced first shipments of its 2nd generation accelerated processing units (APUs), under its A-Series "Trinity", and E/C-series "Brazos 2.0" lines. The new 2012 APUs by AMD, according to Senior PR Manager Phil Hughes, "improve on virtually every aspect of [the] current A-Series APUs while doubling the performance-per-watt over our previous generation." The APUs are available in FM2 uPGA for desktops, and FS1r2 uPGA, FP2 BGA for notebooks; targeting nearly all PC form-factors. Pictured below, is the very first shipment heading out to ASUSTek.

ASUS is working on an AMD-powered notebook under the K53TK line. The K53TK-SX0A8 from ASUS is a 15.6-inch notebook that incorporates AMD A8-3520M "Llano", which is a quad-core APU clocked at 1.60 GHz, with Radeon HD 6620G graphics. The APU's integrated graphics works in tandem with a discrete Radeon HD 7670M GPU, that has 2 GB of dedicated memory. Other vital components include 8 GB of dual-channel DDR3-1333 MHz memory, and AMD A70M FCH chipset.

The 15.6-inch display packs 1366x768 pixels resolution. Display outputs include D-sub and HDMI. Storage is care of a 750 GB HDD and DVD SuperMulti drive. Connectivity includes 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, gigabit Ethernet, SD/SDHC/MMC card reader, two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, 1.3 MP webcam, and FireWire. The battery powering the beast can run it for 4 hours before needing a recharge. Measuring 391 x 266 x 30.5 ~ 40.5 mm (WxDxH), the notebook weighs 2.7 kg. Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit operating system comes pre-loaded. It will be priced around 79,800 JPY (US $970).

Taiwanese heavyweight ASUS has now rolled out in the US its newest U Series ultra-thin laptop, the U32U(-ES21) featuring a 13.3-inch (1366 x 768) LED-backlit display and an AMD 1.65 GHz E-450 APU with Radeon HD 6320 graphics.

ASUS' machine is one inch thick and has a hairline aluminum cover, 4 GB of RAM, a 320 GB hard drive, a 0.3-megapixel webcam, Altec Lansing speakers, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, a 3-in-1 card reader, a HDMI output, and an 8-cell battery enabling up to 10 hours of operation. The U32U-ES21 can be found on Amazon priced at $449.99.

ZOTAC International, a global innovator of graphics cards, mainboards and mini-PCs, today redefines the mini-PC form factor with the extra small ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus mini-PC. The ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus is the world's smallest PC capable of delivering a rich high-definition desktop computing experience.

An AMD E-450 APU with Radeon HD 6320 graphics processing sits at the heart of the ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus to render beautiful Microsoft DirectX 11 graphics and playback stunning online and offline high-definition content. The completely new ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS chassis shrinks the ZBOX nano chassis by nearly 17-percent into a 106-milimeter box that is only 37-milimeters tall that can easily slip into a jacket pocket.

AMD's upcoming "Trinity" family of desktop and mobile accelerated processing units (APUs) will use up to four x86-64 cores based on the company's newest CPU architecture, codenamed "Piledriver". AMD conservatively estimated performance/clock improvements over current-generation "Bulldozer" architecture, with Piledriver. Citavia put next-generation A10-5800K, and A8-4500M "Trinity" desktop and notebook APUs, and pitted them against several currently-launched processors, from both AMD and Intel.

It found integer and floating-point performance increases clock-for-clock, against Bulldozer-based FX-8150. The benchmark is not multi-threaded, and hence gives us a fair idea of the per core performance. On a rather disturbing note, the performance-per-GHz figures of Piledriver are trailing far behind K12 architecture (Llano, A8-3850), let alone competitive architectures from Intel.

Sony's next-generation PlayStation, reportedly codenamed "Orbis", is known to be powered by an AMD x86-64 CPU with graphics based on its Southern Islands architecture, from the older report. We're now hearing that Sony may implement a multi-GPU solution of its own. According to an IGN.com report, the CPU in question will be a custom-version of AMD's A8-3850 quad-core APU. This should serve as indication that the processor cores will be based on AMD's K10 Stars architecture, rather than K15 Bulldozer/Piledriver.

The GPU, on the other hand, will be based on the "Southern Islands" architecture, and the IGN.com report pin points it to resemble Radeon HD 7670. The HD 7670 is a re-branded HD 6670, which is based on the 40 nm "Turks" GPU. Turks uses neither Graphics CoreNext nor VLIW4, but the older VLIW5 number-crunching machinery. The most interesting piece of information here is talk of a multi-GPU configuration between this Turks-based GPU, and the GPU that's embedded into the "Llano" APU. We know that the graphics core embedded into AMD A8-3850, the Radeon HD 6550D, can work in tandem with Radeon HD 6670 to yield an AMD Hybrid CrossFireX configuration called "Radeon HD 6690D2". This could be end up being Sony's graphics weapon of choice.