AMD's 2010 - 2011 Roadmaps: ~1B Transistor Llano APU, Bobcat and Bulldozer
by Anand Lal Shimpi on November 11, 2009 12:50 PM EST- Posted in
- CPUs
It’s got roughly one billion 32nm transistors, fabbed at Globalfoundries. Four CPU cores and a single graphics core. It’s what AMD calls an Accelerated Processing Unit (APU). And we’ll see it in 2011.
Unfortunately that’s a bit late. The APU, codenamed Llano, was originally scheduled for 2010 but got pushed back. In 2009/2010 Intel will be the first to deliver on-chip graphics with Clarkdale/Arrandale, and in late 2010 Sandy Bridge will have on-die graphics.
The first die shot of AMD's 32nm Llano APU based on 32nm Phenom II cores
Above is what I believe to be a die shot of AMD’s first APU. The CPU doesn’t use AMD’s next-generation microarchitecture, that’s only for the server and high end in 2011. The first APU will use the existing Phenom II architecture on the same die as DX11 graphics, but at 32nm. Sandy Bridge will use a brand new microprocessor architecture on 32nm but with updated Intel integrated graphics. It looks like Sandy Bridge will have the CPU advantage while Llano might have the GPU advantage, assuming Intel can't get their GPU act together by then. Llano is on schedule to debut in 2011 with OEM sampling happening before the end of the year.
Also on schedule is AMD’s next-generation microarchitecture, codenamed Bulldozer. AMD listed its client PC goals for 2010 at this year’s Financial Analyst Day, one of them is to start sampling its next-generation microprocessor next year - in 2010. If the chip is ready for OEMs by the end of 2010, that means it’ll go on sale as early as 1H 2011.
Unfortunately AMD isn’t talking much about Bulldozer architecture, I suspect we won’t see that disclosure until mid to late 2010. It’s not to keep things secret, we already have many estimates of what Bulldozer’s architecture is going to look like. And if the public already knows, then Intel is also well aware of what AMD has coming in 2011. Updated: AMD has given a high level overview of its Bulldozer and Bobcat architectures here
A major focus is going to be improving on one of AMD’s biggest weaknesses today: heavily threaded performance. Intel addresses it with Hyper Threading, AMD is throwing a bit more hardware at the problem. The dual integer clusters you may have heard of are the route AMD is taking...
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SlyNine - Thursday, November 12, 2009 - link
Just like speed is relative, So is how "good" technology is. We cannot really comprehend or gauge where AMD will be at, unless we look at what else is out there.So I think Anand is right on the money by including it. Oh and I'm a AMD fan. Otho I have a Q6600 right now.
Finally - Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - link
On AnandTech, this is part of the tradition.Check the past... you will find many more samples of this kind of behaviour: Title reads "The new Phenom II", the first page shows us the prices and performance of Intel's CPUs - a jorb well done!
whatthehey - Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - link
Bitch and moan all you want, but the slide illustrates an important point. AMD is making a big show of announcing the integration of their GPU and CPU, but Intel is already doing that a full year ahead of AMD. The article says as much: " And we'll see it in 2011. Unfortunately that's a bit late." More to the point, there isn't a lot of interest happening from AMD for most of 2010. Sorry I don't have my headup my assin the sand, but complaining that Anand is telling the truth is childish at best. Take off your AMD fanboi hats and RTFA!T2k - Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - link
Just STFU already - since you are obviously unable to grasp even the basics of writing any *ARTICLE* (e.g. slides does not illustrate shit here contrary to your lame beliefs), just stop talking about shutting up and remain silent yourself, would'ya?Maroon - Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - link
I'm pretty sure no AMD slides made it into the last few Intel roadmap/new tech articles. Pretty crappy to do that.dia - Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - link
Intel are AMD's major competition (apart from AMD themselves). The AMD roadmap once again shows AMD being late in comparison to Intel. This is relevant because it will affect uptake of AMD tech. How does this show bias? It's the freaking truth. If brand loyalty alone were enough to generate sales, AMD would not have been introuble in the first place. The fact is that most consumers will go with what comes first and also look for slight performance advantages, even if the advantage is small.Your whinging about the mention of upcoming Intel tech in this article shows desperation.
T2k - Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - link
"Your whinging about the mention of upcoming Intel tech in this article shows desperation"QUite obviously it's you who's head is so far up in the @ss of Anand/Intel that you are unable to understand the very basics of even this kind of fake techno journalism...
...but hey, clowns are clowns, nothing to see here.
formulav8 - Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - link
I can think of no logical reason to post a Intel propaganda slide on the first page and at the top of the page before showing any AMD propaganda slides which is what this article is entirely based on.I don't see bios as the reason, but it was definitely a poor decision in my opinion (And obviously others as well).
piesquared - Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - link
lol are you serious? Do you think people are that naive to not see this is clearly a propoganda stunt on behave of intel? It's also pretty obvious why you prefer ATi over NV. ;)