Piledriver and Trinity, Moving on from Bulldozer Options

[jdog]

AMD Desktop Trinity Update: Now With Core i3 And A8-3870K

reading now.I hope its good.

I Do wonder though If Trinity will have good memory performance (bandwith) like Lianio did.

[cohmoddersolo]

the video in link...

[nobody813]

AMD Desktop "Trinity" APUs Delayed to October, Clubbed with FX "Vishera" Launch

AMD reportedly deferred the launch of its next-generation "Trinity" A-series accelerated processing units (APUs) for desktops, to October, 2012. The products were originally slated for August. The delay affects launches of most APUs in the socket FM2 package, including the A10-5800K, a top-performing part in the series.

Launches of the A-Series "Trinity" APUs appear to have been clubbed with those of the FX-Series "Volan" (Vishera silicon, Piledriver micro-architecture) processors, including the FX-8350 and FX-6300. Meanwhile, AMD is in the process of phasing out its low-cost socket AM3 processors (such as Athlon II AM3, and Phenom II AM3), replacing them with Athlon II FM2, Phenom II AM3+, and mid-range FX-Series AM3+.

Apart from it being pushed back once again, this part of the article confused me

...Meanwhile, AMD is in the process of phasing out its low-cost socket AM3 processors (such as Athlon II AM3, and Phenom II AM3), replacing them with Athlon II FM2, Phenom II AM3+, and mid-range FX-Series AM3+.

Athlon II FM2 is just a Llano chip with the onboard GPU disabled, but WTF is an AM3+ Phenom II? Is it a 45nm K10.5 chip like the old AM2+/AM3 Phenom II's (unlikely), or is it simply a multiplier locked Bulldozer FX chip, with the Phenom II name to push sales? If it's the latter, I'm not liking AMD's stragety

This post has been edited by nobody813: Jul 16 2012, 10:16 PM

[mark84]

AMD's New Low-Power Micro-Architecture to Support AVX, BMI Other New Instructions

Current low-power microprocessors based on AMD Bobcat and Intel Bonnell micro-architectures do not support a number of modern instructions, such as SSE4 or AVX. Nonetheless, the upcoming AMD Jaguar micro-architecture will fully support not only SSE4, but also AVX, BMI and many other instructions, just like high-end Bulldozer/Piledriver cores.

Advanced Micro Devices recently disclosed to the GCC community how to enable support for its next-gen low-power micro-architecture code-named Jaguar, which the chip designer calls "btver2" internally. Based on the information released by AMD, the Jaguar low-power micro-architecture will support a set of instructions found in high-performance Bulldozer/Piledriver sores, including SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AES, PCLMUL, AVX, BMI, F16C as well as MOVBE.

It is necessary to note that execution of 256-bit AVX instructions requires either two 128-bit floating point units (FPUs) or one 256-bit FPU (or four 64-bit FPUs, which may not be the best solution). Considering the fact that Jaguar is a low-power/low-cost design, both options seem rather unlikely as are expensive to implement. Nonetheless, it is possible that AMD will change the design of Jaguar rather significantly compared to Bobcat and will move towards modular Bulldozer-like approach. In addition, Jaguar cores will be able to address 2MB of cache, not 512KB like Bobcat, which likely points to unified level-two (L2) cache of the new x86 core.

It is expected that Jaguar-powered Fusion accelerated processing units will sport improved performance thanks to higher IPC (instructions per clock), enhancements related to HSA (heterogeneous system architecture) and simultaneous operation of x86 and stream processing cores. Besides, the new Fusion APUs will integrate input/output controller, which will allow to make personal computers using just one highly-integrated system-on-chip.

AMD's Jaguar cores will be utilized inside code-named Kabini and Temash accelerated processing units and will be implemented using 28nm process technology. For low-cost/low-power systems AMD is developing code-named Kabini accelerated processing units, which features two or four Jaguar x86 cores as well as GCN graphics processing engine. For tablets and similar ultra low power applications, AMD preps APU known as Temash, which will also use Jaguar x86 core(s) and low-power graphics adapter.

AMD is expected to unveil more details about Jaguar in late August at Hot Chips conference.

[mark84]

Return of the King: AMD K7 and K8 Designer Jim Keller Back at AMD.

I never realised this one man did so much for AMD previously and the industry as a whole. Will be interesting to see what he can do for them.

[philo-sofa]

Interesting read. Really think AMD are heading in a much better direction than before with the change of management, though it'll take a while to show the fruits of that.

[nobody813]

That is good news, but I do agree that it will take sometime to see where he steers things

[mark84]

AMD's Vishera ES FX-Series CPU benchmarked
Original thread

8 core version




From the same thread the above was posted in. They show Zambezi in them I'm guessing CPU-Z software needs updating.








Pretty sure this is the inbuilt WinRAR benchmark test


6 core version CPU-Z shot, no benches though.


This post has been edited by mark84: Aug 13 2012, 03:01 PM

[mark84]

AMD to Release First Batch of A-Series Fusion "Trinity" APUs for Desktops in October - Rumour

According to Hermitage Akihabara web-site, which managed to picture five AMD Fusion "Trinity" chips for desktops in FM2 form-factor in Japan, AMD intends to make the A-series 5000-family accelerated processing units officially available on October 1, 2012. At present, certain Japanese partners of AMD already have five APU models at hands that have OPN codes and model numbers, which means that they are production ready. Potentially, AMD can formally announce such products at any time it finds it strategically important.

Based on the fact that certain partners of Advanced Micro Devices already have dual-core, quad-core and unlocked versions of Trinity APUs, it is likely that the company will roll out a broad family of microprocessors with high-performance integrated graphics this October, in time for Holiday sales.

This post has been edited by mark84: Aug 14 2012, 02:05 PM

[A Hitman]

Are there any FM2 boards out yet??
I though FM2 was Llano compatible so i'm surprised that there are none for sale yet..

[nobody813]

Are there any FM2 boards out yet??
I though FM2 was Llano compatible so i'm surprised that there are none for sale yet..

FM2 only supports Trinity as far as I'm aware

Slightly off topic, but this was quite an interesting read: AMD Fusion: How It Started, Where It’s Going, And What It Means

[nobody813]

AMD's Trinity Pictured, May Launch on October 1

[mark84]

AMD Preps Trinity-Based Athlon II and Sempron Processors

Also, that fusion article looks interesting nobody, will give it a read.

[nobody813]

AMD Preps Trinity-Based Athlon II and Sempron Processors

Why?????????????

I hate this reusing of old names

[A Hitman]

They could of at least called them Athlon III (it should be IV by now?), all this does is confuse customers...

[alkahest]

AMD Preps Trinity-Based Athlon II and Sempron Processors

Why?????????????

I hate this reusing of old names

I like those names though! :(

[mark84]

Umm...

Better late than never? AMD Steamroller, not Piledriver, to be the 'saviour'

The substantial, if not indefinite, delay of Trinity desktop parts, as well as server-centric focus of the remaining Piledriver chips that are expected - like 16-core 'Abu Dhabi', raises some questions.

It's good 3 months now since the notebook flavour of AMD 'Trinity' Fusion APUs arrived, including the high end K10 series. Their GPU performance is pretty darn well good for the die and process used, however the CPU core performance was kind of just OK, still somewhat lower than the Sandy / Ivy Bridge parts, including those in the same price band. Why? Well, it seems the "Piledriver" core design, that Trinity pioneered in an actual product, isn't that much of an advantage over the faltering predecessor, Bulldozer, in per-core performance.

For the mobile market, that can be still forgiven if there's power efficiency to throw in, which Trinity does seem to have - the laptops do provide decent 6 - 10 hour battery life. If AMD was able to tweak in the process and the design further, and enable a 17 - 20 W 'Ultrathin' Trinity with all 4 CPU cores i.e. two dual-core blocks plus full GPU, integrated, it'd be a very decent competitor to Intel's Ultrabook designs.
However, the desktop PC market has more of performance focus, especially in the CPU department - since discrete GPUs are more common on desktops, anyway. Now, there's no 'Vishera', the Piledriver-based 4-core block (8-core in AMD speak or 4-core multithreaded in Microsoft Task Manager) replacement for the infamous 'Zambezi' Bulldozer desktop out yet, and the desktop Trinity flavours, some of which our guys have in samples, are also postponed without clear, if any, release date. Only the "Abu Dhabi' dual die lower clock 16-core total server chip should be out next month. Why?

Well, one reason could be that, maybe, there is not enough improvement in per core performance from "Bulldozer" to "Piledriver" to justify the new product release, as it wouldn't improve the competitive position against Intel in the desktop segment at all. Whether it is 'instruction per clock' IPC or pure clock frequency, both have to contribute to the end performance to justify the product.

The other reason, linked to the first one, can be - likely - that AMD now has to place its hopes to the upcoming 'Steamroller' core early next year, coupled with the 28 nm process. I guess we can accept that and give the AMD CPU team more time to do that migration, as long as it is real soon now. Else, another excuse this time next year, to maybe wait for 'Excavator' to fix things, would be really unacceptable...

[nobody813]

AMD to Slash CPU Prices Across the Board, Introduce FX-4130 Quad-Core CPU, but more importantly AMD "Vishera" FX-Series CPU Specifications Confirmed has information regarding the new desktop APU's too

[mark84]

Everyone likes pics

[nobody813]

Everyone likes pics

Can't see it :-/