AMD has confirmed that it is prepping at least one APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) for entry into the lucrative tablet market.
Expected in 2012, the two-core 28nm Krishna is based on next-gen “Bobcat” architecture and supports DX11 as well as DDR3 technology.
Krishna, along with its four-core Wichita counterpart, is also expected to power a variety of devices, including notebooks, ultrathins, HD netbooks and small form factor desktops.
In addition, AMD is readying a 32nm APU known as Trinity, which is based on Bulldozer CPU cores and a DX11-capable GPU.
Trinity is targeted at mainstream and high-performance desktops, as well as notebooks.
Other APUs slated to hit the streets in 2012 include:
- Komodo – Designed for high-performance and enthusiast desktops, this 32nm CPU features up to 10 AMD Bulldozer CPU cores.
- Terramar – Targeted at the enterprise server market, the 32nm Terramar is capable of scaling up to 20 cores.
- Sepang – The 32nm CPU is aimed at the cost-optimized, energy efficient market and can scale up to 10 CPU cores.
According to Insight 64 analyst Nathan Brookwood, the above-mentioned APUs represent the “biggest advancement” in processor technology since the industry adopted multi-core designs.
“AMD Fusion [APUs] enables a quantum increase in the performance of entry-level and mainstream processors, [while] helping software developers enrich their offerings in ways that would previously have been hard to imagine,” he explained.
“These enhanced applications, in turn, will give the PC industry tools to tap into new opportunities that only the latest GPU technology can provide.”
