Sydney, Australia: February 1, 2011 — Today, at an exclusive Sydney event, AMD launched a new class of accelerated processor in Australia that combines more compute capabilities than any processor in the history of computing. The AMD Fusion Family of Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) incorporate – in a single die design – multi-core CPU (x86) technology, a powerful DirectX®11-capable discrete-level graphics and parallel processing engine, a dedicated high-definition video acceleration block, and a high-speed bus that speeds data across the differing types of processor cores within the design.
The new range of product features include stutter-free HD video playback, breakthroughs in computational horsepower to handle the most demanding applications,[ii] DirectX 11-capable graphics and all-day battery life.i
AMD also confirmed that over 35 AMD Fusion-based systems will launch in the Asia Pacific vi region in the first half of 2011. AMD expects leading manufacturers Acer, Asus, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo, MSI, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba to announce plans to deliver AMD Fusion APU-based systems at very compelling value and mainstream price points.
“AMD Fusion is changing the industry by enabling more vivid digital experiences for consumers on a PC,” said Brian Slattery, Country Manager, Australia and New Zealand, AMD. “AMD Fusion will provide our technology partners with the ability to create new and exciting form factors as well as leading-edge applications designed to cater to consumer needs,” Slattery added.
“Spurred by consumer trends such as HDTV and gaming, high-performance graphics and video are finally expected to become mainstream in PCs this year,” said Bryan Ma, Associate Vice President, Asia/Pacific Client Devices Research, IDC. “Processor companies are increasingly integrating more capabilities into their platforms to meet the growing user demand for increased computing performance.”
HD 2.0 Everywhere
High definition (HD) content is ubiquitous today. From YouTube videos to DirectX 11 games to Blu-ray, the world is tapping into various ways to enjoy this content with the computer serving as the hub. And thanks to the VISION Engine from AMD, a set of capabilities unique to all AMD Fusion APU-powered PCs, the visual side of computing never looked more vivid and realistic. The VISION Engine is an unmatched combination of:
· DirectX 11-capable graphics
· Massive parallel processing to speed application performance[iii]
· The UVD3 video acceleration block found in the new AMD Radeon™ HD 6800 Series GPUs
· Unique graphics driver capabilities updated on a monthly basis to continuously improve visual performance
Selecting a PC equipped with the VISION Engine and software from AMD partners means Internet browsing is a faster, application-like experience; 1080p HD video playback is gorgeous, smooth and quiet; standard definition video looks high-definition; 2D content can be converted into stereoscopic 3D; even the most graphics-intensive websites load quickly; manipulating HD content is fast and easy; and 3D gaming at HD resolutions is fast and life-like.[iv]
Personal Supercomputing
Much of a computing experience is linked to software and, until now, software developers have been held back by the independent nature in which CPUs and GPUs process information. However, AMD Fusion APUs remove this obstacle and allow developers to take full advantage of the parallel processing power of a GPU – more than 500 GFLOPs for the upcoming A-Series “Llano” APU[v] – thus bringing supercomputer-like performance to every day computing tasks. More applications can run simultaneously and they can do so faster than previous designs in the same class.ii
AMD AllDay™ Power
Additionally, AMD Fusion technology enables all-day battery life – 10 hours or more.i The new power-saving features present in the single-chip design greatly extend the time between plug-ins, even when enjoying HD content.
Out power and Outperform: E-Series, C-Series and A-Series APUs
The 2011 low power platform (formerly codenamed “Brazos”) enhances the everyday computing experience and is available beginning today in two APU variations: E-Series and C-Series. These APUs feature the new x86 CPU core codenamed “Bobcat”. “Bobcat” is AMD’s first new x86 core since 2003 and was designed from the ground up to deliver stellar mobile performance.
| Low Power APUs | Model | TDP | Core Count | Frequency |
| E-Series (former codename: “Zacate”)
Designed for mainstream notebooks, All-in-Ones, and small form factor desktops |
E-350 | 18 W | 2 | 1.6 GHz |
| E-240 | 18 W | 1 | 1.5 GHz | |
| C-Series (former codename: “Ontario”)
Designed for HD netbooks and other emerging form factors |
C-50 | 9 W | 2 | 1.0 GHz |
| C-30 | 9 W | 1 | 1.2 GHz |
The 2011 mainstream platform is primarily intended for performance and mainstream notebooks and mainstream desktops. It will feature the 32nm die A-Series “Llano” APU, which includes up to four x86 cores and a DirectX 11-capable discrete-level GPU, and is scheduled to ship in the first half of 2011 and appear in products mid-year.