AMD’s Kabini Processor Will Feature Newer Graphics than Richland APU

Most computer enthusiasts were speculating that AMD’s Richland APU would feature next-generation GCN graphics, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. The company seems to be concentrating on developing the main desktop APU that will have to face Intel’s Haswell. The tablet/netbook/nettop APU line will have to wait.

Richland has a very tough fight ahead of it. As we reported here, besides the improved x86 performance, Intel’s Haswell will feature impressive iGPU performance and good power consumption on every TDP level. AMD is doing quite fine in the tablet/netbook/nettop space. That’s Brazos’ realm. Intel’s Atom is miles behind in performance and especially in graphics capabilities, so the Texas-based fabless CPU and GPU designer is concentrating on reducing the costs of the Brazos 2.0 platform, rather than offering improved performance. Intel is not doing anything to improve Atom, AMD won’t either. To be sure that Richland will be ready for prime time at the same time Intel’s Haswell hits the notebook market or even ahead of it, AMD worked hard on the “Steamroller” x86 cores and, as the HD 7000 generation was the only GCN architecture tried and tested, it likely has chosen it for the Richland APU. AMD’s Kabini seems to be scheduled for the next summer, and thus, the company has more time to work on the “Jaguar” x86 core and also, by that time, Radeon HD 8000 generation will have matured enough to be integrated into Kabini’s iGPU.

This makes AMD’s low to mid-end APU solution feature more advanced graphics than its top-end notebook and desktop APU. There is lots of speculation on this in the industry as Kabini and “Jaguar” seem to be pretty far away, but if AMD wants to enjoy and prolong the current “Trinity” success wave, it has to make sure Trinity’s successor will be on time or earlier.

AMD Fusion Marketing Shot
Image credits to AMD

Posted in: Hardware, Preview