AMD Fusion chips compete with Intel i3, i5 & i7
AMD are launching new Accelerated Processing Units (APU) that are targeted to compete with Intel’s i3, i5 and i7 processors.
Interestingly, they have also developed an integrated APU that will probably dominate the micro ATX form factor market for many years.
This APU, like some of Intel’s latest offerings, integrates the graphics processor into a single system chip, eliminating the traditional bottleneck between the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) usually found on a separate graphics card or integrated motherboard GPU.
This allows faster calculation of graphics data and releases more of the CPU function, resulting in blistering speed and smooth transition required for 3D image processing.
The integrated GPUs are not sluggish either, the 4-core Llano APU (A8-3850) incorporates the tested Radeon HD 6550D graphics capability at a price less than the Phenom II.
The Fusion family of APUs was due for release in January 2011, but they are only just reaching the market in the UK and Europe.
Software developers are already designing new software that will fully utilise the capabilities of APUs, so stand by for a rush of new games and graphics software and new technologies (touch or point commands) to excite even the most entrenched XP stalwarts!
The technology also uses less power, so notebooks and tablets with an all day battery life are on the horizon.
Learn more about the Fusion family here http://sites.amd.com/uk/fusion/apu/Pages/fusion.aspx
Locally, the first of the family, the Llano APU is now available with motherboards designed specifically for the APU, more will follow soon, and Mach4 can offer Fusion systems NOW and will offer the futuristic 8-core Bulldozer APU when they are available.
