http://blogs.pcmag.com/miller/2009/11/amd_talks_upcoming_fusion_proc.php

To me the most interesting part of AMD's Analyst Day this morning was the discussion of the next generation of Fusion processor.

Rick Bergman, Senior Vice president and general manager for the company's product group, said the upcoming Fusion processor, which will have both CPU and GPU features on a single die, will have about 1 billion transistors on a single 32nm processor. For comparison, he talked about how the current Phenom II used 758 million transistors on a 45nm process; while the 5000 series GPU has 2.15 billion transistors on a 40 nm processor. 

The first Fusion processor, which will be known as Llano, is due out in 2011 and will include support for Direct X 11; and will be known as an "accelerated processing unit" or APU.  The company is working on new processor cores known as "Bulldozer" for the high-end and on "Bobcat" for the low end.

Bergman said the company's basic roadmaps have not changed over the past year, but that a lot of work has gone into the proudcts, which he kept saying were "ahead of schedule."

On the server side, next year the company will be rolling out its "Maranello" platform on the Operton 6000 series, with 8 and 12 core "Magny-Cours" processors for 2 and 4 socket servers; along with the "San Marino" platform with 4 and 6 core "Lisbon" processors, which will have sub 6-watt cores.  He said these were ahead of schedule and would launch in the first half of next year.

In 2011, the Operton 6000 series will get the "Interlagos" 12 and 16 core processors based on the "Bulldozer" core, while the Opteron 400 series will get the "Valencia" 6 and 8 core processors.

On the notebook side, the "Danube" platform will launch in the first half of next year, bringing 45nm quad-core products, along with DirectCompute and OpenCL application acceleration and mobile discrete graphics with DX 11 support. For ultrathins, the company will be introducing "Nile" platform with a 45nm dual-core processor (called "Geneva") designed for thin notebooks.

In 2011, the company plans what it is now calling the 'Sabine" platform with its "Llano" accelerated processing unit, with 4 CPU cores, based on the "Bulldozer" core. And it will introduce the "Brazos" platform, with the "Ontario" APU using the "Bobcat" core, along with a Direct X 11 GPU.

For enthusiast desktops, the company will be introducing replacing its current "Dragon" platform with the "Leo" platform in the first half of next year, and introducing the Thuban CPU, which will support up to 6 CPU cores. (Think of it as a desktop version of the company's 6-core Istanbul chip.)  On the more mainstream end, the platform is known as "Dorado"

In 2011, the enthusiast platform will be replaced with the "Scorpius" platform with Zambezi processor in 2011, based on the "Bulldozer core," while the mainstream category will get the "Lynx" platform with the Llano processor (also used in the mobile line.)

In graphics, he said the company will have introduced 5 GPUS within six months starting with the HD 5000 series, which the company announced in September.  He showed off "Hemlock" essentially a dual GPU version of the HD 5000 series, which he said should be out shortly.  He talked a lot about how the company had clear leadership in Direct X 11 and 40nm technology (as they have shipped this, while Nvidia hasn't) and said the company was planning mobile versions for next year.

Good to see that AMD's ahead of schedule, or so they say.  Hopefully Bulldozer ends up being as "revolutionary" as they're saying it is, and it's competitive with whatever Intel's putting out at the time.

From the same event:

AMD roadmap through 2011:

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MjAzMjR8Q2hpbGRJRD0tMXxUeXBlPTM=&t=1

AMD's answer to HyperThreading (see Bulldozer).

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MjAzMTl8Q2hpbGRJRD0tMXxUeXBlPTM=&t=1


Bulldozer uses an AM3 socket, by the way. In case anyone cares about future upgrades.

And also Fusion products, CPU+GPU on one die [Intel is on one package, two dies, with Clarkdale].

Man, they need to stop with the names. One name, and buncha numbers is much more... understandable.

AMD Porcupine Fusion 5300 Sombrero Bobcat just doesn't really do it for me, although I confess it would make for entertaining talk at the water cooler.

Good to see AMD's optimistic for the future.

And of course, good to see that I won't need a new motherboard come Bulldozer.

AMD has just settled all lawsuits/disputes with Intel.

AMD get:

- $1.25b in cash, now.
- The ability to sell off their remaining stake in Globalfoundries
- Intel's promise not to do a lot of the anticompetitive stuff

Intel get:

- All AMD action against them dropped. Existing state litigation continues, such as the EU fine.

They both avoid further legal fees which are not insignificant.

Someone else posted that already, actually. :P

But, selling off their stake in Global Foundries, wouldn't that be a bad thing? Or is there something I'm missing here...?

Depends on your point of view. The contract position saying they had to retain 50% control and 33% share has been dropped, so they are free to do so if they wish now.

They needed to spin off their fabs in the first place because only having a single customer wasn't using all of the capacity and wasn'tprofitinh from new process technology enough to fund its development. By having multiple customers they will solve both issues. You'll only see a wave of new customers after 28nm bulk silicon launches, so it's hard to tell how many they'll get.

If Globalfoundries will get sufficient new customers to become very profitable in the future, AMD should retain their stake. The disadvantage is that any loss GF makes will drag down their balance sheet (AMD the Product Company made a profit in Q3, AMD + stake in GF made a net loss), and also that they have to be involved in running a fab which they have stated is not their core business so distracts focus. The advantage is that they get more control over decision-making, though since they would be the largest customer anyway they probably won't lose that.

I think it's too early to tell what AMD should do, and AMD should wait until the 28nm node is established to see whether GF can ever be profitable and to what extent before selling their stake. But their executives' comments convey a willingness to sell sooner. Either way, the legal fact that they can now do this has got to be a good thing - Intel has less of a hold over its sole competitor.

Good to see things keep chugging along.