AMD Wants More "Fusion"

AMD has recently unveiled some of its future plans regarding the upcoming Fusion architecture. As some of you may know, the "Fusion" architecture implies a merge between the GPU and the CPU in order to achieve the best results when it comes to performance-per-Watt-per-dollar. AMD's vision related to the integrated architecture will be a flexible one, since several variations of "Fusion" will appear.

Physically Fusion will integrate a GPU and a CPU on a single die. Depending on the target (data processing or video processing) many CPUs with one GPU or several GPUs but with only one CPU will be soldered together. An internal data path (probably a Crossbar link) will link the GPUs and CPUs together. Note that the resulting chip will have only one integrated memory controller. Easy as it may seem, there are some architectural problems here since CPU and GPU size will have to dramatically decrease in order to obtain a feasible Fusion architecture especially when thinking about the heat and the TDP. Furthermore, an integrated memory controller for a hybrid chip won't be a simple thing to produce.

But as AMD says, this problem will be solved when 65nm and later 45nm parts will enter the market. About this project, AMD has also claimed: "Fusion-based processors will be designed to provide step-function increases in performance-per-watt-per-dollar over today's CPU-only architectures, and provide the best customer experience in a world increasingly reliant upon 3D graphics, digital media and high performance computing."

While Fusion is a hybrid CPU and GPU architecture that will eventually flood the market, AMD plans to continue the production of standalone graphics adapters. AMD officials believe there is still a need for high end graphics cards on 3D and physics processing environments.