The next-generation accelerated processing units will join the Z-60 soon

Nov 29, 2012 07:34 GMT  ·  By

It might be too much to hope for that Advanced Micro Devices will publicly exhibit its next-generation, ultra low-power accelerated processing unit, but there actually is a chance for it.

X-bit Labs reports that the Sunnyvale, California-based corporation is thinking of holding a demonstration of the first Temash prototypes around CES 2013 (Consumer Electronics Show).

This can mean two things. One, that AMD will reserve a booth or private room at CES for them, or two, that the company will hold a separate conference somewhere, one only open to notebook and tablet developers.

Even if the former option is chosen, it is quite likely that the demo will still be a closed meeting.

At any rate, for those who have forgotten since the last leaks on the matter, Temash ultra low-power accelerated processing units will be used in tablets. That means it will replace the Z-60.

“[We target] new form-factor clients, low-power clients, tablets. We will launch Temash [based around] Kabini next year, that is a good uptake and you will see some of them around CES time-frame,” said Rory Read, chief executive of AMD, at Credit Suisse Technology Conference.

Temash is one of the first two APUs featuring the SoC form factor (system-on-chip). The other unit is called Kabini and will serve the low-power laptops, netbook and ultra-thin markets. Temash will have 2 Jaguar cores, while Kabini will have 2 or 4.

The Jaguar architecture is a curious thing. In addition to the x86 cores and the GPU, it also involved an integrated memory controller and built-in input/output capabilities.

Basically, Advanced Micro Devices is cramming as many features as it can in a single package, simplifying tablet and laptop design and, thus, making it easier to develop thin and light consumer electronics devices.

The low power consumption (compared to previous-generation APUs and owed to the 28nm manufacturing process) is just a bonus. Support for modern instructions is an asset as well.