14 DAY TRIAL // We've only just finished writing about how AMD won't be paying Android any mind, and now we can actually take a look at the first ever tablet reference design based on the Temash accelerated processing unit.
People keeping up with CES should have already read everything there is to know and expect regarding the Temash accelerated processing unit.
Set to replace the Hondo, it is accompanied by the Kabini and Richland chips, or will be soon enough.
At any rate, Temash will start shipping at some point this quarter (Q3 2013), which means that AMD-based tablets are just outside the door too.
Knowing this, AMD brought a reference design at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada (CES 2013).
The quad-core chip with integrated Radeon HD 8000 graphics runs Windows 8 on an 11.6-inch LCD (liquid crystal display).
Said screen has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It also ran a demo of DiRT Showdown when the folks at Engadget were invited over for a peek.
According to their report, even the grains of dirt were visible, and yet the game ran just fine, although some very slight slowdowns happened from time to time. Nothing immediately visible though.
The memory, storage, etc. were not detailed, which makes sense as OEMs will have to choose these things for themselves.
Guesswork taking into account the intended price ($599 / 599 Euro) would imply 2 GB RAM and maybe 32-64 GB NAND storage, but there are no guarantees.
There is one important fact though: the reference tablet isn't really a tablet. It is more of a tablet-laptop hybrid whose keyboard and touchpad are built into the faux-leather carrying case.
Nevertheless, the tablet can be used alone, and it even has a soft-touch finish. Its thickness is of 10 mm / 0.39 inches.
Temash-based tablets/laptops will compete against devices constructed with Intel Core i3 CPUs. More details and product releases are scheduled for MWC 2013 (Mobile World Congress).