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AMD details Bobcat cores for embedded systems
CHIP DESIGNER AMD has announced that for its embedded G-Series platform it has three processors that use the firm's "Bobcat" core.
Coming out with thermal design power (TDP) levels of 5W and 18W, the chips offer out of order execution, a high performance floating point unit, across the board 64-bit capability and multi-core options. AMD has not named the chips and no further information beyond their TDP ratings is being given out.
Bobcat is described as a "sub-one watt capable small low power core" by AMD and it is the CPU core used alongside graphical processor units in AMD's Fusion Accelerated Processor (APU) units that promise superior performance because they combine one or more CPU core(s) with a GPU.
"We know that the ground-breaking AMD Embedded G-Series APUs address a significant trend toward a high-performance visual component in many embedded systems, but there also remains a core market that can benefit from a stand-alone "Bobcat"-based CPU and we are responding to that need," said Buddy Broeker, director of embedded solutions at AMD, not troweling on the superlatives at all.
AMD's Ontario chip, which is one of the Fusion designs, uses the Bobcat core, as will its Zacate, Wichita and Krishna processors. However the Llano chip won't use the Bobcat CPU core.
The AMD Fusion Partner Program is also offering products for those with embedded system needs. These include tools, training and technical help.
The firm also has its Reference Design Kit to help "reduce design and development time of storage and media servers" aimed at small and medium businesses and home offices. µ
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I'm a longtime AMD fanboy, but...really?
Look at the recently released E-350, which uses Bobcat. Hyped as a competitor to Atom, performance per watt isn't too bad, but I still don't think we'll see any performant cores with lower power than this from AMD soon. A process too big, a delay too long, ...and then Bulldozer? Will it have an internal clock generator too, like Brazos? When will that see the light of day?
Remember Barcelona? I do. Hyped so much, yet it was delayed, and delayed further, then when finally released near a year later the expected launch, it sucked. Bad. It took a while for the TDP bug to be fixed, then finally Phenom II - what Barcelona should have been - came out. And while the platforms rocked what Intel had, the CPU performance wasn't quite there. At least, after a few months, it did compete quite well in price.
I just don't know where Bulldozer will come from this, based on AMD's history. And Bobcat, ...until it hits the shelves, it's hard to say whether AMD will deliver there or not, either.
AMD in truth has been the leader forcing intel to better products. While Intel seems interested in DRM for it's cpu AMD is making better cpu's.
If you want DRM free Intel cpu's better stock up now. While I do like the atom, it kinda stop there.
AMD seems to have some nice products coming to market in both the server and portable segments. That's good for consumers.