I had been contacted by a PR in Dubai to introduce about the AMD’s latest technology called APU ( Accelerated Processing Unit). APU promise to have long-battery-life PCs that consumers crave, while enabling the powerful, next-generation visual experiences for the PC.
The above video shows the difference of AMD APU to the present CPU and GPU
Powerful Visual Computing Experiences
AMD site explain the advantage of the APU as follows :
- Build PCs for the next-generation applications enabled by AMD’s ongoing APU programming collaboration with the ISV community
- Deliver a superior visual experience that can set your products apart from the competition
- Leverage the AMD Radeonâ„¢ design DNA for discrete-level graphics in a single-chip PC
What is APU
According to Wikipedia :
An accelerated processing unit (APU) is a processing system that includes extra processing capability designed to accelerate one or more types of computations outside of a CPU. This may include a graphics processing unit (GPU) used for general-purpose computing(GPGPU), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or similar specialized processing system.
Basically, the analytical processing unit of the computer and the graphics processing unit of the computer are now joined into one chip by AMD, which hasn’t been done before. Meaning — better graphics, better speed, more powerful!
AMD Contest, Perfect PC Experience
AMD has also created a website called www.firstblankcanvas.com – a space for users to share with AMD what their vision of the perfect PC experience is. User can use text, images and sounds to convey to them what your perfect PC experience is. There is a chance to win $10,000, this contest is until October 19, 2011. So there are still enough time to join. But please be reminded that the contest is only open to KSA, UAE and Turkey. So tell your relatives living in this country to join the contest.
My Take
I have not tested any computer having this kind of new processing unit inside the PC or any other type of mobile computing, but the video shows a promising system that will allow a better PC experience . I would love to try this one in the future. According to the video this will be seen in desktop, notebook and netbook and most of all affordable. This might revolutionized the slow processing of a netbook. I would also like to see this kind of processing system in tablet.
An APU is simply a processor that combines CPU and GPU elements into a single architecture.
New technology should mean a better experience to user. I wonder what would Intel have to compete on this new technology.