AMD's next-generation accelerated processing unit (APU), codenamed "Trinity", was demonstrated at CES. Trinity will make up AMD's 2012 A-Series APU lineup, and will be designed for mainstream-thru-performance notebooks, and mainstream desktops (different standards for different form-factors). Pictured below is what its notebook-specific BGA package looks like. The package has an exposed rectangular die, with a stabilizer frame around it (like with GPUs). Notebooks' cooling assembly heat pipes make direct contact with the die. Trinity packs two Piledriver modules (an evolution of Bulldozer), and DirectX 11.1 AMD Radeon HD 7000M graphics (notebook APU) or HD 7000D (desktop APU).Shown to the CES crowd was a mind-boggling demo. The public were first shown what appeared to be an ATX desktop connected to two monitors, one monitor running a DIRT 3 DirectX 11 game demo at high-quality settings, and another screeen revealing the APU to be running GPU-accelerated video transcoding. No discrete graphics was used, it's just the embedded HD 7000 at play/work. If that alone didn't raise a few eyebrows, the AMD representative removed the lid of the ATX desktop case to which those two monitors were connected, to reveal a 14-inch laptop inside doing all the work. And there's more - the laptop's main screen wasn't idle, it was running a high-definition video playback. Whatever synthetic benchmarks end up telling about Trinity, its real world performance does impress!You have got to watch the video after the break!At a discrete meeting with select journalists at a backroom, AMD also talked about its competitive technology to Intel's Thunderbolt, which it's referring to as "Lightning Bolt" (+1 for originality). This interface will use the same mini-DP port design as Thunderbolt. It will have the bandwidth to drive up to four HD displays, and multiple USB 3.0 devices, and will have a hub cost of under $40.

77 Comments on AMD Demonstrates Trinity APU, Its Own Thunderbolt-Alternative

1 to 25 of 77 Go to Page 1234 PreviousNext

#1 DannibusX

Impressive. Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 2:24 Reply

#2 Flanker

very nice, hopefully they can make a desktop equivalent that is just as impressive Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 2:38 Reply

#3 RejZoR

And when you open up that 14 inch laptop, there is a hamster running on a wheel. :)

This demonstration is right in Intel's face with their crappy Ivy Bridge graphics that are such fail that they had to play pre-recorded video in VLC instead. Lol. AMD APU's are indeed impressive, can tell that with my much weaker E-450. At least something where Intel can't touch AMD... Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 2:38 Reply

#4 ViperXTR

No Intel-ified pre recorded video hehehe. Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 2:41 Reply

#5 krisna159

1st monitor is runing dirt.. 2nd converting video,and the notebook monitor itself display a movie...:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: i didnt even know a notebook can do that ... Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 2:41 Reply

#6 cloudwan

Really impressive.. thumbs up for AMD :respect: Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 2:45 Reply

#7 aameghoo

i actually got slight goosebumps reading that...probably didn't help that I had "Lupe Fiasco- The End Of The World" playing in the background...but yes that was very impressive to say the least Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 2:46 Reply

#8 de.das.dude

Pro Indian Modder i love the way they werent all showy offy and spreading unwanted douchebaggery like in that intels promotion saying they were actually running a video and not the real game.



love the moment when he took of the sidepanel to reveal a laptop. lol wtf.



i never thought intel had a lead in the mobile segment. all intel mobile CPUs scuk. Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 2:48 Reply

#9 gorg_graggel

"You know, doing first generation is hard, doing second generation directx 11 is harder..."

wtf? how i hate marketing people...





impressive performance though... Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 3:00 Reply

#10 Suhidu





What's left is for OEMs to actually put this thing into quality notebook shells (that can in turn fit into ATX shells). I hope OEMs make great products around this. gorg_graggel "You know, doing first generation is hard, doing second generation directx 11 is harder..." That made me "o_O" as well. . .... I think I saw a flash of video player controls ...on monitor three, so I guess that's justified.What's left is for OEMs to actually put this thing into quality notebook shells (that can in turn fit into ATX shells). I hope OEMs make great products around this.That made me "o_O" as well. . .... Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 3:01 Reply

#11 imitation

Suhidu I think I saw a flash of video player controls ...on monitor three, so I guess that's justified. You're absolutely right, the third monitor is playing a video. FullHD that is. :shadedshu



If they keep power consumption low AND find the right OEMs that will create ultrabook-like laptops, this will be epic. You're absolutely right, the third monitor is playing a video. FullHD that is. :shadedshuIf they keep power consumption low AND find the right OEMs that will create ultrabook-like laptops, this will be epic. Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 3:15 Reply

#12 de.das.dude

Pro Indian Modder you mean the game is a video :O Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 3:17 Reply

#13 dj-electric

Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 3:21 Reply

#14 Suhidu

imitation find the right OEMs that will create ultrabook-like laptops, this will be epic. I agree, that's been Intel's real ace lately. Not that Intel doesn't make great chips, but some of the things OEMs are doing with their chips are what's really capturing the higher-end (of some markets). Intel's good at these things. de.das.dude you mean the game is a video :O No, I mean the video is a video, the transcoding is a transcoding, and a game is what I'm playing with you. I agree, that's been Intel's real ace lately. Not that Intel doesn't make great chips, but some of the things OEMs are doing with their chips are what's really capturing the higher-end (of some markets). Intel's good at these things.No, I mean the video is a video, the transcoding is a transcoding, and a game is what I'm playing with you. Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 3:27 Reply

#15 naoan

btarunr And there's more - the laptop's main screen wasn't idle, it was running a high-definition video playback. ...of F1 2011 game? :laugh: ...of F1 2011 game? :laugh: Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 3:35 Reply

#16 Zubasa

Speaking of being dishonest :roll: Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 3:36 Reply

#17 Lionheart

Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 4:01 Reply

#18 seronx

I guess people passed by the FX-8200 setup with 24 monitors playing Crysis 3 on 6 screens and doing Epic Excel calculations on 12 and 6 playing 6 4K Blu-ray movies(with post-processing!!!)

J/king Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 4:06 Reply

#19 Suhidu

seronx I guess people passed by the FX-8200 setup with 24 monitors playing Crysis 3 on 6 screens and doing Epic Excel calculations on 12 and 6 playing 6 4K Blu-ray movies(with post-processing!!!)

J/king It wouldn't surprise me. Hell, I've seen people who frequent this very forum pass by "AMD also talked about its competitive technology to Intel's Thunderbolt, which it's referring to as "Lightning Bolt" (+1 for originality). This interface will use the same mini-DP port design as Thunderbolt. It will have the bandwidth to drive up to four HD displays, and multiple USB 3.0 devices, and will have a hub cost of under $40." when it was mentioned in the thread title! It wouldn't surprise me. Hell, I've seen people who frequent this very forum pass by "AMD also talked about its competitive technology to Intel's Thunderbolt, which it's referring to as "Lightning Bolt" (+1 for originality). This interface will use the same mini-DP port design as Thunderbolt. It will have the bandwidth to drive up to four HD displays, and multiple USB 3.0 devices, and will have a hub cost of under $40." when it was mentioned in the thread title! Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 4:22 Reply

#20 NC37

Now I see why there are rumors Apple may use Trinity in laptops. I'm getting horny just seeing that laptop :D Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 4:33 Reply

#21 BlackOmega

O_o Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 4:59 Reply

#22 xenocide

That does sound impressive, hopefully it's not just AMD marketting pulling a fast one. Something like this could really set the bar. Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 5:06 Reply

#23 alwayssts

Sweet...it can play dirt at 1024x768!



I kid, obviously they needed low-rez displays to demo all three things and still have them all work well. A concession to show proof of concept to all their feature strengths simultaneously when in reality you'll be doing one at likely higher performance/resolution. At least the cake game isnt a lie video.



Pretty amazing what a single simple PC/laptop can do these days...Trinity is going to be great for AMD and us. I hope piledriver is BD efficiently trimmed up/optimized and does the gpu justice, although irregardless on paper the ratio of gpu/cpu just seems perfect for casual use. Even if PD isnt as impressive from a power/performance perspective as Intels cpus or their own gpus, it should still be a very good product.



On a side note...did I read dx 11.1? That implies that if this isnt a GCN gpu, it will at least have an enhanced feature set over Cayman (6900) even if still vliw4. I wonder if that includes the VCE or whatever it is called (AMD version of quicksync). I bet it does, and that peeps, is pretty nifty.



Kinda wish they could have jumped straight to 1/4 of Tahiti over 1/4 of Cayman...but I guess that will be next year and/or whenever the A-series transitions to sub-32nm. Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 5:17 Reply

#24 RejZoR

I'm just not sure what he meant with the first generation DX11 was hard, doing 2nd was harder. Why? It would make sense that doing a second gen is easier since you already knwo the problems and issues and you can solve them. Unless they had problems delivering a decent improvement but judging by HD7970, they did a pretty good job... Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 5:20 Reply

#25 MikeMurphy

I really hope the CPU portion isn't a turd...



Llano K10.6 is quite good. I would be surprised if AMD can beat it with the bulldozer arch.



Anyone know of the improvements to the GPU? 480sp instead of 400sp? Posted on Jan 11th 2012, 5:25 Reply