AMD introduces Fusion platform

It is designed to handle multi-core processors and high-end graphics

Bollywood actor Gul Panag displaying the Chip during the launch of AMD Fusion Platform, the company's accelerated processing unit in Bangalore on Tuesday. Photo: G.P. Sampath Kumar

Computer processor manufacturer AMD announced on Tuesday the launch of its new generation of processors, the Fusion platform.

The new family of chipsets, using the accelerated processing unit (APU), are designed to handle multi-core processors as well as high-end graphics using a single die. Ravi Swaminathan, Managing Director and Regional Vice-President, Sales and Marketing, AMD India, said the new chipset design promise to herald a “fundamental transformation, in the computer landscape.” “The new family of processors represent the biggest shift in PC technology in 40 years,” Mr. Swaminathan said.

Claiming that AMD was the only chip-maker to have established capabilities in designing and manufacturing central processing units as well as graphics processing units, Mr. Swaminathan said, “The APU will set the new industry standard.” He said the capabilities of the new range of processors make them ideal for use in a range of products — from mobile phones to desktop computers. While the E-series and the C-series of APUs would be available in India soon, the higher-end A-series APU would be available by May, Mr. Swaminathan said.

Leading computer manufacturers such as Sony, Dell, HP, Asus, Lenovo, MSI and Toshiba would be launching APU-based systems soon, he added.

Michael Goddard, Corporate Vice-President, Chief Engineer, Low-Power Clients, Products Group, said the AMD's Indian technology development team, based in Hyderabad and Bangalore, had played “a critical role” in the development of the processor. One of the key features of the new chipset is its “AllDay Power” capability, which enables usage of computers for more than 10 hours on a single charge. “Our team in Hyderabad played a major role in achieving this,” he said. AMD's two centres in Hyderabad and Bangalore employ about 1,100 persons.

Manju Hegde, Corporate Vice-President, Fusion Experience Programme, said, “In a situation in which visual perception has become the key, especially among the youth, the processor's limitation can prevent consumers from enjoying high-end graphics.” “The new design now offers to ordinary people the computing capability that was earlier associated with supercomputers,” Mr. Hegde said.

Speaking at the launch, Bollywood actor Gul Panag said the new processor's power-saving feature would be a boon for users who were increasingly seeking richer graphic content on the Internet.