AMD: "FX is Not EOL" & Why What We Need in a CPU is Changing

[Final8ty]

We recently posted about an alleged slide leak from AMD that, if real, seemed to suggest the end of the line for FX-series CPUs and the AM3+ socket. The slide stirred a great deal of concern throughout major social networks and enthusiast websites, and so I attempted to bring things back down to earth in our original analysis. I reached out to AMD for comment prior to publication, but we weren't able to speak with the company until yesterday.

AMD Manager of APU/CPU Product Reviews James Prior was quick to negate the slide's legitimacy: "I've never seen that slide before, I don't know where that came from," he told me in our call, and quickly followed-up by stating that "it's not real. FX is not end-of-life." Prior pointed-out that it's rare to ever see more than a year into the future with roadmaps, and that the real AMD roadmap looks like this:

http://www.gamersnexus.net/news/1240...pus-fx-not-eol

[xVeinx]

The new roadmap doesn't inspire any more confidence. It just says that AM3+ and Vishera will stick around throughout 2014, maybe with another sku or two at some point. After that, it's anyone's guess...

[Heinz68]

The new roadmap doesn't inspire any more confidence. It just says that AM3+ and Vishera will stick around throughout 2014, maybe with another sku or two at some point. After that, it's anyone's guess...

Read more from the same OP article:

AM3+ Stays For Now: The Time Isn't Right for a Refresh

All these discussion topics aside, we know that FX and AM3+ are here to stay for now. Even with criticism that AM3+ doesn't natively support PCI-e Gen3 interfaces (though the Gen2 x16 slots are often not fully saturated), it doesn't make sense to undergo a platform or chipset revamp right now.

DDR4 looms on the horizon. If AMD were to release a new platform implementing modern interfaces (and with it, a new line of boards), users upgrading would be caught in a "DDR trap." It makes more sense for AMD -- a company that has built a reputation around being the long-term support solution -- to wait until DDR4 has arrived, rather than do a small step-up before then for PCI-e & USB3.

[xVeinx]

Read more from the same OP article:

I read the article. DDR4 will be released early next year. Intel already added it to their roadmaps, with support built into Haswell-EP in Q4 of 2014. They could have an updated platform out next year if they wanted. So, we have two options: AM3+ is being kept around until they can replace it with something else, or they are keeping it around as long as contractually necessary and then killing it off. If they're replacing AM3+ with FM2+, then it isn't really even any different. AMD seems to be returning to it's older approach of putting the money and time into the products they can excel at (HSA is what they are banking most everything on, that and modular processors they can customize more readily), so it isn't unreasonable to think that they are going to pull the FX line and stick with FM2+. They can return to the FX line at some point later if they wish.

[i found nemo]

5ghz fx cpu @ 140watts would be nice

[AMDforME]

AM3+ is EOL Q1 2015. That is a fact and in AMD internal slides. There will not be any Steamroller or better core FX AM3+ processors delivered. AMD will continue to sell Piledriver based FX processors until the end of '14.

The goal is to switch everyone to FM2+ by '15.

[DeathReborn]

So basically no Steamroller FX in 2014? AMD must really not want money.

[AMDforME]

So basically no Steamroller FX in 2014? AMD must really not want money.

CORRECT! No Steamroller or better core AM3+ ever.

The take rate on a Steamroller AM3+ FX CPU in numerous online polls here and in other enthusiasts forums showed a 92%-95% take rate based on a +15% performance boost over Vishera.

[BeepBeep2]

"What we need in a CPU is changing"

No, CPUs are CPUs and what we need in them are CPUs.

[Linchpin]

"What we need in a CPU is changing"

No, CPUs are CPUs and what we need in them are CPUs.

Well they can't very well go out and say that their higher end products are a waste of space can they? Although the honesty would be refreshing.

[nossy23]

All that wasted die space for iGPU, depressing. Instead of giving us more Cores/Cache etc

[NEOAethyr]

An apu will never be as good as a gpu unless you actually replace your gpu's with apu's...
However I see nothing wrong with say the fm2s for oem's and the like.
And switching to a pcie bus I my mind is step in the right direction, it's more traditional like (like pci and backplane was back in the day).

I think the fx is essentially eol.
...

I too expect a improvement in the cpu it's self, as I don't really care about a tiny gpu in my cpu right now.
That's what I buy gpu's for, to use gpu stuff...
It's not like I buy intel and run with there integrated vga... (though they are not as bad as they used to be)

Though I would prefer a nv tegra mobile chip on my phone but whatever for now, at least the cpu is essentially the same on that platform (amd would be alright too if they did arm + gpu).
It seems kinda weird being stuck with one of those old school brand of gpu's on your phone(not talking about amd/nv), reminds me of the dreamcast or something.

[FlanK3r]

if enthusiast segment is still live after maybe is the chance new 20nm GF for new FX line (2015?). For Vishera - its good CPU but now is "older" (2012) and they need new revision for better power consumption at least for 2014.

[massman]

if enthusiast segment is still live after

Afaik, enthusiast and DIY grew in 2013.

[PedantOne]

this slide is not fake, here is original, unedited one, this AMD guy is liar or idiot, maybe both of this possibilities

[Olivon]

As usual, AMD's communication is catastrophic, they have to stop acting like amateur.

[Heinz68]

I think you're right, they should use some professional like you.

[FlanK3r]

there is maybe many presentation with roadmaps (hsa, apu, channel, etc) and this is confusion for amd people Based at spekulation is not effective SR FX at 28nm. So they waiitng for 20nm and 2015 year or they must to know something more about APU+HSA performance in next year.

[tajoh111]

What consumers needed and what AMD failed to recognize is the adoption of mobile computing in general.

AMD's strength when they were making competitive chips has always been its desktop processors. Their mobile chips for the longest time have been from a step behind during their Turion days, to the gulf that exists today.

Some of their netbook stuff is pretty good, better than intel's actually but the netbook era was shortlived and replaced by the tablet era.

What people crave nowadays is laptops more than desktops. They want all day battery life and high performance. People are more than willing to pay the Intel difference which is 100-200 dollars if it nets them an extra few hours of battery life and double the performance. Particularly since the platform is far less upgradable and is often used in a work setting.

What AMD needs is for GF to get their processes in order and for them to start focusing on mobile chips above all else at this point.

[Sparky]

What consumers needed and what AMD failed to recognize is the adoption of mobile computing in general.

AMD's strength when they were making competitive chips has always been its desktop processors. Their mobile chips for the longest time have been from a step behind during their Turion days, to the gulf that exists today.

Some of their netbook stuff is pretty good, better than intel's actually but the netbook era was shortlived and replaced by the tablet era.

What people crave nowadays is laptops more than desktops. They want all day battery life and high performance. People are more than willing to pay the Intel difference which is 100-200 dollars if it nets them an extra few hours of battery life and double the performance. Particularly since the platform is far less upgradable and is often used in a work setting.

What AMD needs is for GF to get their processes in order and for them to start focusing on mobile chips above all else at this point.

The APU seems to work pretty darn well in the laptop area. My laptop has an A10 and I can get 6 hours of battery life when I want, or I can turn around and play Battlefield (not maxed out obviously). All in a 14" laptop. Not sluggish at all in day to day stuff. Then I put an SSD in there and it really flies now, 10 second boot times I've run Windows 7 on it and currently have Windows 8.1 on it.

Intel doesn't offer "double" the performance CPU-wise, and their video behind.

I think AMD does need to continue to improve it, but their APU now is better than the Turion of yesteryear. Not sure where this "gulf" comes from that you speak of.

[tajoh111]

Use an Intel laptop and use a AMD laptop and you won't want to go back. Particularly when you take into account performance, weight of the laptop itself and all day battery life.

Look at the benchmark list from the links I just posted and you will see that is indeed double and often more.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-...st.2436.0.html
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7111/a...ing-notebook/3 (look at the CPU benchmarks)

When Intel processors can perform consistently 2x more or better at the same power envelope. That's a huge gulf.

When something like a vaio pro with a with a 2.35 pound weight performs the same or better, gets better battery life compared to the biggest and baddest AMD platforms, that is a gulf.

Their turions of yester-years when compared with their Intel contemporary were much closer.

If you want to game, discrete is still the best way to go. But Iris pro is a really big improvement(but costly as hell) for integrated and inline with AMD's best integrated chips if not better.

[Sparky]

I have. I set up Intel laptops for people a lot actually. I'm keeping my AMD thank you very much The intel video sucks. Yes, discrete video is better for games, but the price point is higher, and the battery life is also worse. The APU hits a nice happy medium on almost everything.

I guess if you need screaming i5 power to type emails more power to ya

A SSD is going to make far more of a difference in general daily computing than an AMD vs intel CPU.

Not sure why you brought up Iris Pro. If it is so horribly costly but only "in line" with AMD's integrated... what's the point?

[tajoh111]

I have. I set up Intel laptops for people a lot actually. I'm keeping my AMD thank you very much The intel video sucks. Yes, discrete video is better for games, but the price point is higher, and the battery life is also worse. The APU hits a nice happy medium on almost everything.

I guess if you need screaming i5 power to type emails more power to ya

A SSD is going to make far more of a difference in general daily computing than an AMD vs intel CPU.

Not sure why you brought up Iris Pro. If it is so horribly costly but only "in line" with AMD's integrated... what's the point?

I don't need and won't ever want a desktop replacement. What I do like is smaller form factors, light weight, acceptable performance and long battery life. The form factor difference is something you can immediately notice between AMD and intel processors.

To get the performance simply of an Intel ultra low voltage i5 processor which is by no means a high performance processor, you need a top of the line a10 series. And with these type of laptop, you gain a couple extra pounds of weight, half the battery life at best and generally worse performance.

Considering the software we put on our computers, particularly our work ones which costs hundreds if not thousands of dollars, 100-200 dollars more on the hardware of the laptop is nothing.

Running Intel plus discrete may cost more, but if your computer is used for professional purposes, its easily justified. Running discrete on top of an Intel processor does cost even more, but your getting atleast twice the performance for gaming. It's simply a wise investment to get more performance from the get go with a laptop due to the less than upgradeable nature of the whole thing.

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.c...d=1839&page=11

Heres a turion versus centrino M review. Turion was a good processors. Much better vs the competition than how it is doing today. It could be competitive and even beat Intel.

[STEvil]

What surprises me is that nobody has done an x86/64 dual cpu laptop yet, as in one that runs a very low power cpu for general use, and one for high power... or something like tegra3.

[AliG]

What surprises me is that nobody has done an x86/64 dual cpu laptop yet, as in one that runs a very low power cpu for general use, and one for high power... or something like tegra3.

That's actually not a bad idea. If you know any marketing people personally, you may want to bring that up (and ask for a portion of the profits, of course )