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...

[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.

[BeepBeep2]

"What we need in a CPU is changing"

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

[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.

[PedantOne]

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[informal]

It would be nice to have a new FX chip (based on a new core) on FM2+ or later, but I wouldn't hold my breath much. Market conditions, competitive positioning and other factors are playing a big role in this. I doubt we will see such a chip even in 2015 :/.

[i found nemo]

you know, for it to be on the product listing for that much longer maybe they would do at most 2 updates to am3+ based cores. even with 15% improvement ipc/single threaded wise( at best ) it will be a nice cpu in it's final stages. so it's like tom brady coming back in the 4th against the broncos for the win. but the improvements might be moot because in 1yr intell will still be faster than any am3+ socket based cpu.

tl;dr

am3+ cpu's might seem not so good now, but by the time it's on the way out it will be improved a bit more. but is it enough improvement to keep amd "current" as far as processing power is concerned.

[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 )

[Vassili]

If their cpu's are so modular, why don't they make a 8 core Excavator (20nm?) FM2+ APU, instead of a AM3+ cpu. Problem solved? Hence even call it a FX - apu...

[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.

[Darakian]

AMD is pushing HSA and thus APUs. If your archive program, spreadsheets, web broweser, etc... all made transparant use of your gpu then you probably wouldn' t mind having an APU over a traditional CPU. That's the dream, the reality may be different, but they're pushing for the dream. Couple that with limited resources and a lost cpu war with intel and it makes a lot of sense to ELO AM3+.

[NEOAethyr]

I was just looking at socket g34 on newegg, looks alright but dated.
Boards obviously not that great...

Has anyone seen any slides or info on upcoming server platforms for amd?
What I'm thinking is, if people can't find a upgrade solution in mainstream, why not go opty ^^ ?
(And yeah the g34 chips are outrageously priced..., but lets pretend a moment they're priced $500 and lower lol)

A 12-16 core opty, clocked at 4ghz, 150w tdp... (yeah right), that I'm game for lol.