AMD on track for launch of Kaveri in February 2014

[JDG1980]

Super Pi is @ top of the list, too.

Super Pi is a horrible benchmark. It uses legacy x87 floating-point instructions, which virtually no real-world applications do any more. Everyone else moved on to SSE long ago. Don't expect any substantial improvements in Super Pi performance on Steamroller - that would be a waste of AMD's time and resources, when there are far more important real-world issues to fix.

 

[ShintaiDK]

So you mean this is also fake?

No black background, and no green/black/whitelogo...

We alerady got FM2+ motherboards out. A simple look on those boards and you will find at least 2 of the features in the slide to be fake.

 

[ShintaiDK]

1st of all the slide is not fake . You are wrong Phynaz .
2nd the NDA end date (press NDA liftoff) is 5th of Dec.
3rd this is desktop Kaveri launch schedule. Mobile schedule is unknown but knowing the priorities and the early NDA expiration date I'd say that mobile comes first (paper launch at around the 5th of Dec?) and soft launches(?) with some products at maybe around CES 2014(?).

Kaveri we will get is Kaveri2.0 featuring SR-B core (unknown number and nature of changes from SR-A presented at HC last year). Fully unified memory pool for x86 and iGPU (known for long time), TrueAudio support(new info from the slide) and dedicated PCIe lanes for SSD and caching (new info from the slide).

There is no PCIe for SSDs and no TrueAudio on FM2+ boards. So thats purely fake and made up. Just like all the performance numbers.

 

[AtenRa]

We alerady got FM2+ motherboards out. A simple look on those boards and you will find at least 2 of the features in the slide to be fake.

The slide is for the Mobile APUs not Desktop, but im curious what features are you talking about ??

 

[FlanK3r]

There is no PCIe for SSDs and no TrueAudio on FM2+ boards. So thats purely fake and made up. Just like all the performance numbers.

Trueaudio is feature of GPU, not the board. In this case iGPU GCN 2.0.

 

[AtenRa]

There is no PCIe for SSDs and no TrueAudio on FM2+ boards. So thats purely fake and made up. Just like all the performance numbers.

Could be a Mobile feature only, and since Kaveri APUs havent been released yet they cannot put features (on FM2+ motherboards) not available yet like True Audio.

 

[NTMBK]

There is no PCIe for SSDs and no TrueAudio on FM2+ boards. So thats purely fake and made up. Just like all the performance numbers.

TrueAudio requires a DSP integrated into the GPU, so you won't get it with Trinity on FM2+.

As for PCIe for SSDs- that one stumps me. Do SSDs need special PCIe? I thought you just dropped it into an x4 slot and it worked fine? Maybe it's just marketing bull**** to try and piggyback on the excitement about Apple's PCIe SSDs.

 

[Tuna-Fish]

As for PCIe for SSDs- that one stumps me. Do SSDs need special PCIe? I thought you just dropped it into an x4 slot and it worked fine? Maybe it's just marketing bull**** to try and piggyback on the excitement about Apple's PCIe SSDs.

There is a new "almost standard" connector/ form factor for SSDs designed by apple, it looks like this: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/06/17/samsung_pcie_flash_bell_tolling/

It's basically a PCI-e connector in one end of a dimm-sized PCB, that is larger than the existing mini PCI-e card.

Given how laptops are size-constrained and SSDs aren't, they make a lot of sense. Advertising it as a feature to laptop makers probably means they provide free headers for PCIe on their motherboards so that the OEMs can easily provide "slots" for the SSD cards.

 

[ShintaiDK]

There is a new "almost standard" connector/ form factor for SSDs designed by apple, it looks like this: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/06/17/samsung_pcie_flash_bell_tolling/

It's basically a PCI-e connector in one end of a dimm-sized PCB, that is larger than the existing mini PCI-e card.

Given how laptops are size-constrained and SSDs aren't, they make a lot of sense. Advertising it as a feature to laptop makers probably means they provide free headers for PCIe on their motherboards so that the OEMs can easily provide "slots" for the SSD cards.

M2 aka NGFF is a standard. Its nothing Apple special. The Asus Impact MiniITX also uses M2 for example.

 

[Abwx]

There is a new "almost standard" connector/ form factor for SSDs designed by apple, it looks like this: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/06/17/samsung_pcie_flash_bell_tolling/

It's basically a PCI-e connector in one end of a dimm-sized PCB, that is larger than the existing mini PCI-e card.

Given how laptops are size-constrained and SSDs aren't, they make a lot of sense. Advertising it as a feature to laptop makers probably means they provide free headers for PCIe on their motherboards so that the OEMs can easily provide "slots" for the SSD cards.

Kaveri will be also used in low cost servers.

http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/PCIe-SSD-What-it-is-and-how-you-can-use-it

 

[NTMBK]

There is a new "almost standard" connector/ form factor for SSDs designed by apple, it looks like this: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/06/17/samsung_pcie_flash_bell_tolling/

It's basically a PCI-e connector in one end of a dimm-sized PCB, that is larger than the existing mini PCI-e card.

Given how laptops are size-constrained and SSDs aren't, they make a lot of sense. Advertising it as a feature to laptop makers probably means they provide free headers for PCIe on their motherboards so that the OEMs can easily provide "slots" for the SSD cards.

But this slide was about "Kaveri Desktop Features", which confused me. Surely Kaveri + FM2+ chipset just need to provide PCIe lanes, and the wiring to these SSDs is up to mobo makers?

 

[inf64]

But this slide was about "Kaveri Desktop Features", which confused me. Surely Kaveri + FM2+ chipset just need to provide PCIe lanes, and the wiring to these SSDs is up to mobo makers?

Exactly.

So no Shintai, the slide is not BS. TrueAudio is feature of GPU (just like in Hawaii) and NTMBK replied on the second "issue" above.

 

[ShintaiDK]

But this slide was about "Kaveri Desktop Features", which confused me. Surely Kaveri + FM2+ chipset just need to provide PCIe lanes, and the wiring to these SSDs is up to mobo makers?

It cant be dedicated since it can only be chipset shared lanes. And for SATA Express as I assume the slide relates to require SATA as well. The slide is either made by a clueless marketing employee or fake.

 

[ShintaiDK]

Exactly.

So no Shintai, the slide is not BS. TrueAudio is feature of GPU (just like in Hawaii) and NTMBK replied on the second "issue" above.

Does Richland or Trinity show any extra audio device, or do they simply use the onboard codec chip? Unlike the dGPUs.

 

[inf64]

I recommend your read what TrueAudio is. It's the same stuff Hawaii has, it works the same way. You still retain your integrated(mobo) audio chip.

 

[ph2000]

pcie SSD probably talking about next sata express ?

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6293/...end-to-proprietary-ultrabook-ssd-form-factors

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6294/breaking-the-sata-barrier-sata-express-and-sff8639-connectors

 

[tential]

On desktop these don't matter at all. Anyone gaming will go discrete anyway and is better of with intel.

APUs are needed for mobile and at a price that is below intel dual core + discrete which in the past was way faster than APUs especially the gimped ones.

Completely disagree. APUs can do a great job desktop as well. Not for a high end gaming rig, but to replicate console performance where you're not setting the details on high/extra high and the resolution is less than 1080p (BF4 is only running 900p on next gen even) Apus can be great.

IMO AMD APUs could be a processor of choice for cheap Steam Box solutions if they can get it fast enough and get mantle adoption high enough

 

[frozentundra123456]

Completely disagree. APUs can do a great job desktop as well. Not for a high end gaming rig, but to replicate console performance where you're not setting the details on high/extra high and the resolution is less than 1080p (BF4 is only running 900p on next gen even) Apus can be great.

IMO AMD APUs could be a processor of choice for cheap Steam Box solutions if they can get it fast enough and get mantle adoption high enough

I just dont understand why so many people keep promoting APUs as a good desktop solution for gaming. Even if you hate intel and nVidia with a passion, AMD itself offers a solution that is about twice as fast for very nearly the same price, i.e. Athlon x4 750k plus HD7750. Can you game on an APU, yes, at low resolution and reduced quality for graphically intense games, but why would you when you can get much better performance for very nearly the same price. The only place I see for an APU for gaming on the desktop is in a small form factor where space and cooling are limited.

 

[Shivansps]

That is not true on every country, and you can also use any generic crapy power supply with the APU.

 

[Enigmoid]

I just dont understand why so many people keep promoting APUs as a good desktop solution for gaming. Even if you hate intel and nVidia with a passion, AMD itself offers a solution that is about twice as fast for very nearly the same price, i.e. Athlon x4 750k plus HD7750. Can you game on an APU, yes, at low resolution and reduced quality for graphically intense games, but why would you when you can get much better performance for very nearly the same price. The only place I see for an APU for gaming on the desktop is in a small form factor where space and cooling are limited.

Agree completely.

That is not true on every country, and you can also use any generic crapy power supply with the APU.

x4 750/760k + 7750 are going to use minimally more power under load. If the PSU works for the APU, it will probably work on the x4 + 7750. Plus you don't need dual channel fast ram in your computer as well.

 

[iCyborg]

I just dont understand why so many people keep promoting APUs as a good desktop solution for gaming. Even if you hate intel and nVidia with a passion, AMD itself offers a solution that is about twice as fast for very nearly the same price, i.e. Athlon x4 750k plus HD7750. Can you game on an APU, yes, at low resolution and reduced quality for graphically intense games, but why would you when you can get much better performance for very nearly the same price. The only place I see for an APU for gaming on the desktop is in a small form factor where space and cooling are limited.

If you're talking about 6800K only, then I can agree it is a bit overpriced.
But 5600K on Canadian newegg is $110. x4 750K is $80 (a slightly weaker CPU too), cheapest 7750 is $95, not counting rebates. This is no longer "very nearly the same price", that's like 60% more.

 

[frozentundra123456]

If you're talking about 6800K only, then I can agree it is a bit overpriced.
But 5600K on Canadian newegg is $110. x4 750K is $80 (a slightly weaker CPU too), cheapest 7750 is $95, not counting rebates. This is no longer "very nearly the same price", that's like 60% more.

Not really, considering the cost of an entire system, it is only about ten percent more for double the performance.

Edit - not to mention 5600k has a cut down igp with only 256 shaders, so the performance will be even worse than an A10.

 

[Ancalagon44]

I was going to build a Richland/Trinity HTPC, but now I think I'll wait for Kaveri.

I dont want a discrete GPU in my HTPC, for heat and noise reasons. The less fans the system has, the better. So I'd rather have an iGPU that is decent enough for some older and basic games. Maybe just emulation, who knows?

 

[SPBHM]

If you're talking about 6800K only, then I can agree it is a bit overpriced.
But 5600K on Canadian newegg is $110. x4 750K is $80 (a slightly weaker CPU too), cheapest 7750 is $95, not counting rebates. This is no longer "very nearly the same price", that's like 60% more.

the 5600K is certainly faster for gaming than an i3 with the IGP but, it's so much slower than the 7750,

and that's with 384sps at 850MHz, the 5600K is MUCH slower, 256 at 760MHz

the difference is huge, and for any kind of gaming it doesn't make sense to use the IGP, if you are not using a laptop or really small mini itx stuff.

and.. how close can Kaveri get to the 7750 with half (or less) the memory bandwidth?

 

[AtenRa]

For strictly a Gaming PC the combination of Athlon ii 750K(OC) + HD7750 GDDR5 is way better.

For very low budget systems (casual gaming) and or slim SFF the APUs are the only choice.

Also, you can start with an APU and add a dGPU latter. You can get the A8-5600K for $99,99 to get you started and later you can add a faster dGPU.

For people that dont OC, the A10-5700/6700 provides the highest CPU performance vs Athlon II 750K with a good iGPU performance at lower price, power usage and noise.

So it really dependents on what you are looking for, the APUs can give you more than any other combination IF used where they should be.