Just recently AMD hijacked Intel's Developer Conference in order to show assembled press that its next-generation mobile chip, codenamed Trinity, is running just fine.
Adding some spice to proceedings is a leaked AMD roadmap, dated July 2011, that's doing the rounds at 3DCenter.
For this roadmap, which seems genuine at first glance, suggests that the Trinity chip will come in Q1 2012. Given just how much trouble AMD had in getting incumbent Llano fit for launch - we heard stories about manufacturing partner GlobalFoundries literally hand-carrying wafers through its fabs - Trinity's arrival seems optimistic.
Trinity is important to AMD as it's a mobile APU (accelerated processing unit) that's based on upcoming Bulldozer technology. This should mean more CPU-related performance than present-day Llano. Similarly, the associated London graphics should provide more oomph than the also-DX11 GPU available with Llano. The roadmap also indicates performance Trinity APUs are to ship with 35W and 45W TDPs.
AMD's sticking with the A8/A6/A4 classification system but extending it right down to what it'll call the E2 - presumably a dual-core Piledriver chip together with cutdown London graphics.
Notebook manufacturers will be pleased to hear that AMD's A60M and A70M Fusion Controller Hubs (FCH), currently providing a home to Llano APUs, will continue to be the base for new Trinity chips, meaning the refresh, dubbed Comal as a platform, will be a drop-in upgrade for existing notebook designs.
Coexisting with the mainstream Trinity will be the Wichita APU. An upgrade on the Brazos platform featuring the Zacate and Ontario APUs, Wichita promises a new FCH, complete with chipset-integrated USB 3.0, FIS switching, and better fan-speed control.
Don't let the glut of codenames confuse you. AMD's 2012 mobile proposition is both a CPU and GPU upgrade on the Llano APUs found in current notebooks. We know that AMD's historically been strong with integrated graphics performance, comfortably bettering Intel Sandy Bridge's, but just how it will shake out against upcoming Ivy Bridge is up for conjecture. Who is your money on, folks? And does a Trinity-powered laptop appeal to you?
