AMD Piledriver rumours ... and expert conjecture

[Reynod]

We have had several requests for a sticky on AMD's yet to be released Piledriver architecture ... so here it is.

I want to make a few things clear though.

Post a question relevant to the topic, or information about the topic, or it will be deleted.

Post any negative personal comments about another user ... and they will be deleted.

Post flame baiting comments about the blue, red and green team and they will be deleted.

Enjoy ...

 

[viridiancrystal]

I feel really bad for AMD's GPU division right about now. All of their hard work, and effort to stay competitive with their rival. Less R&D, and a smaller workforce. They make a great architecture, great line of products, and Nvidia sells more chips than them because their name is Nvidia.

It is just bad to see AMD struggling as they are. If Trinity doesn't sell well, and if PD and Sea Islands don't deliver, AMD could be as good as dead.

 

[dattimr]

I read the article. By "Drop" it meant ADDED IN the compiler.

This is GOOD! And there are comments that explain SR in more detail.

That's right -- it means it gets added in. The sentence is a bit misleading, but I suppose it's common to use "to drop" in this context when it comes to software related news.

 

[Reynod]

Why should nvidia being looking better than Intel?

The profits being made in the Smartphone/Tablet market, are being derived not so much from the semiconductor hardware, but from everything else.

Nvidia in my view also faces a very precarious future over this decade.

I agree.

http://semiaccurate.com/2012/10/12/amds-layoffs-target-engineering/

http://semiaccurate.com/2012/10/13/rory-reed-issues-a-pointless-memo-to-amd/

Both these points substantiate my previous post.

A lot of senior AMD staff are very concerned at present ... more than a few have jumped ship (or been pushed) because they felt the company has lost its way at the top.

This is usually what happens just prior to a business that is about to get broken up into bits and pieces.

Maybe the sharks are circling looking to buy bits of IP.

An opportunity for someone ... someoene who has recently employed some ex-AMD staff in their ranks I'd imagine.

The flip side of this (being positive) is that it is a great time for a company to buy back some of its own shares just prior to the release of a new secret product ... and enjoy the ride as the shares bounce back.

The last time AMD went down to $1.82 some people made some great money as it surfed back up in value ... well I hope they did anyway.

I'd like to be positive ... like last time. How many "last times" it is now for me is blurring into the distant past.

 

[mayankleoboy1]

The fact that AMD has started adding compiler patches for Steamy, they definitely have completed the design of the chip. IMO, they wouldnt start compiler support before the design is 100% finalised.

Whether they fabricate and release Steamy, is for the future. Also, the OBR 'news' about PD being the 'last performance CPU" is obviously false.

 

[fazers_on_stun]

I read the article. By "Drop" it meant ADDED IN the compiler.

This is GOOD! And there are comments that explain SR in more detail. "

Whoops, in that case looks like evidence against dropping Steamy..

 

[sarinaide]

PD benches but limited compatibility boards.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1315678/h-fx-8350-benchmarks-and-review

I sense Vishera will be delayed a week to allow board partners to release new boards. ES works on AM3+ 990FX but I have heard the story is about to change.

 

[esrever]

All they need to do is get their butt back in servers i also want that CEO out but that would be a bad move right now as that would lower their stock even more, As for sarinaide no one is going to buy something that is worse then something else that is cheaper just to support a company and i just don't get why Amd is doing the crap they are right now i mean why the hell hasn't the improved Bob cat cores been released yet when do they plan on releasing it on 28nm die not 3 year old fabrication that way they can have some good Performance per watt, Sell it extremely competitive for tablets.

I'm hoping steamroller really does fix the issues their having on the server side of things and bring some actual Performance per watt to the table. If tomorrow Amd said their going to release enhanced bob cat cores on 28nm die their stock would probably go up 10-15% and if they release it on time they would also make their stock holders happy and the company wont have to worry as much about going bankrupt. Also they need to cut corners everywhere except the Engineers and sales people, financial advisers(not marketing).

The thing about that is, AMD is waiting on glofo's 28nm process to actually get off the ground, they already have the designs ready at this point and would probably cost too much to try to switch fabs. Tamesh and Kabini has been planned for like a year just waiting for 28nm. Now that Kaveri has been delayed, who know when glofo actually gets a working 28nm process. Kaveri's die design has been done since mobile trinity got released if you go by rumors now the rumor is that trinity will get a refresh while kaveri is pushed back a couple of months.

 

[de5_Roy]

imo all these chain reaction (or ripple effect..) of bad stuff started with early poor yields from glofo's 32 nm node. first it was llano, followed by zambezi. i dunno why is amd going with glofo again. meanwhile tsmc has a working 28nm process and they make some apus too.. y'know, the ones that sold more.

The thing about that is, AMD is waiting on glofo's 28nm process to actually get off the ground, they already have the designs ready at this point and would probably cost too much to try to switch fabs. Tamesh and Kabini has been planned for like a year just waiting for 28nm. Now that Kaveri has been delayed, who know when glofo actually gets a working 28nm process. Kaveri's die design has been done since mobile trinity got released if you go by rumors now the rumor is that trinity will get a refresh while kaveri is pushed back a couple of months.

kaveri is delayed? iirc sr is on track for q2 2013 launch. did something change? i assume at least the mobile lineup will be available, same as trinity. then again, it could be a rehash of llano. i hope things improved this time.

 

[blackkstar]

PD benches but limited compatibility boards.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1315678/h-fx-8350-benchmarks-and-review

I sense Vishera will be delayed a week to allow board partners to release new boards. ES works on AM3+ 990FX but I have heard the story is about to change.

Something must have changed if ES worked in regular AM3+ boards and retail doesn't. That is a good sign.

 

[esrever]

imo all these chain reaction (or ripple effect..) of bad stuff started with early poor yields from glofo's 32 nm node. first it was llano, followed by zambezi. i dunno why is amd going with glofo again. meanwhile tsmc has a working 28nm process and they make some apus too.. y'know, the ones that sold more.


kaveri is delayed? iirc sr is on track for q2 2013 launch. did something change? i assume at least the mobile lineup will be available, same as trinity. then again, it could be a rehash of llano. i hope things improved this time.

I was refering to this:
http://semiaccurate.com/2012/08/06/amd-to-update-trinity-to-trinity-2-0/

but I guess it was updated since I read it.

 

[de5_Roy]

I was refering to this:
http://semiaccurate.com/2012/08/06/amd-to-update-trinity-to-trinity-2-0/

but I guess it was updated since I read it.

that's the one i read. i thought that trinity 'update' could technically launch in h1 2013, could be any time from jan to may. sr apus, at least mobile ones, might launch in june or july. the latter makes it an h2 2013 launch, technically. i am just hoping mobile apus launch as early as possible.

 

[tonync_01]

PD benches but limited compatibility boards.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1315678/h-fx-8350-benchmarks-and-review

I sense Vishera will be delayed a week to allow board partners to release new boards. ES works on AM3+ 990FX but I have heard the story is about to change.

A new chipset? or a bios update?

 

[jimmysmitty]

imo all these chain reaction (or ripple effect..) of bad stuff started with early poor yields from glofo's 32 nm node. first it was llano, followed by zambezi. i dunno why is amd going with glofo again. meanwhile tsmc has a working 28nm process and they make some apus too.. y'know, the ones that sold more.


kaveri is delayed? iirc sr is on track for q2 2013 launch. did something change? i assume at least the mobile lineup will be available, same as trinity. then again, it could be a rehash of llano. i hope things improved this time.

I would wonder if AMD would pull that and release another new CPU so soon after PD hits. I would expect SR to be delayed as well to allow it to get some sales befoire making it null and void.

A new chipset? or a bios update?

I haven't seen anything about a new chipset for AMD. No 1090FX or whatever they decide to call it (maybe like ATI and its 1X90) .

It may be due to the changes in voltages more than anything and not all AM3+ motherboards will be able to support that change. I would assume one like the Asus M5A78 (we use it in our builds at work) wont be ablee to do PD and we will have to move to a M6AXX. I assume more the older chipset but probably more likley voltage compatibility.

 

[Chad Boga]

Intel stocks have been falling as well but the difference is their doing something about it and getting into the smartphone/tablet market sorry chad i still think x86 is dumb to have on android and still think its going to take at least 5 years before they own 50% of the market i know Intel they will charge a leg for their processors over Arm and it will increase the cost of the phone. If their lucky though they might be able to team up with Apple since they already supply them processors for their MAC's.

You are away of the Atom powered phones that have already come on to the market and don't cost and arm and a leg, aren't you?

Now as for x86, with an x86 tablet, you potentially get full compatibility with every bit of software you run on your computer, that has to be of value to many people.

And some businesses must surely find it attractive to have their staff on x86 mobiles, x86 tablets, to go with their x86 desktops and laptops. Now this x86 everywhere would only work if Win 8 takes off on phones and tablets.

As for Android and x86, whilst I agree that this combo gets no benefit from the instruction set alone, if Intel makes their x86 offerings better than the ARM offerings, then that will be your benefit.

Sure you might think Intel would have been better off bringing an ARM mobile chip to market, but that ain't gonna happen, so if Intel makes their x86 mobile chips more compelling than ARM(thru a combo of price and performance), what's wrong with that?

 

[jdwii]

I would wonder if AMD would pull that and release another new CPU so soon after PD hits. I would expect SR to be delayed as well to allow it to get some sales befoire making it null and void.



I haven't seen anything about a new chipset for AMD. No 1090FX or whatever they decide to call it (maybe like ATI and its 1X90) .

It may be due to the changes in voltages more than anything and not all AM3+ motherboards will be able to support that change. I would assume one like the Asus M5A78 (we use it in our builds at work) wont be ablee to do PD and we will have to move to a M6AXX. I assume more the older chipset but probably more likley voltage compatibility.

I think with all the people they keep getting rid of they won't be able to come up with a name.

 

[jdwii]

You are away of the Atom powered phones that have already come on to the market and don't cost and arm and a leg, aren't you?

Now as for x86, with an x86 tablet, you potentially get full compatibility with every bit of software you run on your computer, that has to be of value to many people.

And some businesses must surely find it attractive to have their staff on x86 mobiles, x86 tablets, to go with their x86 desktops and laptops. Now this x86 everywhere would only work if Win 8 takes off on phones and tablets.

As for Android and x86, whilst I agree that this combo gets no benefit from the instruction set alone, if Intel makes their x86 offerings better than the ARM offerings, then that will be your benefit.

Sure you might think Intel would have been better off bringing an ARM mobile chip to market, but that ain't gonna happen, so if Intel makes their x86 mobile chips more compelling than ARM(thru a combo of price and performance), what's wrong with that?

But why would you want to use old software on a 4 inch device. All the programs being made is for the Arm architecture(or whatever they want to call it) and are made grown up for touch screen.

I'm the only one here who thinks Windows 8 is going to fail worse than vista, Android and crapple already have loads of apps and windows 8 doesn't it's going to be a crappy tablet OS that has no support and their stuff is going to cost more than Androids.

Also When it comes to X86 vs Arm i have no idea who will win i see Arm scaling UP and x86 scaling down. All i know is Arm is already alive in this area and Intel is trying to enter and if you think windows 8 will put them on the map then i want to know if you smoke or inhale your drugs.

 

[jdwii]

Also i don't even think Intel cares much about Amd beyond their graphics if i was them i would be laughing at them while being scared about Arm.

 

[Chad Boga]

But why would you want to use old software on a 4 inch device.

You might want to access your business's IT Network/System for some work related info, whilst out of the office.

All the programs being made is for the Arm architecture(or whatever they want to call it) and are made grown up for touch screen.

Keep in mind the rich tool chain which already exists for x86 software, it is not like Intel is using a new instruction set for which there is no software infrastructure.

I'm the only one here who thinks Windows 8 is going to fail worse than vista, Android and crapple already have loads of apps and windows 8 doesn't it's going to be a crappy tablet OS that has no support and their stuff is going to cost more than Androids.

I think Microsoft are going to make it clear that they are prepared for Win 8 to more readily co-exist with Win 7, than was their goal with Vista replacing WinXP.

So on those terms, it may not be a failure, but clearly Win 8 offers literally nothing to current desktop and laptop users.

Also When it comes to X86 vs Arm i have no idea who will win i see Arm scaling UP and x86 scaling down. All i know is Arm is already alive in this area and Intel is trying to enter and if you think windows 8 will put them on the map then i want to know if you smoke or inhale your drugs.

I think Win 8 can help, but clearly it will be Android in the short term(and maybe the long term too), that will be what Intel concentrates on the most in the phone and tablet market.

 

[Chad Boga]

Also i don't even think Intel cares much about Amd beyond their graphics if i was them i would be laughing at them while being scared about Arm.

I think that is exactly what is happening.

Intel pretty much said this when they nominated Qualcomm as their no.1 rival, recently.

 

[sarinaide]

I am hoping stocks crash to below the 1.00 mark, and someone with a fab and assets buy them out, if not we will be having a one player market.

Some stories coming out from AMD fronts is that Steamroller is on hold, suggests potential buy out and change of direction in x86 policy. I think most of us AMD users whether fanboys or user would happily go back to K arch and figure out how to make it more efficient, modulation is never going to work unless specially coded for and that is not going to happen in any rush, as sound in theory its nothing but a waste of time right now.

My vested interest is now in a potential buyout hopefully early in the new financial year.

 

[skitz9417]

i hpoe they are better than an phemon x4

 

[de5_Roy]

damn.. couple of articles and share price drop send people into panic so easily. the same thing (except the firing iirc) happened last quarter.
all those articles said was that amd is restructuring and lost some money. they haven't hit rock bottom yet. i wouldn't like to see them hit rock bottom though. it's better to take a wait-and-see approach.

 

[sarinaide]

AMD has always had rubbish management, and it remains so today still. Technology was strong, but that ended a long time ago. AMD refused to market their products or the company itself, believing and wanting the products to speak for themselves. Philosophically sound, very myopic in every other way. I'm disappointed at the people going at ground level, when it was the entire board who ran the company into the ground. From a money point of view, firing 20 top executives could save more than 1,000 jobs of people who know how to do the work, have been doing the work and were in no way responsible for the **** up that has been for 7 years almost.

There's nothing left at AMD now, had it not been for the GPUs there would be no business.
AMD is like MySpace, nobody knows why it's still there.

 

[jdwii]

AMD has always had rubbish management, and it remains so today still. Technology was strong, but that ended a long time ago. AMD refused to market their products or the company itself, believing and wanting the products to speak for themselves. Philosophically sound, very myopic in every other way. I'm disappointed at the people going at ground level, when it was the entire board who ran the company into the ground. From a money point of view, firing 20 top executives could save more than 1,000 jobs of people who know how to do the work, have been doing the work and were in no way responsible for the **** up that has been for 7 years almost.

There's nothing left at AMD now, had it not been for the GPUs there would be no business.
AMD is like MySpace, nobody knows why it's still there.

I'd like to say something positive but since they got rid of some GPU engineers i'm kinda thinking that area of them is going to fall a little, Its still not over yet if we're lucky the board when it comes to review will get rid of some useless pockets cough cough Rory reed the person who knows nothing about making a CPU he only knows what the typical CEO knows how to do and that is fire the wrong people except his useless executives that are ruining the company.

If steamroller gets delayed the company really is done for as that is its last hope in making it in the server market. With all the talk of them going under its probably making all the software engineers scared about putting a lot of resources into helping Amd when it comes to software.

 

[campdude]

I wonder how many Am3+ boards are out there waiting to upgrade to a decent CPU. I got a FX4100 cheapo as a delay tactic waiting for a real CPU.
I for one am.