Mullins And Beema APUs: AMD Gets Serious About Tablet SoCs

[renz496]

nice to see some progress from AMD in the tablet segment. who knows what's next? (maybe smartphone processors )

maybe fine with tablet but to get smartphone design win will be very hard. there is a reason why Qualcomm dominate the smartphones market share.

 

[harly2]

Despite what was said the overall tone is "typical AMD blah"... It's common on this site.

We'll have to agree to disagree on that.

This article is very complimentary for AMD, and Mullins in particular. But perhaps skeptical about the prospects of Windows vs Android and iOS on tablets... and not because this author isn't a Windows fan, but because the public seems more interested in cheap Android and Apple trendy.

In addition, there have been entire years where AMD has completely dominated the best graphics cards for the money article.

Maybe you'd prefer we slather a little more love all over it, but we don't do that for Intel either. When you've reported on hardware for many years, you get a realistic view of where things might go. If Mullins takes the world by storm and changes the tablet landscape I'll be the first to happily admit we should have gushed over it like giddy schoolgirls, but realistically I don't think that's going to happen. Would be great if I'm wrong about that. Time will tell, you can hold me to that when the time comes.

Cleeve maybe you need to re-read the body of work. There is an undertone to Tom's articles that have an apprehensive quality in regards to AMD. It's a known issue that is mentioned in almost all comments on AMD articles in the forums and on other tech sites. Of course it will be denied, why even waste time responding. It's good that the community points it out because it is apparent.

 

[cleeve]

Cleeve maybe you need to re-read the body of work. There is an undertone to Tom's articles that have an apprehensive quality in regards to AMD. It's a known issue that is mentioned in almost all comments on AMD articles in the forums and on other tech sites. Of course it will be denied, why even waste time responding. It's good that the community points it out because it is apparent.

Conversely, maybe you need to point out specific examples instead of making broad generalizations without evidence.

 

[harly2]

Cleeve maybe you need to re-read the body of work. There is an undertone to Tom's articles that have an apprehensive quality in regards to AMD. It's a known issue that is mentioned in almost all comments on AMD articles in the forums and on other tech sites. Of course it will be denied, why even waste time responding. It's good that the community points it out because it is apparent.

Conversely, maybe you need to point out specific examples instead of making broad generalizations without evidence.

No need, anyone reading this can go into any AMD article and cross reference with the other reviews and articles from other tech sites. Your denial is not necessary as it's obvious that you would.

 

[RedJaron]

No need, anyone reading this can go into any AMD article and cross reference with the other reviews and articles from other tech sites. Your denial is not necessary as it's obvious that you would.

This is much like most responses I get from others when debating politics and philosophy. Someone makes an accusation, I ask for them to provide evidence to back up their claims, and they just say, "It's so obvious! If you can't see it, then you're a moron."

All the while the original accusation is still left unfounded and you make yourself look like a shill by asking others to do the work you're refusing to do.

 

[PreferLinux]

OK, so where are the power measurements? That is about the most important part of the chip, and is also the part that is missing.

if you check other tech site that covering this new APU there is not much detail on power consumption.

I was allowed to spend a few hours benchmarking AMD’s Discovery Tablet. Unfortunately the device wasn’t instrumented for power testing, nor was there enough time to run any battery life tests on it, so the usefulness of these numbers is limited. We already know that AMD’s idle power isn’t as good as smartphone silicon, but for some of these value Windows 8.1 devices it may still be good enough.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7974/amd-beema-mullins-architecture-a10-micro-6700t-performance-preview/3

it seems AMD only allow reviewer to do some benchmark on it and then take it back

Good point. However it is one that wasn't in the article (not that I'd have seen it anyway), and I hadn't seen Anandtech's article then.

OK, so where are the power measurements? That is about the most important part of the chip, and is also the part that is missing.

There was no way to measure it. The CPU is too new to be recognized by the thermal and power measurement software that I tried.

We'll have to wait a bit for the details, unfortunately. Having said that, the TDP gives us a reliable range.

Fair enough.

 

[cleeve]

This is much like most responses I get from others when debating politics and philosophy. Someone makes an accusation, I ask for them to provide evidence to back up their claims, and they just say, "It's so obvious! If you can't see it, then you're a moron."

All the while the original accusation is still left unfounded and you make yourself look like a shill by asking others to do the work you're refusing to do.

Well said!

And better you than me, as harley2 apparently finds it easy to dismiss writers comments out of hand if they don't fall in line with his pessimistic worldview.

 

[Shin-san]

Whether or not Mantle is used is a tricky question, especially since Mantle prompted OpenGL and Direct3D to rethink their APIs. Those two APIs may end up being more like them

 

[rwinches]

Cleeve sorry man, you couldn't just do a straightforward review without all the unnecessary qualifying disclaimers.
No, one halfhearted compliment does not absolve.
We get it, you didn't have a chance to set up a battery of lab tests all designed to muddy the waters for AMD.
Why did you feel the need to include processors that are not in the same class at all in a preliminary non-production review?
You gave us no hands on details which you could have compared to your Dell for which you felt the need to say something nice even though it came in last in most tests.
I find it hard to believe you can't read your comments after each test and see what the complaint is here.

 

[harly2]

This is much like most responses I get from others when debating politics and philosophy. Someone makes an accusation, I ask for them to provide evidence to back up their claims, and they just say, "It's so obvious! If you can't see it, then you're a moron."

All the while the original accusation is still left unfounded and you make yourself look like a shill by asking others to do the work you're refusing to do.

Why would I waste my time, it will accomplish nothing, look it up yourself, I'm not spending half my day going through old articles to source the obvious.

 

[cleeve]

Cleeve sorry man

Apology accepted.

Why did you feel the need to include processors that are not in the same class at all in a preliminary non-production review?

Because Mullins is genuinely impressive, and stands up surprisingly well to desktop processors with much higher TDPs. I wanted to show that.

Intelligent readers can acknowledge an impressive result without it 'winning' the highest benchmark bar. You need to be able to read the evidence, not base your self esteem solely on the longest chart line. If that's the extent of your objectivity, you have genuinely earned my pity.

I find it hard to believe you can't read your comments after each test and see what the complaint is here.

Interesting, it seems we both find it hard to believe some things. For instance, I find it hard to believe that hardcore brand fans are wholly incapable of accepting any positive commentary unless it suggests that a product is 100% perfect at everything.

Frankly, if you only would be satisfied with complementary analysis without considering the playing field as a whole, you're not my target audience. You never have been, and I'm not interested in pandering to you. So get used to disappointment.

 

[Bloob]

With Microsoft recently announcing no Win8 licensing costs to sub $200 (IIRC) tablets, I am very much hoping to see AMD gaining traction there, all the pieces seem to be there for it.

 

[cleeve]

Why would I waste my time, it will accomplish nothing.

We can agree on that.

 

[RedJaron]

Why would I waste my time, it will accomplish nothing, look it up yourself, I'm not spending half my day going through old articles to source the obvious.

It's a little principle called "burden of proof." You call it "wasting your time." Others call it "putting money where your mouth is." If you make a claim, you better be prepared to back it up.

 

[renz496]

With Microsoft recently announcing no Win8 licensing costs to sub $200 (IIRC) tablets, I am very much hoping to see AMD gaining traction there, all the pieces seem to be there for it.

we will have to see how it goes. while the license cost is gone intel are aggressively attacking the low budget segment (be it android or windows tablet) by 'giving away' their SoC to encourage OEM to use their chip instead of competition. and from the recent earnings Rory Read mention that he did not intend to fight in the low cost segment.

 

[RedJaron]

Cleeve, you are truly a pompous tool.

Says the user who up-votes their own comments and down-votes nearly everything else.

You are too small-minded to take critique without replying with childish prattle.
...
I in no way attacked your article as a whole but your ego won't allow allow even one word of dissent.

"Critiquing" would imply offering opinions and/or questions with the intent of furthering conversation and edifying everyone involved. You tried to make yourself look smarter at the expense of another. You asked your questions with a side-order of disdain. Don replied honestly, with a dash of ribbing. You take umbrage at that. And yet he's the childish one? And of the two of you, Don isn't resorting to direct insults.

I am in no way a brand fan what a lame assumption on your part.

Like you assuming the Tom's staff are "pompous tools" and AMD haters? Don never called you such outright. However, judging from how you've acted hurt at alleged AMD slighting from the Tom's staff ( all provided evidence to the contrary, ) I think it's a fair inference that you're partial to the Red Team. His statement is still valid. He doesn't understand ( nor do I nor many others for that matter, ) how some people aren't satisfied with reviews that point out both strengths and flaws of a product. I thought that was kind of the point of them.

 

[cd000]

Would like to see what Asus can do with this cool little chip. It would make for a nice upgrade for their T-100 Transformer.

 

[rwinches]

My comment is cowardly.

Overall my response is immature and adolescent, I responded in a confrontational manner. I challenge and deny but never truly engage. Just the fact that many here have made mention of bias should trigger at least a moment of introspection.

I, of course, know nothing about knowledge or experience, so my remarks are illogical and unwarranted.
Just the fact that I personally attack speaks for me.

My response should have been in the vein of 'How can we (everyone involved) make this better?'

With a response like mine why would anyone want to participate. I'm sorry everyone, please accept my heartfelt apologies.

 

[dusty13]

"... hardware with full Windows 8.1 (not that Windows RT dreck) ..."

wow ... thats one childish kick in the knee ... had a bad day? ... really ...

one of these days someone has to give me one single valid reason why anyone would need a system capable of running x86 programs on a tablet. what are you going to do with that? run cod at 0.0005 fps? install a mysql database and run a server? what exactly do you want to do with a x86 windows on a tablet that can not be done on a winRT?

that i am genuinely curious of as i have not found a single thing that i would miss.

 

[cleeve]

"... hardware with full Windows 8.1 (not that Windows RT dreck) ..."

wow ... thats one childish kick in the knee ... had a bad day? ... really ...

one of these days someone has to give me one single valid reason why anyone would need a system capable of running x86 programs on a tablet. what are you going to do with that? run cod at 0.0005 fps? install a mysql database and run a server? what exactly do you want to do with a x86 windows on a tablet that can not be done on a winRT?

that i am genuinely curious of as i have not found a single thing that i would miss.

Actually that was an edit by Chris Angelini. I can see where he's coming from in some respects, as RT is very restrictive when it comes to web browsers and our CMS is built around Firefox. So immediately, RT elimianted itself as a production tool for us.

And, honestly, when desktop windows works so well on low-cost tablets like the Dell Venue 8 Pro, it's hard to make a case for RT anymore. Even Microsoft is amalgamating RT and Windows Phone as there's no real future for RT.

For simple media consumption, browsing, and office work, I'm sure it's just as good as an iPad or nexus tablet, tho.