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Forget about the CPU and GPU, we want an APU!

Posted by: Michael on Wed, Jul 02nd, 2008

So we all know what a CPU and a GPU is, and if you don’t then here is a quick explanation. A CPU is a computer processor and some consider it the heart of a computer while a GPU is a graphics processor and considered the eyes.

Well last week, I visited with AMD and was given more information on what is being called an APU (accelerated processing unit, codename “Shrike"), and basically what the APU is, is a CPU and GPU combined into one single chip. For the mobile market just think of how much lighter and cooler a system could be, no more singed leg hairs!

Just imagine a notebook PC or even slime line computer using a APU. With Ultra Portable being the fad now a days, just imagine what the next HP Mini-Note or Toshiba R500 and maybe even the HP Voodoo Envy would look like.

I can, and they are much thinner and lighter in weight even if it’s only by a few ounces.

I have spoken with some OEM’s about AMD APU Shrike and they are somewhat familiar with it, and really like the idea and the possibilities the Shrike APU can bring, but they do have some concerns. They all echoed the same concern which was, if the GPU fails the CPU fails and that may be expensive to replace.

But I don’t think it would be expensive at all. From looking at what AMD showed me last week, the APU looks like a Tri Core chip, 2 CPU cores and 1 GPU core and their current tri-core phenoms are priced under 200 dollars. AMD also wants to compete in the low-end mobile market according to one of the slides they showed us, and keeping the APU priced reasonably would help them a lot, and since you eliminate the need for a graphics chip-set on the motherboard itself, the price of the motherboard should drop, at least in theory. So if the APU is a tad more expensive than a regular mobile CPU, but the Motherboard is a tad cheaper it’s a mute point in my opinion.

What is also great about the APU is that if you have dedicated graphics on the notebook, you can crossfire it with the GPU on the APU for added performance, and better gaming on the notebook.

I for one am excited about Shrike and can’t wait until notebooks and even desktops have APU’s in them. They in my opinion are the future. Because it doesn’t seem like CPU’s are getting faster, and if you keep adding more and more cores to the CPU, according to AMD there comes a point where they add no benefit to the chip, so why not add a core that is dedicated to something like the graphics, or designed specifically for background task on your computer? Can you imagine an APU with 4 processing cores, 2 graphics cores and a wireless core? I can and who knows, there may be an APU like that already in the word and we might see one in the not to distant future. (I really don’t know if we will or not but I am praying that we do)

Who knows what the future will bring, but from what AMD talked about at the event last week they are far from dead, and their graphics side (formally ati) is far from exiting the graphics business as some have said.