AMD unveils its new Puma chip platform

June 4, 2008

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Today, American Micro Devices (AMD) has unveiled its new Puma CPU platform, a faster and more powerful processor developed especially for laptops. When compared to a similar Intel CPU, one of its main features is its low battery power consumption, and its ability to still render high-quality graphics to any LCD screen.

Even with its factory default settings, a Puma-powered laptop conserves up to 23.2 percent more battery life, and still does an acceptable job handling complex video graphics.

If a user switches to its Turbo Mode, it’s a real powerhouse that effortlessly renders 3-D games and plays high-definition (HD) video.

AMD is trying to make good on its previous promises. In 2007, and in an effort to leapfrog rivals Intel and Nvidia, AMD dangerously gambled on ambitious CPU designs and then missed its deadlines for delivering the product.

Today AMD is eager to show the industry it still can handle the basics: Regain profitability, keep its promises and supply the market with smart ideas like Puma.

Puma actually mixes two technologies that have never been combined this way before: Integrated and discrete graphics.

Integrated graphics, the lower-power and lower-cost method, renders mediocre graphics functions onto a main computer CPU. Discrete graphics chips provide high-end graphics performance. Normally a laptop uses one method or the other, but because AMD owns graphics chipmaker ATI, it was able to blend the two together, an advantage that Intel still dosen't have.

In its turbo mode, Puma turns on an integrated and discrete graphic engine for an extra performance boost.

In doing so, AMD is gloating in the background over Intel’s recent mistakes. Intel’s own next-generation laptop chip, code-named Montevina, should be arriving soon but it is still late simply because of some specific problems with its graphics engine and even with some wireless features.

If the delays at Intel drag into the back-to-school buying season, AMD could strongly benefit by picking up more orders that Intel simply won't be able to fill in time. Additionally, AMD is arguing in various countries that Intel has illegally used its dominance to bully customers out of buying from rivals. If regulators order Intel to pay damages and change its behavior, that could give AMD’s fortunes a real boost.

Major laptop manufacturers including Dell, HP, Acer and Toshiba have already agreed to use Puma, and industry analysts like its new, smarter and more energy-efficient design.

Computer chip analyst Nathan Brookwood says “it’s the first time AMD has really gone out of its way to optimize a CPU for the mobile environment.”

He added “the new chip uses much less power, and in mobile that means improved and a longer battery life and in many cases improved performance at the same time.”

AMD CEO "in-waiting" Dirk Meyer has brought in new leadership and refocused the company’s attention on getting new projects completed on time and especially on budget.

AMD executives note that the late Barcelona chip that almost ruined the company last year is now shipping to server makers such as IBM, HP and Dell, and they all seem happy with it so far.

Graphics unit ATI has also recovered from 2007’s setbacks, and is delivering products that match up to Nvidia’s. Looking ahead to next year, executives say AMD will offer chips that bring more of its graphics expertise into everyday computers and servers, resulting in more Puma-like products that competitors, notably Intel, might have to catch up to.

But in the semiconductor industry, time-to-market means almost everything.

However, some industry analysts are still not expecting a quick turnaround for the Number Two chip maker. Even if everything lines up A-OK for AMD, it still won’t regain the Wall Street clout it enjoyed a few years ago least not yet.

Intel is still better at marketing than AMD is, and also has a lot more cash and resources to do it. Even if AMD’s new products are very good, there’s no guarantee that the company will be able to quickly lure away Intel customers, today or next year. Time will tell, nevertheless.

For its sake, yesterday Intel said it will soon make more powerful CPUs. Whether in retaliation or as a long-planned project, Intel is clearly fighting back to maintain and possibly gain its market share over AMD, its closest competitor and biggest rival.

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Source: SMC Review.

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