Advanced Micro Devices expect to have a lot of code-named Llano accelerated processing units (APUs) on the market as well as product on their base already in the second quarter, the company indicated recently. Still, the company expects the Llano APUs to really become a substantial part of the market during back-to-school (BTS) season.

"We began shipping Llano for revenue on the first quarter, and it is very simply, the most impressive processor in history, featuring a modern graphics architecture. [...] You should expect to see Llano-based systems widely available in this quarter," said Thomas Seifert, interim chief executive officer of AMD, during the most recent conference call with financial analysts.

According to earlier reports, by the second quarter of 2012 virtually all AMD processors will be made using 32nm SOI technology and be based on new designs. Approximately 20% of AMD's desktop microprocessors in Q2 2012 will be in AM3+ form-factor and will belong to the FX family of chips, which is based on Bulldozer micro-architecture. About 10% of desktop chips will come in FT1 ball-grid-array form-factor and will therefore be based on Brazos design. The remaining 70% will be Llano accelerated processing units with two or four x86 cores as well as a Radeon HD 6000-class graphics engine in  FM1 form-factor.

"The Llano [in] volume[s] is actually coming in Q2. We expect to ramp the production in that platforms launched on Llano. [...] We have broad-based OEM platform adoption [back to school season] and we are well-positioned to take advantage of that cycle," said Rick Bergman, senior vice president and general manager of products group at AMD.

Production units of AMD’s 32 nanometer quad-core “Llano” A-series accelerated processor units (APU) with discrete-level graphics are now shipping to various makers, according to AMD, but the company remains tight-lipped about exact companies, who are receiving the chips.

 As reported previously, AMD A-series desktop APUs will have either four K10.5+/Husky x86 cores as well as Radeon HD 6000-class "BeaverCreek" (320 or 400 stream processors) graphics core or two x86 cores and "WinterPark" (160 stream processors) integrated graphics engine. The chips will support dual-channel DDR3 memory controllers, up to 4MB of cache, select processors may also feature AMD Turbo Core dynamic acceleration technology as well as a special multi-GPU graphics support.

The initial family of AMD A-series desktop chips due in Q3 2011 will include four quad-core microprocessors with 100W or 65W TDP, one dual-core flavours with 65W power consumption, according to a document seen by X-bit labs. Later during the third quarter the company also plans to release a dual-core low-end offering based on Llano design. In Q4 2011 the company is projected to refresh the A-series family with new A8, A6 and A4 models.

AMD and its partners pin a lot of hopes onto graphics capabilities of the A-series APUs. It is expected that the integrated graphics cores with up to 400 stream processors will offer performance that will by far exceed that of Intel Core i-series "Sandy Bridge" microprocessors and will thus attract attention of multimedia enthusiasts to the code-named Lynx desktop platform. In addition, AMD pins hopes onto compute capabilities of the integrated Radeon HD 6000-class graphics engine as well as applications that can be accelerated by stream processors in order to offer higher performance than competing offerings in general non-gaming applications.

The world's second largest supplier of microprocessors was projected to start commercial shipments of its A-series "Llano" chips - which are made using 32nm silicon-on-insulator technology by Globalfoundries - on the week of July 20th, 2011.

Tags: AMD, Fusion, Bulldozer, Llano, Phenom, Deneb, Athlon, 32nm, Brazos, Ontario, zacate