Advanced Micro Devices said during quarterly conference call with financial analysts that it began volume manufacturing of its next-generation A-series "Trinity" accelerated processing units (APUs) in the first quarter of 2012. Actual systems powered by the new Fusion APU will become available in the second quarter of the year.

"We are successfully ramping production of Trinity APUs as our customers are preparing to launch a record number of AMD notebook designs beginning this quarter," said Rory Read, chief executive officer of AMD, told financial analysts.

AMD A-series "Trinity" APUs are projected to improve AMD's competitive positions on the market of low-power and mainstream systems thanks to substantial improvements in x86 and graphics performance. In addition, thanks to usage of a new resonant clock mesh technology developed by Cyclos Semiconductor and implemented into Piledriver-class x86 cores, Trinity will be able to both offer ultra low-voltage models as well as very high-performance models. Rich family of different A-series "Trinity" Fusion APUs will broaden market prospects for the APU to a wide range of applications and form-factors, from ultra-thin laptops to full-size desktops.

The world's No. 2 supplier of x86 microprocessors plans to formally unveil its new code-named "Trinity" A-series Fusion accelerated processing units (APUs) on May 15, 2012, according to a media report and an X-bit labs source. The world's No. 2 supplier of microprocessors will introduce mobile versions of "Trinity" and will release desktop flavours later. AMD did not comment on Trinity APU launch date. According to unofficial information, Globalfoundries, AMD's production partner, began volume manufacturing of Trinity in mid-March, 2012.

AMD’s second-generation code-named Trinity APU for mainstream personal computers (Comal for notebooks and Virgo for desktops) will be made using 32nm SOI HKMG process technology at Globalfoundries. The APU will feature up to four x86 cores powered by enhanced Bulldozer/Piledriver architecture, AMD Radeon HD 7000-series "Southern Islands" graphics core with DirectX 11-class graphics support, DDR3 memory controller and other improvements. The chips will be compatible with new infrastructure.

According to performance benchmarks conducted by AMD, the Trinity 35W APU with Piledriver-class x86 cores will provide 25% better x86 performance compared to Llano 35W (with K10.5+ "Husky" x86 cores) based on results obtained in PC Mark Vantage Productivity benchmark. AMD also claims that Trinity 35W will offer up to 50% better result in 3D Mark Vantage performance benchmark compared to Llano 35W.

AMD on Thursday announced revenue for the first quarter of 2012 of $1.59 billion (6% sequential decrease and 2% decrease year-over-year), net loss of $590 million and 2% gross margin as a result of one-time charge of $703 million for a limited waiver of exclusivity of certain 28nm APU products from Globalfoundries.

Tags: AMD, Trinity, Fusion, Radeon, ATI, Sourthern Islands, 32nm