GF Cannot Grab: AMD 28nm APU Continues to TSMC

The AMD Fusion APU Fusion processor outsourcing foundry strategy verifies the phrase “the eggs cannot be placed in one basket”. TSMC and GlobalFoundries will continue to manufacture low-power and high-performance versions in the future. Nor can it be exclusive.

The soon-to-be-released Ontario and Zacate products are manufactured on TSMC's 40nm process and have 1-2 Bobcat architecture cores and DX11 GPU graphics cores for low-end notebooks, netbooks, all-in-ones, and small desktops. From yesterday's public test situation, its processor and graphics performance can easily beat Atom, but the performance of the Pentium and Core i3 is not enough for processor performance alone.

In the first half of next year, AMD will launch another branch of the Fusion APU family, Llano for mainstream desktops and mobile applications, manufactured using the GlobalFoundries 32nm process, equipped with 2-4 K10 architecture cores and DX11 GPUs. Although AMD claims that the GF 32nm process has no problem of yield, its slow progress is an indisputable fact.

By 2012, the above two series will usher in the next generation of products, including the high-performance version code "Trinity", integrating 2-4 enhanced bulldozer architecture cores and DX11 GPUs, and continuing to use the GF 32nm process to manufacture; low-power version code "Krishma" and "Wichita" increase the number of award-winning processor cores to a maximum of four on the current basis, and their architecture has also been enhanced. Market goals have also increased the number of popular tablet products.

AMD previously disclosed that only Krishma and Wichita will upgrade to 28nm new technology, but they have not yet given an order to whom. What's interesting is that TSMC and GF are actively researching and developing this kind of technology, and the order battle is becoming increasingly fierce. For instance, GF has been finalized. AMD's next-generation graphics card "Southern Islands" foundry cooperation, but also to the industry more optimistic about its 28nm process.

However, according to the latest report from Taiwan media, orders for Krishma and Wichita's new 28nm APU processors will still fall to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., and will not be fully transferred to GF. People in the industry believe that TSMC will continue to be AMD’s main foundry partner for a long time, and continuous acquisition of OEM contract will also help achieve a NT$109 billion quarterly revenue target.

Another source said that the AMD 28nm APU platform will natively support the USB 3.0 interface.