AMD launches Puma platform

By: Redaktion

The AMD Puma platform consists out of the new Turion 64 X2 Ultra, the 7-series chipset featuring the HD 3200 GPU and the dedicated GPUs of the HD 3000 series.

Puma Plattform Logo

ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3200 3DMark06

PowerXpress Part 1

PowerXpress Part 2

CrossfireX Benchmarks

The Turion 64 X2 Ultra is a mixture of the old K8 core (Turion 64 X2), the memory controller of the K10 and a HyperTransport 3.0 link. Furthermore, the "Ultra" CPU got the new AMD Independent Dynamic Core Technology to further save current.

The new mobile Chipset of the 7-series consists out of the M780G and SB700 and an integrated DirectX 10 capable ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics core. This onboard GPU is capable of about 1700 points in 3DMark 06 and therefore much faster than the current GMA X3100 from Intel (and also as the upcoming X4500 according to first benchmarks from the Internet). Because of the built in Avivo Engine (the HD 3200 is based on the HD 2400), the HD 3200 is able to help the CPU HD videos. Furthermore, the chipset supports HybridCrossfire (with an dedicated graphics card), which can be up to 70% faster in conjunction (instead of a single HD 3400 we suppose). With PowerXpress the notebook is able to switch between the onboard chip and the dedicated GPU (without rebooting). This can prolong battery life up to 90 minutes (according to AMD). Another advantage of using two graphics cards is the possiblity to show the content on 4 displays (instead of the usual 2).

Another highlight of the Puma platform ist the ATI XGP (eXternal Graphics Platform, codename Lasso)  technique to connect an external graphics card. This XGP port can connect an external graphics card an transfer the data with PCI-E 2.0 8x, which should be enough for all modern graphic chips. The output can be viewed also on the internal display and again up to 4 displays can be used to display the content (but only one for 3D content). This technique could equip subnotebooks with high performance graphics when beeing stationary (external power is needed).

AMD claims that the Puma platform is no paper launch and showed us working samples of partners (over 100 notebooks should appear in the next months). This is one advantage over the delayed Centrino 2 (Montevina) launch.