AMD Zacate: The end of the Intel Atom as we know it?

AMD had released info about a direct competitor to Intel’s Atom, which has a monopoly on the netbook market.

It is not, however, just another processor. Using the company’s “Fusion” technologies, the Zacate platform – as the processor is codenamed – aims to consolidate both graphics and processing solutions in one form.

This combination of GPU and CPU is called Accelerated Processing Unit (APU).

For starters, the Zacate processor will have two cores, is capable of 64-bit processing, and has 1 Mb cache (512 Kb per core). The pre-production units so far are clocked at fine 1.6 Ghz.

The latter two combined will allow the processor to better multitask, and provide an overall more snappy computing experience.  In addition, the APU Finally comes with graphics much better on any standard netbook. It sports a Radeon HD 6310 graphics solution – a Direct X 11-capable graphics core.

AMD's new line of APU's

In fact, the Zacate APU rig that hothardware.com made blew the Asus 1215N out of the water in their gaming test gaming by performing twice as well the 1215N. Their test showed that their Zacate rig performed better than the Asus 1215N in all of their areas of testing except, oddly enough, productivity.

The Zacate is not only powerful, but it is also light on the battery. Somehow, AMD has figured out a way to make this APU both powerful and energy efficient.

Compared to the Intel D525 (Intel’s more powerful dual core CPU) the Zacate uses the battery with more efficacy. One again, hothardware.com report that this APU is even able more energy efficient – in idle – than any other mobile processor they tested along side the Zacate.

With very good graphics – with respect to netbooks – while managing above average battery autonomy, AMD poses a threat to the monopoly of Intel Atoms in the netbook market. But this is only the pre-production unit – performance/battery/features should only get better in time before the APU’s release. So Intel, watch out!

Tags: AMD

Last updated: March 27, 2012 | Published: November 3rd, 2010 | See the comments or add yours!