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Intel and AMD took two completely different approaches when it came to launching their latest and greatest chips: Intel kicked off Ivy Bridge by launching its most powerful desktop units first, while AMD's Trinity APUs first popped up on notebooks. In fact, you still can't find a desktop Trinity chip -- but the company recently confirmed with HardwareCanucks that Trinity is on schedule to ship to component channels some time later this year and a full listing of the desktop APUs are up on the AMD website.
AMD has also recently confirmed reports that major OEMs such as Acer, Asus and HP are already receiving Trinity desktop chips, and in fact, the company told TechReport yesterday that Trinity desktop APUs are slated to start appearing in all-in-ones by the end of June. However, it looks like only the big name players are currently invited to the party; smaller mobo manufacturers say they aren't yet in on the hot Piledriver action.
We could try to sum things up with witty speech, but since we're talking hard data, here are screen grabs of the Trinity spec table over on the AMD website. You'll notice that some of the 15 processors listed are unlocked "K" versions, while all are made for the FM2 socket.
So, any thoughts as you're looking over the Trinity specs?
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PsychNerd
June 16, 2012 at 12:27pm
Hold on here. Most of the processors listed are FM1 socket processors. Only the top four appear to be the new FM2 socket 'trinity' processors. Or are they going to make all of the FM1 processors FM2 socket as well? Or will the FM1 processors work on a FM2?
Llano has HD 6xxx graphics and Trinity has 7xxx graphics.
PsychNerd
June 19, 2012 at 9:21pm
No you read that in reverse. I know the FM2 is a new socket. But I am wondering if you will still be able to use the FM1 processors in the FM2 boards. Brad said that all processors are made for the FM2 socket. So I am guessing that meant the FM1 processors will work in the FM2 boards as well. Since there are actually only 4 new FM2 processors on that list.
biggiebob12345
June 16, 2012 at 12:18am
I'd wait for Haswell. More graphics cores and extra memory in the package will probably double IVB's performance and beat Trinity using less power. Not to mention it'll have a CPU that'll probably outbench @ 2 Ghz the 3.8 Ghz Trinity.
And the best they can do is 65W? Giggles, call me when they get down to Intel's 35W level.
Rift2
June 14, 2012 at 11:32pm
Well as long as my AM3+ socket is still good I hate for it to be a dead end.
livebriand
June 14, 2012 at 6:49pm
If these are advertised better than the llanos, they might succeed. These are enough for most people's usage, yet they don't seem to be very popular.
Happy
June 14, 2012 at 5:18pm
"hot piledriver action" *laughs!!* Jesus Christ! I didn't know those kind of double entendres were allowed here at MaximumPC. :P
Hilarity
June 14, 2012 at 2:01pm
I have Llano 3870K, a new build in February when my old 880G Asrock junk mobo died. The difference only in terms of CPU is around 10% overall. Not upgrading. I'll wait for Steamroller next year to even consider. Still the upgraded graphics are fascinating. When HSA rolls out in over a year or two AMD is going to obsolete all low end GPU's and spank Intel harder. Still waiting on Piledriver desktop . . . .
Happy
June 14, 2012 at 5:38pm
I think he was referring to Vishera (which replaced Zambezi), the second generation of FX processors for the desktop. This will be Piledriver as well and will not be Trinity. So while all Trinity are Piledriver, not all Piledriver are Trinity (well, this will be the case once Vishera comes out in the third quarter).
kixofmyg0t
June 14, 2012 at 11:23am
The Radeon cores in Trinity are VLIW4 based, like the ones used in the Radeon 6900's.
If anyone is interested in seeing how Trinity performs next to Llano and even Bulldozer Toms Hardware already has benchmarks up on their site.
warptek2010
June 14, 2012 at 11:14am
Of course everyone will be griping for benchmark comparisons to Ivy Bridge. Why don't we just say the A10 is "fast enough"? Nah, it'll never stick.
John P, care to comment?
kixofmyg0t
June 14, 2012 at 11:30am
tomshardware.com already has benchmarks up. It's faster than Llano and even Bulldozer in some cases.
Also I have to mention before JohnP says how much faster a Ivy Bridge CPU clocked at 4.2Ghz with quad GTX 690's are.....Trinity's VLIW4 based GPU puts quite the hurting on Intel 4000 graphics.
someuid
June 14, 2012 at 12:20pm
And it is no contest between Trinity's GPU and Intel's HD 2500 integrated graphics.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivy_Bridge_(microarchitecture)
There is only 1 Core i3 and only 2 Core i5s with HD4000. All the rest are HD2500.
Toms Hardware also said dual GPU setups on Trinity (discrete plus the APU's onboard GPU) was a heck of a lot easier than on Llano. They found a 6670 to work very well.
NayusDante
June 14, 2012 at 11:02am
Looks like the new chips trade some Radeon cores for higher clock speeds. I'd love to see an HTPC build with that 65w 4.0 quad.
