News Bits: AMD Puma Launches in June, Intel SSDs, LED Backlighting Costs Drop

Intel to push SSDs with Centrino 2

Intel is planning to bundle Solid State Disks (SSDs) with notebooks based on its upcoming Montevina platform. The firm expects SSDs to become mainstream, and plans to launch its own SSD products by the third quarter of this year. Intel SSDs will target enterprise, mid-range, and high-end notebook markets. Initial models will have a capacity of 80GB in 1.8- and 2.5-inch form factors, and the capacity will eventually reach 160GB.

Full Story (DigiTimes.com)

AMD to launch Puma platform in June

AMD is planning to release its long-awaited Puma notebook platform next month at Computex Taipei on June 3. The Puma platform will include a newer 'Griffin' processor and AMD's 780M chipset. The Griffin processor has two cores and is based on older Turion K8 processors. It has been specifically designed for notebook use with better power management. Features include 2MB or more of L2 cache (1MB per core), and each core can run at a different frequency.

The Puma platform will have HyperTransport 3 and DDR2-667/800 memory support. The 780M chipset will feature DirectX 10 integrated graphics. The integrated graphics will work in conjunction with a discrete graphics card (if available) to help lower power consumption; the discrete GPU will only be used when needed.

Full Story (RegHardware.co.uk)

Touch-screen notebooks to boost panel demand

Several notebook makers are expected to launch branded notebooks in June with built-in touch-screen displays. Two million notebooks and tablet PCs were shipped in 2007, but that number is expected to rise to nine million by 2012.

Full Story (DigiTimes.com)

LED backlighting costs going down, approaching CCFL

The penetration rate of LEDs into the notebook market may reach 15% this year as the cost difference between LEDs and traditional CCFL displays continues to narrow. A CCFL backlighting unit (BLU) for a 12-inch notebook costs about $15, whereas a same-size LED BLU is now about $23. LED BLUs may only be 20 - 30% more than a CCFL solution by the end of this year.

Full Story (DigiTimes.com)

OLPC OS producer in talks with notebook makers

Walter Bender, producer of the 'Sugar' OS that went on the OLPC XO laptop, recently left OLPC and created his own start-up, Sugar Laboratories. Bender is now in 'informal' talks with four notebook makers to put the OS on low-cost notebooks.

Full Story (News.Cnet.com)
Via (Engadget.com)

 

hope ssd will become mainstream

 

I just don't get AMD's 2MB L2 cache decision. IIRC they're a little bit faster than Intel's (same as CPU freq as opposed to half CPU freq), but did they test a bigger L2 cache and found that there's no overall speed difference? Anybody with insight on this?

 

its not going to hurt anything and it probably doesn't cost that much.

 

AMD processors have a memory controller on-chip, unlike Intel chips where the memory controller is on the Northbridge. Because of the on-chip memory controller, AMDs don't need a large cache since the memory is right there and the processor can access it very quickly. Intel chips have to travel all the way to the Northbridge to get info from the memory via the FSB, so it makes sense to store more data on the CPU with a larger cache. Also, there is more room on Intel chips for larger caches; there is only so much space on AMD's because the memory controller takes up space.

 

^^^^ Thanks!!

 

I like the design decisions AMD have made with the new Puma platform. I don't expect they will be very comparable to Intel performance wise, but I'm sure they'll be plenty fast enough and a good value alternative. I look forward to getting more information on them.

 

Moving to LED screens is going to be a nice change for notebooks. I've heard they look better and use less energy which should help battery life a bit.

80 GB SSDs will finally make that viable a option for mainstream storage. Faster load times and sturdier due to no moving parts.

I like the direction notebooks are taking. Hopefully the technology that increased battery life up to 10x of current batteries will come soon.

 

LED would be great, SSD would be nice if they are inexpensive by this point (yes Les, I said it, gasp! ).
I wouldn't count on that battery tech for quite awhile, if at all in the near future, the costs for such a battery I imagine would be immense, and make SSD prices look like a drop in the bucket.

 

IMHO, the only problem with AMD is its execution. If the CPU has no significant bug nor glitch in production capacity, I see AMD formidable in HP notebooks (especially the tablets series) with new features in power reduction, which leads to longer battery life.

IMHO, MOST ppl are looking for long battery lifetime now. The bottleneck is really not in the speed of the CPU.

 

Hope Puma boosts AMD sales. The world needs good healthy competition!

 

Lets see my next notebook...
AMD Puma
SSD
LED
Latest ATI card.
That would be nice

 

Amen to that! I'd love to see a Toshiba A300D update with Puma and a HD3650/HD4650 etc.

 

Should be a nice combo.

 

I second that. If HP's new TX 2xxx series incorporates PUMA, which it probably will, it would be nice to see increased battery life of 3-4 hours with a normal batt, 6-8 with the extended. Plus if they use an ATI discrete 3450 or 3650 for hybrid mode when plugged in, then they would really have something special.

I'm also thinking that since the PUMA platform powers down lower, the tablet would run cooler for ordinary tasks.

 

I definitely like what I see in regards to SSDs and LED screens. Keep cranking out the increased capacities and lower prices.

 

If i make enough money this summer im planning on 9650GT, SSD, LED, and Montevina

 

Great news!now i want to see montevina VS puma comparison

 

Anyone know how Puma compares to C2Ds ?

Also, intel is releasing Nehalem nest year, it will have an onchip memory controller, and no FSB. It may kill AMD !!

 

Hope not!

 

C2Ds may win the Puma but Intel integrated graphics is nothing compared with AMD 780 and for real time application I think Ram, graphic are much more important than the processor.

 

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!! as soon as AMD's gone as a computer industry we are screwed!!

 

Look at it this way....
AMD has had memory controllers on chip for years.
They get better every year.
Intel will have had them for a limited amount of time.
AMD has had a chance to perfect them.
Not ragging on Intel in anyway, but......

 

ok, someone offer a Puma notebook with 15.4" WSXGA+ LED screen and I'm interested. 17" is just too big to carry around...

 

The PUMA is what I`m really looking forward to...

 

Err, WHAT?!? No CPUs on PCs currently have L2 caches running slower than CPU frequency.

In fact, Intel's caches are much faster than AMDs. Lower latency and more bandwidth. AMD has faster memory performance because of IMC .

 

AMD Puma launches today at Taipei, Taiwan right? Don't know when we can get the latest news. Hope they can post it asap.