AMD introduces the 7th generation APU with improved Excavator

AMD’s press conference was about more than just the introduction of the Polaris 10 RX 480, they also introduced a much improved version of Excavator and their new 7th generation APU’s to the world.

Bristol Ridge and Stoney Ridge APU’s add DDR4 and much more efficiency

The newest design is being touted as a very large upgrade of the underlying Bulldozer design. It’s so much more energy efficient that it’s hardly even recognizable. They’ve been able to simplify and improve the manufacturing process so that it’s far more energy efficient. Now they’re taking it to a new level, with higher frequencies at the same power envelope.

It’s more than just energy efficiency, though. They’ve added support for DDR4 at the official 2133MHz speed in the memory controller for Stoney Ridge and up to 2400MHz for Bristol Ridge, the desktop parts. Another interesting addition is a new adaptive voltage frrequency scaling algorithm that’ll be able to change the frequency much faster in real-time based on a series of sensors to keep it within the TDP, but running as fast as possible.

They have two versions of this updated APU, with Bristol Ridge filling the desktop role and Stoney Ridge being a mobile-focused part. They have a total of six different SKU’s that will eventually come to market running at TDPs from 15W to 35W. Attached to them are GCN 1.2 GPUs that’ll have from 2 Compute Units to a maximum of 8CU’s.

These are CPUs that are being directed towards the mainstream and low-end market segments. The increase in efficiency means that AMD can compete in battery life against Intel’s offerings, and also include a better GPU alongside. These are primarily for the OEM market, but should be able to provide more value-oriented choices for consumers. It seems that the Polaris-infused APU’s will be coming at a much later date, likely when we see Zen in full force.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.