The Brazos Update: AMD's E-450
by Anand Lal Shimpi on June 1, 2011 4:57 PM EST- Posted in
- Trade Shows
- CPUs
- AMD
- Brazos
- Computex 2011
- E-450
At Computex there are a few systems floating around with an updated version of AMD's Brazos platform. The E-350 we reviewed not too long ago featured two Bobcat cores running at 1.6GHz alongside an 80 SP GPU running at 400MHz. Later this year AMD will refresh the platform with an E-450. You'll still get the same 2/80 core configuration, but clock speeds and memory support will be slightly different.
The E-450 runs at 1.65GHz, a mild increase over the E-350. Remember that AMD used a very GPU-like approach to the design of Bobcat. The chip was very easy to lay out and manufacture, but it doesn't have the frequency headroom of a traditional AMD CPU. Instead AMD will have to rely on process shrinks to really bring about larger increases in clock speed.
AMD will also add DDR3-1600 support with the E-450, a mild spec bump over the 1333MHz support we get today.
While the GPU doesn't get any more execution power it will both operate at a higher base frequency and apparently support some form of graphics turbo. Manufacturers at the show tell us that the CPU side won't be able to turbo up.
The E-450 is still a few months away from release, we'll see AMD's Llano followed by Bulldozer before Brazos gets this mid-cycle update.
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evolucion8 - Wednesday, June 1, 2011 - link
The AMD's current approach of increasing clocks while keeping the same TDP relying to mature/more advanced manufacturing process is pretty much what Intel did when they introduced Pentium M Banias/Dothan. It certainly pays off as it balance greatly the performance/power consumption ratio, but it won't be a performance monster though it is doing very well compared to Intel Particle, I mean, Atom.mino - Thursday, June 2, 2011 - link
Yeah. fo sure it is the same. It is the semiconductor industry approach :D.velis - Thursday, June 2, 2011 - link
I'd love a Brazos part in my HTPC, but E-350 can't ensure a smooth H264 1080i viewing. Will 450 be up to the task? I suppose the GPU clocks would have to raise some 30% to gain full deinterlacing support.I wonder how the lowest dual core llano part will perform in this regard and I also hope that there will be a <= 35W part.
On the side note: Is it possible to have one specific page for all HTPC CPU / APU / GPU reviews that would only deal with the worst possible scenario a HTPC chip has to deal with: 1080i H264 playback on primary display while serving two displays - the other display being the HTPC chasis integrated LCD 1024x768 res. It doesn't matter what the secondary display shows, just that the chip has to actually deal with the burden of serving it.
I think a good analysis with a "conclusion" stating the higest passable bitrate would add good value to such articles.
parkerm35 - Thursday, June 2, 2011 - link
http://techreport.com/articles.x/20401/18parkerm35 - Thursday, June 2, 2011 - link
Sorry about the double post. If you look at the site above you will see the E-350 is more than capable of running any video playback.velis - Thursday, June 2, 2011 - link
The page linked only deals with progressive content.The AT brazos review (http://www.anandtech.com/show/4134/the-brazos-revi... specifically states that the chip fails deinterlacing test.
I have specifically inquired in the MediaPortal forums and got a confirmation that the chip can in fact process 1080i, but the "test" was a bit off (just one stream, just a quick test) so I still lack the data necessary to draw any definite conclusions about actual capabilities.
djfourmoney - Friday, June 3, 2011 - link
Who uses Mediaportal? 5 people? HTPC market is dominated by Windows Media Center and its LIMITATIONS which I don't consider LIMITATIONS as I live within the boundaries set by the operating system and the media it supports.Zacate will do 1080i, Anandtech didn't hook up a HDTV Tuner and I consider that a FAIL because how many 1080i files are actually out there? Almost NONE and by the way HD4200 on this laptop plays 1080i without any issues (Top Gear Polar Special) so I don't see how Zacate fails this test which is just that a test, in reality everybody on the AVS forums with various versions of the APU can play 1080i without any problems.
Too many people using this Anandtech story to ding AMD and opt for Intel hardware which cost x2 as much and only has a performance edge when being used as a desktop.
Everybody wants the Ilano and that's great, but again its will use more power while running faster in a desktop configuration but will not be better in a HTPC environment UNLESS you have a 3D screen and I don't, won't get one either, I am not missing anything.
A return of gimmick from the 1950's and 1960's. It returns every decade or so when people in the media think we've forgotten about it. Its cheap for panel makers to include it, but its not reason to pay a premium for it and call me when you can watch it without any sort of glasses.
velis - Monday, June 6, 2011 - link
Just because you don't like MP it doesn't mean it's the same with everybody else.I for instance chose it over WMC for its ability to run my UDP IPTV which is the source of all my interlaced content. Of course my BDs aren't interlaced, I most definitely don't need deinterlacing for that, do I? But as described above, there are other sources of video material. And not only pirated sources at that.
So you see, you make assumptions that everyone in the world has the same needs as you and that they are idiots because they want something other than what you chose for yourself. I did try WMC and didn't like it. Then after trying 10 more, I settled for MP because it gave me the least problems.
You are then wrong again about prices AMD vs Intel. Just because AMD is cheaper where you live, this doesn't hold true everywhere. I can get same bang for buck system from either over here. Doesn't hold true for all configurations, but it does for those that matter to me.
Yet again you scoof at people wanting llano (myself included) just because the E-350 works for you and the rest of us are waiting for something that will finally work for what we have to work with. Sure, it wil take more power, that's why I asked about E-450 deinterlacing - I said in that first post I preferred it over llano exactly for its power usage.
And then finally I assume you're talking about 3D which you would put out of misery I suppose. Well, I suppose you'd be just fine with NTSC resolution. After all if it was good for so many years, why the hell do we need full HD then? Or even Quad HD? That one surely is a pathetic gimmic if you ever saw one, right?
Anyway, you didn't help...
slick121 - Thursday, June 2, 2011 - link
Good thought. I'm really excited to see what the lowest llano dual core can do.Seems that would be a great power/performance balance if it's 35w TDP.
HWgeek - Thursday, June 2, 2011 - link
http://i54.tinypic.com/jkkths.jpghttp://www.overclock.net/amd-cpus/987087-amd-e-350...
they can ship it at 1.8GHZ no prob!