AMD provided an early look at its new 2013 accelerated processing units (APUs) and announced a new OEM relationship with VIZIO.

At a CES event, AMD demonstrated working silicon of its first true system on chip (SoC) APUs, codenamed "Temash" and "Kabini," which will be the first quad-core x86 SoCs. Both APUs are scheduled to ship in the first half of 2013.

Demonstrations included a range of applications and games on a "Kabini"-based ultrathin notebook and a "Temash"-based performance tablet and hybrid notebook.

AMD showed off a Windows 8 tablet running the "Temash" APU, which the company hopes it will provide enough ammunition to compete with tablet chip leaders ARM and Intel. The prototype tablet made by Wistron has a 10.6-inch screen and plays full 1080p high-definition video.

The "Temash" tablet chip is based on the faster and more power-efficient Jaguar CPU core. The chip will have an advantage over its Intel and ARM counterparts with 64-bit addressing capabilities, with which device makers will be able to add more memory and storage in tablets. The capability will also give Temash-based tablets the ability to run older 64-bit applications written for older Windows operating systems.



AMD also introduced the new APU codenamed "Richland" which is currently shipping to the company's OEMs and delivers visual performance increases ranging from more than 20 percent to up to 40 percent over the previous generation of AMD A-Series APUs. "Richland" is expected to come bundled with new software for users such as gesture - and facial-recognition to expand and enhance consumers? user experiences. The follow-on to "Richland" will be the 28nm APU codenamed "Kaveri" with heterogeneous system architecture (HSA) features which is expected to begin shipping in the second half of 2013.

"With a groundbreaking new APU line-up in 2013, AMD is poised to win in high-growth consumer segments," said Lisa Su, senior vice president and general manager, AMD Global Business Units. "We are developing technologies with end users in mind - to bring true surround computing and immersive experiences to our everyday lives. It is exciting to bring our industry-leading APU technologies to market, including the industry?s first x86 quad-core SoC, while building on our leadership in graphics and gaming."

"Temash" is AMD's elite low-power mobility processor for Windows 8 tablets and hybrids. AMD expects "Temash" to be the highest-performance SoC for tablets in the market, with 100 percent more graphics processing performance than its predecessor (codenamed "Hondo.")

"Kabini" targets ultrathin notebooks with exceptional battery life and promises impressive levels of performance in both dual- and quad-core options. "Kabini" is expected to deliver an increase of more than 50 percent in performance over the previous generation of AMD essential computing APUs (codenamed "Brazos 2.0.")

"Richland" brings increases in both CPU and graphics along with improvements in battery life. "Richland" APUs are expected to come bundled with a wealth of elite software experiences which include gesture- and facial-recognition, wireless connectivity directly to TVs and monitors, and prioritization of system resources when streaming video.

During an unveiling at AMD's press event, VIZIO was on hand to showcase a powerful new relationship and portfolio of AMD-based platforms. VIZIO?s new AMD portfolio includes an 11.6" APU-powered tablet PC, two high-performance ultrathin notebooks in both 14" and 15.6," and a 24" All-in-One (AiO) system.

In addition to VIZIO, AMD, HP and other companies will support the new APUs with the relese of a variety of systems in 2013.

These new products further AMD?s vision for the next era of Surround Computing. To build on this concept, AMD in concert with VIZIO unveiled the first AMD SurRoundhouse which gives visitors to the AMD Experience Zone at CES a first glimpse into the art of the possible for Surround Computing. The AMD SurRoundhouse delivers a next-generation home theater demonstration on AMD technology that delivers panoramic HD content paired with spatial audio to participants in a true 360° sensory experience.