At Microsoft's BUILD conference, AMD officials announced drivers that will enable AMD-based devices to run Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 OS.
Advanced Micro
Devices is not about to let rivals Intel and ARM Holdings get all the chip
attention around Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8.
With
Microsoft's BUILD conference going on in Los Angeles at the same time that
Intel's annual developer forum is underway in San Francisco, most of the
stories around Windows 8 and processors have focused on how the new operating
system-due out in 2012-will run not only on x86-based systems, but also devices
running on ARM-designed chips.
However, at
the BUILD conference Sept. 13, AMD officials announced that their engineers
developed drivers that will enable AMD-based devices-from PCs and servers to
tablets and netbooks-to support Windows 8.
The new
drivers mean that a wide range of AMD products-from the bulk of its Fusion
accelerated processing units (APUs) to its Opteron server platforms and Radeon
and FirePro graphics offerings-will run Windows 8, which Microsoft is designing
not only for traditional systems but also the burgeoning tablet market.
The move is a
continuation of a long partnership between AMD and Microsoft in developing
technologies for systems that are increasingly smaller and offer greater
performance and energy efficiency, according to AMD officials. The chip maker
in January began rolling out its Fusion processors that offer high-level
graphics integrated with the CPU on the same single piece of silicon. AMD
is offering Fusion APUs for everything from mainstream notebooks and desktops
to low-power devices and embedded systems.
The Fusion
platform is getting strong adoption by OEMs and end users alike, according to
Rick Bergman, senior vice president and general manager of AMD's Product Group.
Combining it with Windows 8 will only make the platform more compelling
"The
unparalleled combination of AMD APU technology and Windows 8 will enable
incredibly immersive and brilliant computing experiences," Bergman said in
a statement. "With more than 320 design wins for our industry-leading APU
technology to date, and a long history of innovation, AMD delivers the ideal
platforms to bring Windows 8 to life on tablets, netbooks, notebooks and
desktop PCs, leveraging the full performance of 64-bit x86 computing, the most
pervasive and robust ecosystem."
In addition,
the company earlier this month rolled out the first Opteron chips based on its new "Bulldozer" architecture,
the Opteron 6200 Series-formerly known as "Interlagos"-which offers up to 16
cores.
The new
drivers will cover the AMD Fusion Z-Series for tablets, C- and E-Series for
ultrathin and mainstream notebooks and desktops, A-Series for high-performance
laptops and desktops, and the upcoming AMD FX eight-core Black Edition for
high-performance desktops.
Along with the
FirePro and Radeon graphics offerings, the new Windows 8 drivers will cover its
Opteron 6000 Series, which offer up to 12 cores, and its 4000 Series chips for
lower-power servers.
Microsoft
announced earlier this year that Windows 8 will run on tablets, and that it
also will support the ARM architecture, which is the dominant chip architecture
in the booming tablet and smartphone markets.
Both Intel and
AMD are making pushes into the tablet space, and Intel also is looking to
leverage its Atom platform in the smartphone businesses. Analysts and
journalists have been talking about the strain on the historically strong Intel-Microsoft
relationship as both are looking for a greater presence in the mobile-computing
space.
Just as
Microsoft has embraced the ARM space, Intel now also is partnering with a
Microsoft competitor, announcing at IDF that it will work with Google to help optimize future
versions of the search giant's Android mobile operating system
for the Atom platform.
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