AMD’s Fusion APU architecture is the current low cost, high-performance alternative to Intel’s higher-priced Sandy Bridge (32nm Core i5 and i7) offerings. The Fusion APU family is split into two distinct platforms. Brazos is the platform targeted at sub-18W mobile applications, while Llano is the platform targeted at 25-100W desktop applications. Today, ASRock, a plucky Taiwanese motherboard maker, is readying the A75 Extreme 6, one of the first desktop motherboards based on Llano.

While AMD’s CPU performance is still not quite up to par with Intel, the Fusion APU more than makes up for it in the integrated graphics department thanks to high-performance silicon from ATI. AMD’s Fusion APUs are able to play the latest DirectX 11 games at moderate to moderate-high graphical settings, a feat that would choke Intel’s current crop of Sandy Bridge based processors. Furthermore, AMD’s Fusion supports a hybrid CrossfireX solution which allows the onboard graphics to work together with additional discrete graphics cards added to the system in the future.

A preview of this amazing technology is available at AnandTech. Look for ASRock’s A75 Extreme 6 and other motherboards based on AMD’s Fusion coming from all the usual suspects very soon.

Source: AnandTech

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