Forbes is pondering whether AMD's move into ARM chips is positioning the company for a sale. Other media outlets are considering whether or not the move is setting the stage for heavy competition with Intel on the server side.
Let's take a look at the facts. AMD's move to design 64-bit ARM technology-based processors in addition to its x86 processors is a bold strategic move. AMD is targeting cloud  and data center servers with its first ARM technology-based processor, which it says will be a highly integrated, 64-bit multicore System-on-a-Chip (SoC).
AMD is optimizing for dense, energy-efficient servers that now dominate the largest data centers and power the modern computing experience. AMD's first ARM technology-based AMD Opteron processor won't hit production until 2014. If AMD is looking to get acquired, it's a long-term bet. And if AMD is hoping to one-up Intel, it's going to be awhile -- and Intel likely has enough time to counter.
Tapping a Growing Demand
There's a lot we don't know. But here's what we do know: AMD's new design initiative addresses the growing demand to deliver better performance-per-watt for dense cloud computing solutions. Unless Intel shifts its strategy, it's probable that AMD will be the only processor provider bridging the x86 and 64-bit ARM ecosystems. If all goes according to plan, that would pave the way for new levels of flexibility and drive optimal performance and power-efficiency for a range of enterprise workloads.
Rory Read, president and CEO of AMD, is reminding the naysayers that AMD led the data center transition to mainstream 64-bit computing with AMD64. He's now predicting AMD will lead the next major industry inflection point by driving the widespread adoption of energy-efficient 64-bit server processors based on both the x86 and ARM architectures.
"Through our collaboration with ARM, we are building on AMD's rich IP portfolio, including our deep 64-bit processor knowledge and industry-leading AMD SeaMicro Freedom supercompute fabric , to offer the most flexible and complete processing solutions for the modern data center," Read said in the product announcement.
Bridging the Gap
AMD has identified a market need. It's true that the explosion of the data center is offering an opportunity to optimize compute with vastly different solutions. AMD is providing a compute ecosystem with more choice by including solutions based on AMD Opteron x86 CPUs, new server-class Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) that leverage Heterogeneous Systems Architecture (HSA), and new 64-bit ARM-based solutions. (continued...)
me:
Posted: 2012-11-06 @ 6:52am PT
Interesting move, but why make it public when there is nothing tangible yet?
Mark:
Posted: 2012-11-02 @ 2:39pm PT
I have always believed that AMD could bridge the gap between server workloads and low power client leveraging this ambidextrous IP story, however few things come to my mind:
1. Rory mentioned SOC15 which is a project to make all AMD IP compatible with ARM and X86 cores so I don't know whether the first products will be ARM based or X86 based or a combo of both?
2. The AMR license which they have does not allow them to alter the core which is lame
3. To do this kind of engineering AMD needs money which it does not have. Moving X86 customers to ARM is a herculean task folks. There is a hell of a lot of software which needs to be written, ecosystem has to have support etc.
4. PS4/Xbox720 sales will give AMD probably 200 to 300 million a year which is peanuts compared to what Intel has.
Above all it's a very exciting time, it's David vs Goliath once again, but right now David is in intensive care and in no condition to fight.
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