AMD Expects Two 28nm Tape-Outs This Quarter

From X-bit Labs: Advanced Micro Devices expects to tape-out two 28nm designs during the second quarter, the company revealed. At present it is unknown whether the firm will attempt to test manufacturing of forthcoming 28nm graphics processing units at TSMC or other 28nm chips like next-generation GPUs or accelerated processing units (APUs) at Globalfoundries.

"We expect several 28nm tape-outs during the current quarter. We balance our loading according to risk performance and price. But we also said that there is, of course, a natural incentive for us at this point to work closely with Globalfoundries, and that is, of course, something we continue to do," said Thomas Seifert, interim chief executive officer of AMD and chief financial officer.

AMD's current roadmap includes a number of 28nm projects, including Krishna and Wichita APUs as well as number of Southern Islands-series GPUs, such as Tahiti, New Zealand, Lombok, Heathrow, Thames, Wimbledon, Chelsea and others. At present it is unknown which chips will AMD attempt to tape-out in the second quarter of 2011. It is more likely that the company will attempt to make a small GPU rather than an APU.

Typically (according to Wikipedia), in electronics design, tape-out is considered as the final result of the design cycle for integrated circuits, the point at which the artwork for the photomask of a circuit is sent for manufacture. As a result, it does not mean that AMD will actually get working samples of 28nm products in Q2 2011.

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