Skip to main content

What is AMD’s Project SkyBridge, and what will it do for computing?

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Up until recently, the line between low-power ARM processors and x86 CPUs has been distinct: ARM-powered devices consisted primarily of tablets, 2-in-1 hybrids, and convertibles, while x86-powered machines were mostly laptops.

It wasn’t until the advent of Windows 8 and Windows RT in 2012 that we saw a lot of crossover, with Intel Core CPUs appearing in several tablets and convertibles, such as Microsoft’s Surface Pro, as well as a handful of ARM-based PCs, such as HP’s 21-inch Slate 21 k100 All-in-One Desktop PC, which is powered by Android.

In response, chip giant Intel’s primary competitor, AMD, announced recently that it will, in parallel with the company’s next-generation of x86 processors, develop its own 64-bit ARM-based CPUs, which are code named “Project SkyBridge.”

Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming
Check your inbox!

The product roadmap entails, according to AMD, the creation of pin-compatible processors for either architecture that can be socketed interchangeably into one-size-fits-all platforms for PCs, servers, and tablets.

Why two architectures?

AMD spokesperson Lisa Su, senior vice president and general manager of the chip maker’s Global Business Unit, said that AMD believes that the two platforms “will be the dominant architectures going forward.”

In other words, both instruction sets are potentially profitable, which makes developing 64-bit ARM technology logical for a CPU manufacturer. AMD believes, according to Su, that, though the market for x86 processors has fallen recently, it will level off, while ARM chip deployment will continue to grow.

What is SkyBridge?

The resulting SkyBridge accelerated processing units (APUs) will be based on AMD’s Heterogeneous System Architecture (HAS), which, among other features, allows the CPU and graphics cores within the same chip to access the same memory—a feature unsupported by the industry standard Instruction Set Architecture (ISA).

The SkyBridge ARM-based APUs will use low-power 64-bit ARM Cortex-57 cores, while the x86-based chips will feature AMD’s next-gen Puma+ central processor cores. Both instruction sets will use the company’s upcoming 20-nanometer process, as well as AMD’s new Graphics Core Next architecture on a SoC (System-on-a-Chip) design.

One of the more obvious benefits of utilizing a single socket regardless of platform, is that it provides flexibility, and allows ODMs (original design manufacturers) and OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to save on costs. Although it may be too soon to tell, 64-bit ARM-based laptops, desktops, and hybrids could turn out to be a viable low-power alternative.

When should we see SkyBridge CPU?

AMD has already been heavily engaged in the development of ARM 64-bit server chips over the past few years. Earlier this year, the company began demonstrating the first server products, code named “Seattle.” Furthermore, the company plans an even more comprehensive ARM-x86 approach, in the form of next-generation APUs for 2-in-1s, PCs, and tablets. These processors, code named Mullins and Beema, will consist of AMD’s next generation x86-based APUs, with an ARM-based core for handling security functions on the same SoC.

Again, it’s difficult to say right now where the processor trend is headed, but AMD is proceeding with the belief that 64-bit ARM APUs deserve the same amount of time and money investments as x86 processors.

In fact, the company has licensed ARM’s 64-bit instruction set, with plans to develop its own homegrown ARM cores, the first of which are slated to show up in 2016. That project, called “K12,” coupled with the upcoming SkyBridge Project, could, change the future of computing, if AMD has its way.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
William Harrel
William Harrel has been writing about computer technology for well over 25 years. He has authored or coauthored 20…
What power supply do you need for the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX?
Radeon logo on the RX 7900 XTX.

Upgrading your graphics card can sometimes mean upgrading your power supply too, especially if it's one of the latest generations of flagship cards, like the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX. If you want to make sure everything's smooth and stable, it's best to check whether your current PSU can handle the upgrades provided by AMD's new range of GPUs, dubbed RDNA 3 or Radeon RX 7000.

So far, the new GPU range only has two cards: the RX 7900 XTX and the 7900 XT. Out of those two, the RX 7900 XTX is the one that consumes the most power. Even then, it's still fairly conservative when compared to the Nvidia flagship, the RTX 4090. In Nvidia's case, the Founders Edition has a total board power (TBP) of 450 watts and calls for an 850-watt PSU. However, some of Nvidia's board partners that made custom versions of the GPU require a much beefier PSU, reaching as high as 1,200 watts.

Read more
How to rewatch AMD’s big GPU launch — and what was announced
Dr. Lisa Su at the RX 7900 XT launch event.

This fall has been jammed full of PC hardware releases, but AMD had one more big product launch for the year. Today, AMD announced its RX 7000 line of GPUs, based on the new RDNA 3 architecture.

We have a full rundown on how these new graphics cards will compete with the best from Nvidia, and you can rewatch all the announcements as they rolled out down below.

Read more
The first AMD Ryzen 7000 CPUs are here, but they’re not what you’re expecting
AMD Ryzen 7020 processor on a black background.

AMD is introducing a new range of mobile processors -- the Ryzen 7020 series. Although they're technically the first Ryzen 7000 CPUs, they don't share much in common with the upcoming desktop range that AMD is releasing on September 27.

Instead, they use the Zen 2 architecture -- the same design AMD used with its Ryzen 3000 desktop processors. That's because they're built for portability and battery life, topping out at only 15 watts for the most powerful chip in the lineup. There are three new processors, allow of which come with Radeon 610M graphics built in:

Read more