AMD FM-1 trend: soon computers will have no motherboards!

[uncleyap]

Leading the technological trend in front of Intel, AMD did what I expected. Integrated CPU with Graphics & PCI express. I expect further in next step that core voltage power module to be attached to shared heat-sink + fan, that a standard CPU power cable of +12V goes on top or side of the power module above the CPU. It means motherboards no longer need to supply power to CPUs.

Later, RAM in newer form than DIMMs will also be directly connected to this group - directly to CPU without going via motherboards.

What will be left on motherboard? Only I/Os which are rather Independent of main performance components. These are low speed low performance and low power items, and not frequently upgraded. Like a kind of docking board. PCI-express SATA(1/2/3) USB (1/2/3) Ethernet & DP/DVI/HDMI will be there, PS2 & RS232 are out. VGA also phased out.

Analog & Optical Audio may also be phased out and be replaced by Ethernet or USB or e.g. BlueTooth.

 

[uncleyap]

What it will mean to user is you need not kept upgrading motherboards. You change the CPU & RAM or upgrade RAM more frequently. It can also mean that an I/O dock may hare 2 or more CPU interface / sockets, you can have a tiny light CPU for (battery) power-saving & portable, then add 1 or 2 powerful CPUs that eats more current and generates more heat when you are plugged into office or home power sockets, it will be large and heavy, with fans and heat-sink.

 

[uncleyap]

As it is the DIMM (even SO-DIMM) are too long, and more importantly DRAM are packaged in forms that are disadvantaged for performance signal delays. (clock & control signals) To make things work better, whole 8s bit have to be packaged into a single semiconductor die BGA, for the density limitations, exchange the lesser address range per package for the width of data bus per chip. It is easier to get performance & speed & reliability this way at the expense of few more CAS+RAS pins from memory controllers.

The whole layout will be clean and neat and logical for today's needs rather than following outdated conventions.