The first Chromebooks based on AMD processors were announced earlier this year at CES 2019. Now AboutChromebooks reports that in the foreseeable future, mobile computers with Chrome OS on AMD processors may become more and more powerful models will appear among them.
Recall that the Chromebooks presented at the beginning of the year are entry-level solutions. They are based on by no means the most productive, but very cheap AMD A-series processors. These are chips built on the Excavator architecture and made according to the "ancient" 28-nm process technology. However, in the foreseeable future, more advanced Chromebooks based on AMD processors with Zen + architecture may appear.
Examining fresh commits to Chromium OS, the source found references to a certain reference device, codenamed Zork, which is built on a motherboard codenamed Trembyle. A study of this device showed that some kind of AMD processor was located on its board, but more importantly, this is a more powerful chip than those used in Chromebooks now.
As it turned out, the Trembyle motherboard uses a chipset codenamed Picasso, which clearly indicates the presence of a processor of the same family. Recall that this family includes quad-core Ryzen Mobile 3000 H and U series chips, as well as a dual-core Athlon 300U. The H-series processors are unlikely to be used in Chromebooks, but the U-series models, as well as the Athlon 300U, we may well see in future computers based on Chrome OS.
The emergence of more productive Chromebooks based on AMD processors can be considered quite a natural phenomenon. Quite expensive and productive mobile computers based on Chrome OS and Intel Core U-series processors have been around for quite some time. Now users will have an alternative. In addition, Intel is still experiencing some difficulties with the production of 14nm processors, so AMD-based solutions will help laptop manufacturers avoid shortages.
In the end, we add that the detected Zork device is most likely a 2-in-1 hybrid laptop. In any case, such a conclusion suggests itself on the basis that in the Chromium code it is attributed to the presence of several motion and position sensors, and the comments mention the difficulty in opening the lid 180 degrees. In general, the appearance of mentions of devices with Chrome OS and AMD Zen + indicates that their release can be expected in the coming months.
Source: 3dnews.ru