AMD Bulldozer APU could Power Microsoft's Next Xbox Console

Accriding to a rumor on the web Microsoft's next-generation Xbox gaming console might be powered by an AMD-designed accelerated processing unit that is based on the Bulldozer architecture, according to softpedia:

Before this report came to light, previous rumors suggested that Microsoft's console would be based on a new IBM cell processor with better specs than the one currently used for the Xbox 360.

Details about the chip used by the next-gen Xbox are sketchy at this point in time, but we do know that the Redmond-company has decided to go with an APU design based on the Bulldozer architecture.

This information seems to point out to AMD's Trinity accelerated processing units, which are expected to be 50% more powerful that Llano while also including an updated DirectX 11 GPU based on the VLIW4 architecture.

Just at the beginning of this week, a high-ranking company official, from the AMD Graphics Products Group, talked about graphics of the next-generation Xbox console, and it stated that it would be able to provide the level of graphical detail seen in James Cameron's movie Avatar.

While the company representative refrained himself form confirming AMD's role in the development of the console, the statement seemed to confirm all the rumors that have been circulating lately about the presence of a Radeon-derived GPU in the 'Xbox 720.'

It's also interesting to note that the AMD official claimed next-generation console hardware will feature improved A.I. and physics capabilities, which could suggest that he knows a bit more than what it's willing to share about the hardware powering the upcoming Xbox.

From the information that is available at this time, Microsoft is expected to unveil the Xbox 360's successor during E3 2012.