AMD entering the tablet business? New images reveal all-new device

AMD tablet leak
AMD is dipping its toe in the tablet market

AMD has seemingly won a CES 2014 Innovation award for its Mullins APU-based "Project Discovery," a Windows 8 tablet and peripherals, including a game controller, that might compete with devices like the Razer Edge.

While not much has been officially said about the product, TechRadar got its hands on several pictures of the as-yet unreleased tablet, the game controller and a docking station.

Of course, the images raised more questions than answers, so we reached out to AMD for more specifics about the tablet.

AMD Discovery tablet

An AMD spokesperson confirmed that the systems, codenamed Project Discovery, are real and that it will be shown at CES in January, but that "AMD's goals are to show the world what we can do in the tablet space around our next generation APU, Mullins."

AMD Discovery table

Proving a point?

When pressed about how Project Discovery might impact AMD's OEM partners, the spokesperson clarified that "AMD does not plan to enter the market with a branded tablet and peripherals at this time."

Confusing right? It seems with Project Discovery, AMD is more interested in creating a proof of concept that it hopes will motivate its OEM partners to create the final, consumer-ready products based on its new Mullins APU.

AMD Discovery table

What these pictures reveal is a Windows 8 tablet replete with a docking station. While details are thin, Project Discovery appears to use AMD's DockPort technology. Using DisplayPort 1.2, Project Discovery should seamlessly work with any manner of display devices.

AMD Discovery table

Running Windows 8, the tablet also boasts support for a unique gamepad as well as the company's DockPort tech. DockPort is AMD's solution for supporting a number of peripherals, monitors and allowing charging through a single cable.

AMD Discovery table

We admit that details are thin and expect to find out more about the Discovery Project when AMD officially shows it off at CES in January.

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Editor-in-chief (US)

Wil (Twitter, Google+) is a technology editor and journalist who has written for a variety of outlets over the last 16 years, including CNET, Computer Gaming World and Incite. Wil also spent two years as the on-air gadget correspondent on G4TV's live daily show, Attack of the Show. Before joining TechRadar, Wil was the editor-in-chief of @GAMER, The Official Games Magazine of Best Buy.