Amtel is Real

[sechs]

Intel and AMD announced that Intel will be releasing CPUs with Intel cores, AMD graphics, and HBM2 on a single package

http://ir.amd.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=74093&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2314568
https://newsroom.intel.com/editoria...nce-cpu-discrete-graphics-sleek-thin-devices/

 

[ddrueding]

Interesting. Which is more significant, the reduced likelihood of AMD going bankrupt, the possible performance gains, or the collapse of competition in the CPU market? I think the latter.

 

[Stereodude]

Kyle Bennett has been talking about this deal going down for years. I guess it finally happened.

 

[sechs]

Interesting. Which is more significant, the reduced likelihood of AMD going bankrupt, the possible performance gains, or the collapse of competition in the CPU market? I think the latter.

I think that this is just a continuation of the tango that Intel and AMD have been in for decades. As long as CPUs and GPUs are there to prop each other up, AMD will always have a place because neither Intel nor nVidia can buy them for the part that they don't have.

Intel also realised that the enemy of their enemy can be their frenemy....

 

[Chewy509]

I'm wondering if part of this deal is for Intel to head-off the newly release Zen based APUs (Ryzen 5 2500U, etc)? Or to take on nVidia in the SOC space for laptops/tablets/portables?

Obviously having a SOC or very tightly integrated package will be cheaper for the ODM/OEM to fit out any tablet/laptop device, and will allow Intel to offer performance options not currently possible with their own GPU architecture... nVidia are looking towards ARM for their future in that market space.

I don't know, I'm seeing this as more Intel trying to stay relevant in the growing portable market (ultra-thin laptops/tablets/consoles) than an "embrace, extend, extinguish" ploy with AMD.

And I also read that Broadcom is eyeing off Qualcomm for purchase? (I think Qualcomm have rejected initial offers though).

 

[LunarMist]

Will the AMD infect the Intel HEDT CPUs eventually?

 

[Bozo]

Here some where and why of Amtel.

 

[Chewy509]

Will the AMD infect the Intel HEDT CPUs eventually?

Doubtful, as I would expect most HEDT setups you see would use dedicated gfx cards... (may see some of those chips in a Skulltrail NUC though, eg situations where Intel are using the Iris Pro GPU and there is no room for a dedicated GPU).

 

[Howell]

Is Intel incapable of creating such a solution on their own, or is it just not economical for them to produce an enthusiasts product? Is this deal to bridge the time until Intel can get design and production of their own solution ramped up?

 

[Stereodude]

It's hard to say exactly why they're doing it. There's some speculation that it's mainly for Apple since they currently use Intel + AMD graphics and this makes the package smaller. It could also be that Intel is doing this to keep the regulators at bay even though they would really rather do it all in house. I suppose time will tell.

 

[sechs]

Is Intel incapable of creating such a solution on their own, or is it just not economical for them to produce an enthusiasts product? Is this deal to bridge the time until Intel can get design and production of their own solution ramped up?

Intel has tried and failed at GPUs. Their iGPUs are terrible and Larrabee never even made it to the discrete market. If the enemy in this space is nVidia, AMD really is their only hope.

One thing that I have seen in talk about this project is that Intel doesn't seem to be using its multi-chip technology to connect the processor to the GPU, but instead to connect the GPU to the HBM. If true, that's technology that AMD's Radeon Technologies Group could really use. Having to use silicon interposers for Vega is killing them.

 

[Handruin]

It's true that Larrabee never became a GPU but it's certainly not dead or gone. Intel Phi is around and growing for a different market segment and can be found as a dedicated chip.

Apple has used Nvidia in some of their notebook products so they weren't exclusive to AMD in the past. I feel like there is something other than offering the best technology at play. If Intel really wanted the best technology offering for CPU + GPU in a package, Nvidia makes sense. They could offer faster and cooler-running silicon than AMD.

 

[LunarMist]

It's true that Larrabee never became a GPU but it's certainly not dead or gone. Intel Phi is around and growing for a different market segment and can be found as a dedicated chip.

Apple has used Nvidia in some of their notebook products so they weren't exclusive to AMD in the past. I feel like there is something other than offering the best technology at play. If Intel really wanted the best technology offering for CPU + GPU in a package, Nvidia makes sense. They could offer faster and cooler-running silicon than AMD.

The Phi uses 245W at 1.5GHz. Intel must need substantially different technology for the thin Windows tablets.

 

[Handruin]

Windows tablet?? Why would you think a processor with 72 cores be used for a thin Windows tablet?

 

[Chewy509]

Intel has hired AMD's former head of the RTG (Radeon Tech Group)...

https://hothardware.com/news/intel-...spearhead-high-end-discrete-graphics-products

 

[sechs]

It's true that Larrabee never became a GPU but it's certainly not dead or gone. Intel Phi is around and growing for a different market segment and can be found as a dedicated chip.

Xeon Phi is a day late and a dollar short.

While it must be good for something, nVidia is eating their lunch. My feeling is that they switched it from being an add-in board to a central processor in order to get some kind of leg-up on Volta, but I can't figure out what it is.

Intel has taken to buying companies of IP in this space in hopes of catching up.

 

[sechs]

Windows tablet?? Why would you think a processor with 72 cores be used for a thin Windows tablet?

I'm guessing that you'd need hundreds, if not thousands, of GPU cores.

 

[sechs]

Intel has hired AMD's former head of the RTG (Radeon Tech Group)...

https://hothardware.com/news/intel-...spearhead-high-end-discrete-graphics-products

Maybe this was Intel's pound of flesh for this deal....

 

[sechs]

And, FYI, it turns out that AMD is not getting access to any IP. They're just supplying a custom GPU chip that Intel will integrate.

So, unless AMD is hiring Intel, this isn't going to fix their interposer problems with Vega.

 

[LunarMist]

Maybe AMD will use the cash to fix the interposter. I assume they are making out well from the deal or why do it at all?

 

[sechs]

Considering AMD's position in the GPU market, all deals are wins, no matter how bad.

 

[Chewy509]

Details of actual products are now becoming more available:

https://www.anandtech.com/show/1220...ith-31-ghz-base-100w-target-tdp-overclockable