1. EggXpert: On the FireGL line of video cards, are there any plans to produce cards which drive more than 2 monitors with one card, similar to 3870 X2 gaming card with 4 DVI ports? Also, possibly driving 2 monitors and 1 TV simultaneously?
AMD: With Hydravision™ Multi-monitor Management Software ATI FireGL 3D professional graphics cards can power two monitors, enabling the user to tailor their desktop to the way they work, and better manage increased amounts of information and improve productivity. In addition to that, existing and forthcoming ATI Radeon products support dual monitors + one TV simultaneously. When used with an integrated graphics motherboard like the AMD 780G series, you can support even more monitors.
2. EggXpert: First off, I'd like to thank AMD Graphics for the participation in Folding@Home and for their incredible effort, innovation and determination despite all the challenges involved in Stream Computing.
In recent years, higher-end motherboards for desktops have entirely abandoned integrated graphics. With the advent of Hybrid Graphics, will we now be seeing integrated graphics on motherboards across all price-points?
AMD: Traditionally high-end motherboards have been designed for use in multi-GPU systems using one more ATI Radeon discrete graphics cards. While integrated graphics chips haven’t typically been used on high-end motherboards, many of the lower priced integrated graphics motherboards like the AMD 780G series have many of the same features of high-end motherboards, so there’s not much of a trade off.
3. EggXpert: I want to know what the real benefit of acquiring ATI is. If it is a strategy, when will AMD/ATI release (CPU+GPU)?
AMD: The Boston design center is a key hub for the “Shrike” platform development activities. Our goal remains delivering the first the Accelerated Processing “Swift” processors in 2H 2009.
4. EggXpert: nVidia has bought PhysX (AEGIA) and started introducing physics processing to the Video card, Will we see a similar approach from the AMD/ATI combination in attempting to free up CPU physics for Video Physics processing? If so, what approach is AMD taking in this direction and what benefits can the user expect since Multi-core CPUs and more powerful CPUs in addition to these powerful GPU setups?
AMD: AMD recently announced a partnership with Havok, the most popular physics API software in the world that will optimize physics processing to be done wherever it makes the most sense: the CPU or GPU. Our goal is to work with Havok to enable an optimized platform that delivers the best game experience.
5. EggXpert: Is the future of high-end graphics beyond the capabilities of expansion cards? (e.g. GPU sockets on motherboards, GDDR slots on motherboards)
AMD: AMD still sees a market for discrete graphics products, but one interesting strategy AMD is also working on is to combine the optimum mix of CPU cores with differing types of on-chip and off-chip accelerators, including GPU elements. In this way, platforms can be better tailored to accelerate the types of software a particular end-user segment cares about most. AMD therefore views the combining of CPU cores and accelerator cores on-chip as representing a new category of mainstream microprocessor, which it has titled the Accelerated Processing Unit (APU).
While the integration of a GPU core within APU designs is a key near-term priority, longer-term the APU category represents much more than merely CPU+GPU. In the future, AMD envisions APUs that include a varying mix of CPU cores (aka scalar processing cores), GPU cores (aka parallel processing cores) and fixed function accelerator cores on-chip. Rather than creating only one APU architecture, there will be multiple designs, each targeted and optimized for a specific market segment, and designed to accelerate the software that segment cares about most.
AMD’s first APU is codenamed “Swift” and is planned to debut in 2H09. It is targeted at the notebook space and tailored to provide an improved experience for notebook users that want great 3-D and HD, combined with long battery life.
6. EggXpert: One difference between other processors and AMD processors is the core clock. Does AMD plan on increasing core clock from 200MHz any time soon?
AMD: While we can’t disclose specific details on upcoming technology, AMD will continue to offer enhancements and end-users will recognize benefits from the shift to 45nm process technology.
7. EggXpert: When will AMD release chipsets that will completely shut off a GPU and use the IGP in a situation that does not require discrete graphics? Will Hybrid Crossfire move beyond low-end cards and also include enthusiast cards? Although an enthusiast card will gain performance benefits from Hybrid Crossfire, the power saving potential seems to be tremendous. Finally, will Hybrid Crossfire remain exclusive to Windows Vista, or will it be available for Windows XP in the future?
AMD: ATI Hybrid Graphics includes Power Xpress, the ability to switch between discrete and integrated graphics thereby granting the power savings you mention. Regarding Hybrid CrossFireX, another feature of ATI Hybrid Graphics, combining an integrated graphics core and a high-end discrete processor wouldn’t result in a significant performance boost. Hybrid CrossFireX is currently only available on Windows Vista and Windows XP support has not been announced.
8. EggXpert: A part of the graphics industry is moving toward ray tracing. I have an engine that runs on two to four CPU cores and scalable for more. What do you have in the works to support graphics beyond vectors and shaders?
AMD: As demonstrated at the launch of the ATI Radeon HD 4800 series, AMD’s graphics architecture is able to process both raytracing and traditional rasterization rendering with incredible speed and detail, so saying that a new architecture is needed to do raytracing, dynamic lighting, etc. is not the case. Take a look at www.amd.com/visual/ for more information.
That said, beyond discrete graphics, AMD is also working to combine the optimum mix of CPU cores with differing types of on-chip and off-chip accelerators, including GPU elements. In this way, platforms can be better tailored to accelerate the types of software a particular end-user segment cares about most. AMD therefore views the combining of CPU cores and accelerator cores on-chip as representing a new category of mainstream microprocessor, which it has titled the Accelerated Processing Unit (APU). While the integration of a GPU core within APU designs is a key near-term priority, longer-term the APU category represents much more than merely CPU+GPU.
In the future, AMD envisions APUs that include a varying mix of CPU cores (aka scalar processing cores), GPU cores (aka parallel processing cores) and fixed function accelerator cores on-chip. Rather than creating only one APU architecture, there will be multiple designs, each targeted and optimized for a specific market segment, and designed to accelerate the software that segment cares about most. AMD’s first APU is codenamed “Swift” and is planned to debut in 2H09. It is targeted at the notebook space and tailored to provide an improved experience for notebook users that want great 3-D and HD, combined with long battery life.
9. EggXpert: The million $ question ;-)... I'm in a dilemma to grab the 9800GX2 in SLI right off the bat or wait a bit for the 4870X2 in Xfire for my high-end build. Under what circumstances would you recommend I take the latter? I mean, there is GDDR5 and more SPUs, but the clock speeds still belong to NVIDIA. The 9800GX2 in SLI has proven to handle Crysis at 1920x1200 no problem, should I expect the same from Crossfire 4870X2s?
AMD: As recent ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 previews on sites like Maximum PC, PC Perspective and AnandTech have shown, we believe you would be best served by waiting for our upcoming products. The clock speed of a card does not indicate it’s performance. Memory type, memory size, and the number of stream processors all have a dramatic impact on the overall performance. A card clocked slightly higher than another card but with only half as many stream processors will be dramatically slower.
AMD’s approach has been one where we perfectly assess clock speeds, memory size, type and speed when determining card configurations in order to give gamers the best performance at the best price. AMD’s approach has yielded great results as you can see from the glowing reviews of our current generation of ATI Radeon™ HD 4800 series.
10. EggXpert: Does AMD regret their purchase of ATI?
AMD: The addition of ATI to AMD has resulted in some tremendous platform advantages as demonstrated by the recent next-generation notebook launch, formerly codenamed “Puma,” AMD OverDrive and others. Many more innovations are on the way.
11. EggXpert: The gaming industry had revolutionized the PCI bus, moving the graphics card to its own bus with AGP. And then again when PCI-Express was born. Are their any plans to make another 'revolution'...a merge between CPU and GPU (like cell technology in the PS3)? Especially with the purchase of ATI?
AMD: When AMD and ATI announced their merger, one of the main stated reasons was the ability to combine world class CPU and GPU engineering teams in an effort to deliver Accelerated Computing Processors, AMD’s vision for integrating the CPU and GPU on the same piece of silicon. Those efforts are well under way and you should expect updates from us in the near future.
12. EggXpert: Is the ATI brand name going to disappear?
AMD: AMD hasn’t announced any thing around the ATI brand. The ATI Radeon brand continues to be recognized as a leading graphics brand around the world.
13. EggXpert: What is AMD doing to pre-pare for Intel's spreading its wings into the "real" GPU market? Do you feel NVIDIA, Intel and yourself are on the same page on what makes a great gaming GPU?
AMD: AMD’s GPU products are currently dominating the market. There are no better performers at their prices than the ATI Radeon HD 4800 series, and countless review sites agree. With that in mind, AMD feels that we have a strong understanding of what makes a great gaming GPU. We can’t comment on what our competitors think.
14. EggXpert: How does your differ from Intel in the fact of multi-core CPU?
AMD: First, AMD’s move to quad-core marks the planned, natural evolution of AMD64 Technology and the Direct Connect Architecture. AMD is committed to enabling transitions to multi-core technology in the least disruptive way possible.
Unlike our competitor, AMD’s design is true quad-core – with four CPU cores on one die. AMD’s quad-core processors are designed to offer improved overall performance. With a true-quad-core design, cores communicate on the same piece of silicon while AMD’s advanced Direct Connect Architecture supplies each core with memory and I/O bandwidth for high performance per core. AMD’s on-chip integrated memory controller helps ensure that all four cores have optimum access to the integrated memory controller and integrated HyperTransport™ links, so that performance scales well with the number of cores.
The power and thermal envelopes for AMD’s multi-core processors are designed for current sockets and power infrastructures. This design can reduce time and expenses platform manufacturers would have in redesigns for the new processors – costs that can be passed on to their customers. It should also make it easier for system builders to have readily available parts to build their branded products.
15. EggXpert: Is there a standard for GPGPU development or is there going to be? It seems as though without some collaboration between the competition, applications and users will be strongly divided between one GPU or another based on what applications are being used. Eventually leading to many users left out in the cold, take BD and HD-DVD for example, or DDR and RDRAM. You get the idea.
AMD: There are two standards-based options for GPGPU development today – OpenCL being developed through the Khronos standards body, and DirectX 11 being developed by Microsoft. AMD has been involved with both of these initiatives to drive GPGPU standards necessary for widespread adoption of general purpose computing on the GPU, regardless of the hardware vendor.
16. EggXpert: One of the things I have always found most attractive about your products is that you seem to be ahead of the rest of the industry in process technology for lower power consumption and higher speeds at same or lower voltages -- resulting in lower power consumption and more transistors on a given die. I have recently heard that one of your largest competitors is now producing chips made with a 45nm process. Do you have any process like this in the works, and how small can we expect these things to get?
AMD: AMD ramped up production of 45nm sever (codenamed “Shanghai”) and desktop (codenamed “Deneb”) products during the first half of 2008 and expects products to be available during the second half of the year. At CeBit in March, AMD demonstrated its first 45nm quad-core chips running multiple operating systems and a range of processing intensive applications. The processors were produced in Dresden, Germany, in AMD’s Fab 36 300mm manufacturing facility, using an advanced 45nm process co-developed with IBM.
AMD's 45nm process generation is engineered to enable greater performance -per-watt capabilities in AMD processors and platforms. At the heart of the process are a combination of leading edge technologies, such as immersion lithography and AMD’s fourth generation of strained-silicon.
17. EggXpert: Are there any plans to support or release any high-end open source graphics drivers in the future especially referring to the Radeon HD Series? Or are there any new plans that especially affect the open-source or Linux community?
AMD: AMD plans to continue its open-source support for the Radeon HD 4800 generation of GPUs, and will release register information for the RV770 and the code to TCore and KGrids to help developers accelerate 2D and 3D graphics.
Thanks for your questions EggXperts, and thanks to AMD for answering them for us!
- The EggXpert Team
Be excellent to each other.
