Discussion AMD's Soundwave ARM APU: The Beginning of Transformation !!!

[MS_AT]

Microsoft really proved "If you build it, they will come" with Windows on ARM.

I would say it's rather Qualcomm wasted the exclusivity deal so now others, given the chance, are trying to take a part of the pie for themselves, seeing Intel is at its weakest in years. Meaning if not for the rumored deal, we would probably see competition sooner in this space.

 

[Nothingness]

I could see AMD maaaybe trying something, if they were planning to start designing custom ARM cores anyway (for servers and maybe laptops), but considering the licencing models ARM is forcing right now, i think it would make much more sense to go the RISC-V way (if they indeed were planning to diversify their lineup).

The cost of having to build the SW ecosystem for RISC-V would likely outweigh the license/royalty costs. Better wait a few (10?) years that the RISC-V SW ecosystem matures.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Windows for RISC-V using Keller's Ascalon cores fabbed at Rapidus.

The Future 😛

 

[moinmoin]

Valve added DLSS 3 support to proton.

Latest Valve Proton Experimental update enables DLSS 3 Frame Generation and fixes performance in dozens of games

The November 12th Proton Experimental update implements and improves upon Proton 9.0-3

www.tomshardware.com

That means they are not actively blocking it, not that they are contributing something to it. For instance DLSS 2 support was enabled by Nvidia offering the missing DLL file for use in Wine. I'll have to look what "support" entails in this case...

Found this: https://github.com/jp7677/dxvk-nvapi/pull/213

So it's another case of a Windows library file passing data to the Nvidia closed source driver doing the actual work, contributed by an Nvidia employee. So not exactly Valve's work, nor actually open source.

 

[poke01]

That means they are not actively blocking it, not that they are contributing something to it. For instance DLSS 2 support was enabled by Nvidia offering the missing DLL file for use in Wine. I'll have to look what "support" entails in this case...

Found this: https://github.com/jp7677/dxvk-nvapi/pull/213

So it's another case of a Windows library file passing data to the Nvidia closed source driver doing the actual work, contributed by an Nvidia employee. So not exactly Valve's work, nor actually open source.

That explains the DLSS side of things but Nvidia isn’t the one developing a ARM branch of Proton.

 

[moinmoin]

That explains the DLSS side of things but Nvidia isn’t the one developing a ARM branch of Proton.

And Valve is most certainly not doing it for Nvidia.

 

[poke01]

And Valve is most certainly not doing it for Nvidia.

That’s I why I said it’s likely for a future Steam Deck or steam hardware product that uses ARM. Most likely from AMD

 

[moinmoin]

valve is investing heavily into arm builds of proton

developing a ARM branch of Proton.

Where is this fabled ARM branch of Proton btw? I can't find it. All I found is a closed issue (https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton/issues/7553) as well as a test application (https://steamdb.info/app/3043620/history/?changeid=25321568).

 

[poke01]

Where is this fabled ARM branch of Proton btw? I can't find it. All I found is a closed issue (https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton/issues/7553) as well as a test application (https://steamdb.info/app/3043620/history/?changeid=25321568).

this is a good thread.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1838374112403583463

 

[moinmoin]

this is a good thread.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1838374112403583463

Thanks. Seems to me like Valve is continuously looking at ARM compatibility without a specific target so far. Started with SteamVR and could be for anything at this point. But as long as there's no public development I wouldn't hold my breath that there'll be a big reveal anytime soon.

 

[DZero]

Windows for RISC-V using Keller's Ascalon cores fabbed at Rapidus.

The Future 😛

Don't be surprised if it ends to be real knowing the current situation.

 

[branch_suggestion]

Latest MLID stuff.
As usual, his analysis is bad, such a part is pretty clearly a premium ULP part for Microsoft.
Van Gogh was that too, funny story.
Sonoma Point is the Mendocino replacement on Samsung 4nm.

 

[poke01]

Latest MLID stuff.
As usual, his analysis is bad, such a part is pretty clearly a premium ULP part for Microsoft.
Van Gogh was that too, funny story.
Sonoma Point is the Mendocino replacement on Samsung 4nm.
View attachment 120426

Are those stock arm cores?

 

[branch_suggestion]

Are those stock arm cores?

Probably?
Maybe some custom physdes work. Sound Wave seems to be a pipecleaner for some new SoC IP.
It is AMD's LNL after all.

 

[marees]

Sonoma Point is the Mendocino replacement on Samsung 4nm

Sonoma *valley* right ?

 

[MS_AT]

Are those stock arm cores?

2 A7xx cores and 4 A5xx cores? That would be a dream come true /s

On more serious note, I hope if they are using ARM stock cores then at least it will be X and A core mix and not A and A core mix.

 

[Ghostsonplanets]

Latest MLID stuff.
As usual, his analysis is bad, such a part is pretty clearly a premium ULP part for Microsoft.
Van Gogh was that too, funny story.
Sonoma Point is the Mendocino replacement on Samsung 4nm.
View attachment 120426

Something with a 16MB MALL and 128-bit 9600 mem controller certainly isn't a Mendocini successor, I agree.

However it seems from his wording that it might not be a Microsoft exclusive SoC but rather offered for OEMs.

What is Olympic Ridge supposed to be?

 

[branch_suggestion]

Sonoma *valley* right ?

Right, forgot about the poor nomenclature.
Then again it is geography.

 

[yuri69]

What is Olympic Ridge supposed to be?

That supposed to be the codename for Zen 6-based desktop processors (a successor to current Zen 5-based Granite Ridge).

Anyways, with MALL and stuff it seems to be a "premium custom" segment.

 

[branch_suggestion]

Something with a 16MB MALL and 128-bit 9600 mem controller certainly isn't a Mendocini successor, I agree.

However it seems from his wording that it might not be a Microsoft exclusive SoC but rather offered for OEMs.

It is built for Microsoft, but if OEMs are interested, then sure.

 

[Ghostsonplanets]

That supposed to be the codename for Zen 6-based desktop processors (a successor to current Zen 5-based Granite Ridge).

Anyways, with MALL and stuff it seems to be a "premium custom" segment.

Thanks!

And agreed on Soundwave. It's a premium offering going by what he shared.

 

[Ghostsonplanets]

It is built for Microsoft, but if OEMs are interested, then sure.

So not dissimilar to Van Gogh? Hopefully this time OEMs won't reject it due to fewer CPU performance.

 

[poke01]

Its most likely a base Mx comp SKU. gotta dethrone the macbook air and Microsoft does want that

 

[Glo.]

Its most likely a base Mx comp SKU. gotta dethrone the macbook air and Microsoft does want that

If anything its AX SOC competitor.

 

[Kepler_L2]

However it seems from his wording that it might not be a Microsoft exclusive SoC but rather offered for OEMs.

Maybe MSFT did the classic of screwing over AMD again

What is Olympic Ridge supposed to be?

Medusa Desktop