Intel to license AMD graphics IP

[BFG10K]

I'm wary of the source but it looks like it's actually going to happen. I've been saying to this day AMD needs to start licensing IP instead of stupidly giving it away for free.

No details yet, but this Intel deal may finally allow AMD to generate profits.

http://www.fudzilla.com/news/graphics/43663-intel-is-licensing-amd-graphics

Confirmed!
https://forums.anandtech.com/thread...icense-amd-graphics-ip.2506458/#post-39156965

 

[dark zero]

Seems that Intel is about to do an Enemy Mine situation with AMD due ARM expansion... Don't be surprised if they deals another one with VIA regarding their hybrid x86/ARM processor project.

 

[BFG10K]

To all the disbelievers, rejoice!

https://newsroom.intel.com/editoria...cpu-discrete-graphics-sleek-thin-devices/amp/
https://www.pcworld.com/article/323...md-ship-a-core-chip-with-radeon-graphics.html

Looks like a licensing deal similar to AMD's console designs. This is really good news for AMD and for the customer. I've been saying for years AMD should be licensing more of their technology because it's a very lucrative market.

 

[Headfoot]

Insane. I did not believe the rumors about this because it seemed like typical fanboy dreaming, and this isn't to the level some believed in their heads about fully embedded silicon. But still selling them dies and working closely on the interface and software is huge.

 

[gradoman]

Yay!! Decent built-in graphics in smaller form-factors?! YES!

 

[zlatan]

There isn't any licensing deal. This is an OEM design win just like the consoles. Intel will have to sit down with AMD every quarter to talk about the price. This is how Sony and Microsoft do it. Simple OEM deal nothing more, nothing less.

 

[crisium]

WCCFTech says 1536 Shaders (presumably Polaris) at 1000-1100mhz, and 4GB of HBM. Now that's an integrated GPU that can actually do things.

Given the higher clocks and IPC improvements, that should be comparable to Tonga 285/380 cards.

 

[lopri]

It has come to this, yay. The shared interest in fending off ARM has made this previously unthinkable possible.

 

[krumme]

There isn't any licensing deal. This is an OEM design win just like the consoles. Intel will have to sit down with AMD every quarter to talk about the price. This is how Sony and Microsoft do it. Simple OEM deal nothing more, nothing less.

Do you get blue screen when testing ngg path?

 

[Headfoot]

There isn't any licensing deal. This is an OEM design win just like the consoles. Intel will have to sit down with AMD every quarter to talk about the price. This is how Sony and Microsoft do it. Simple OEM deal nothing more, nothing less.

I understand what you're saying and agree with the spirit of that, but an OEM deal is still licensing just with a narrower scope. Licensing paraphrased means granting rights to property (intellectual or otherwise) short of ownership. Could be as broad as rights to create derivative works and embed, could be as narrow as the right to resell certain embodiments, in certain markets, for a certain period of time

 

[tviceman]

It has come to this, yay. The shared interest in fending off ARM has made this previously unthinkable possible.

Agreed, but think about this aspect: Volta coming right around the time this is out with probably 2.5x the performance per watt of polaris.

AMD is just so far behind in perf/w that, unless you want to game on a 11" screen, this solution won't be all that great, or different, to the end user. Thin, light, and powerful already exists.

If anything, it may drive down prices which is always a good thing.

 

[LightningZ71]

I wonder if this solution will also offer the half rate DP throughput that BR's iGPU has? The big limit there was memory bandwidth with a bit of thermal and package power limits thrown in. This looks to have eliminated the former, and a later process should help with the latter.

 

[IntelUser2000]

I wonder if this solution will also offer the half rate DP throughput that BR's iGPU has? The big limit there was memory bandwidth with a bit of thermal and package power limits thrown in. This looks to have eliminated the former, and a later process should help with the latter.

No, it won't. Higher end GPUs sacrifice DP throughput to offer better SP throughput. Honestly, it makes sense. Amount of people willing to pay(not just $, but Watts) is just too small to have high performance DP support.

If it uses Polaris or Vega based cores its 1/16 DP. They'll need to re-architect the consumer Vega to support greater performance and it wouldn't make sense for this one to do so.

 

[eek2121]

WCCFTech says 1536 Shaders (presumably Polaris) at 1000-1100mhz, and 4GB of HBM. Now that's an integrated GPU that can actually do things.

Given the higher clocks and IPC improvements, that should be comparable to Tonga 285/380 cards.

I don't think WCCFTech has ever gotten anything right, but with the amount of stuff they've gotten wrong...surely they've guessed correctly on accident by now...

That being said, I've never seen Fudzilla get ANYTHING wrong. Even the crap that folks fought tooth and nail over...like Navi not coming this year and all that...

 

[BFG10K]

There isn't any licensing deal. This is an OEM design win just like the consoles. Intel will have to sit down with AMD every quarter to talk about the price. This is how Sony and Microsoft do it. Simple OEM deal nothing more, nothing less.

Intel can't sell Radeon GPUs without a license. Neither can Sapphire/Gigabyte/Asus/et al, because AMD owns the hardware IP.

 

[pepone1234]

Do you get blue screen when testing ngg path?

I have read some things about that ngg path but I know nothing about it. Is that path something that really exists or is it something miraculous that will never become real?

 

[RadiclDreamer]

I bought some AMD stock based on this information, lets hope it pays off.

 

[PhonakV30]

WCCFTech says 1536 Shaders (presumably Polaris) at 1000-1100mhz, and 4GB of HBM. Now that's an integrated GPU that can actually do things.

Given the higher clocks and IPC improvements, that should be comparable to Tonga 285/380 cards.

It's Vega.because Polaris does not have HBM controller.1536 shaders are equal to 24CU ( each 64 Shaders )

 

[krumme]

I have read some things about that ngg path but I know nothing about it. Is that path something that really exists or is it something miraculous that will never become real?

Its a miracle comming this december. You read it here first time. Remember me.

 

[bystander36]

I thought this was just so that Intel doesn't have to worry about patent issues with their own IGP. That is how it was described with their deal with Nvidia. Now they are going to AMD this time, but I don't see how it changes anything.

It will be interesting to see what they come up with if they do more this time.

 

[jpiniero]

I thought this was just so that Intel doesn't have to worry about patent issues with their own IGP. That is how it was described with their deal with Nvidia. Now they are going to AMD this time, but I don't see how it changes anything.

The patent issues are apparently not an issue. This is strictly a semi-custom deal, not unlike the consoles. It could be a stepping stone to Intel partially or completely dropping their IGP for RTG GPUs once Intel gets EMIB up and running on their CPUs.

 

[PeterScott]

The patent issues are apparently not an issue. This is strictly a semi-custom deal, not unlike the consoles. It could be a stepping stone to Intel partially or completely dropping their IGP for RTG GPUs once Intel gets EMIB up and running on their CPUs.

Not remotely a stepping stone for ditching the IGP.

This is just a showcase for EMIB.

Apparently there is NO integration with the CPU at all here. EMIB to connect GPU and HBM. PCIe to connect to a CPU off to the side. That is no different from the CPU perspective, than having a CPU connected to a dGPU on a laptop motherboard.

 

[swilli89]

Not remotely a stepping stone for ditching the IGP.

This is just a showcase for EMIB.

Apparently there is NO integration with the CPU at all here. EMIB to connect GPU and HBM. PCIe to connect to a CPU off to the side. That is no different from the CPU perspective, than having a CPU connected to a dGPU on a laptop motherboard.

Exactly, they are literally buying an entire chip and the requisite driver package and integrating onto their own package. Not too different than how say, MSI buys chips from AMD.

 

[AnandThenMan]

Not remotely a stepping stone for ditching the IGP.

Disagree. As integration is a never ending march this means Intel will have to move the graphics processor ever closer to the CPU. Either that or hope AMD doesn't eat their lunch with CPUs that have graphics directly integrated.

Or maybe Intel plans to continue developing their own GPU tech, which I doubt this deal is Intel waving the graphics surrender flag.

 

[PeterScott]

Disagree. As integration is a never ending march this means Intel will have to move the graphics processor ever closer to the CPU. Either that or hope AMD doesn't eat their lunch with CPUs that have graphics directly integrated.

Or maybe Intel plans to continue developing their own GPU tech, which I doubt this deal is Intel waving the graphics surrender flag.

Intel already has "Good enough" GPUs fully integrated into their CPUs.

This isn't about integration at all. This is just highlighting Intels packaging product EMIB, used here to integrate GPU+HBM, not CPU.