AMD Pushes for a Universal External Graphics Standard

[btarunr]

AMD is working on a standardized external graphics solution for notebooks. This solution will allow people with ultra-thin notebooks to enjoy the mobility served up by frugal, mainstream hardware; as well as high-end gaming, with the graphics card plugged in at home. It also probably gives AMD greater control over design and cooling solutions. Unlike a mobile GPU that sits inside your notebook, and makes it bulky due to additional cooling and power requirements, an external graphics card sits on your desk, sipping on wall socket power.

AMD's external graphics solution isn't necessarily an AMD-branded piece of hardware, but rather an open specification for notebook vendors to follow. AMD will merely provide the GPUs and software ecosystem that makes the solution truly universal and plug-n-play, with "standardized connectors, cables, drivers, and OS support." Such a graphics card will interface with just any notebook with a high-speed interface (eg: Thunderbolt). Its drivers will make it crunch your games, while sending back output to your notebook's display, over the same connection. This gives you the mobility of an ultra-thin notebook. You should also be able to plug this into your work's boring Dell desktop, or any SFF ITX box. Pictured below is a Razer Core graphics solution embedding a Radeon R9 Nano. Other examples include MSI Gaming Dock and Alienware Graphics Amplifier.



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[arbiter]

Um, isn't there already a few Thunderbolt ones that do this already? using Thunderbolt even for its cost sounds like its pretty much standard.

 

[Infkos]

They could do this for playstation 4, xbox and we will have better games

 

[jigar2speed]

Um, isn't there already a few Thunderbolt ones that do this already? using Thunderbolt even for its cost sounds like its pretty much standard.

If I remember it correctly, thunderbolt is Intel's IP, hence AMD will have to pay Intel in order to use Thunderbolt to push external graphic card solution.

 

[AsRock]

All so comes with a pointless bracket.

 

[Caring1]

Ultra thin usually means under powered, so adding graphics isn't going to turn it in to a gaming monster.
It might be useful with faster processors in systems that don't have a graphics option, but price will be a determining factor.
It may be cheaper to build an entire new system.

 

[dwade]

They could do this for playstation 4, xbox and we will have better games

We have killer PCs but all we get are millions of indies and crappy mini games from Valve such as DOTA2 and CS. It's pretty sad that all the good games are from consoles.

 

[ZoneDymo]

They could do this for playstation 4, xbox and we will have better games

graphics =/= good games
secondly, it would go completely against what a console is, a contained controlled system that everything works for that was made for it.
Otherwise it would just be a pc.

 

[ZoneDymo]

We have killer PCs but all we get are millions of indies and crappy mini games from Valve such as DOTA2 and CS. It's pretty sad that all the good games are from consoles.

Odd to call Dota 2 or CS a "mini game"
And what good games are you referring to that are "from console".
Pretty much all huge titles are made for PC and consoles at the same time.

 

[Ferrum Master]

Odd to call Dota 2 or CS a "mini game"
And what good games are you referring to that are "from console".
Pretty much all huge titles are made for PC and consoles at the same time.

Calm down... just a Troll, and edit your double posts

 

[medi01]

Hell, yes!

CPUs in my notebooks are fast enough. Can't say the same about GPUs.
Would play XCOM 2 on a notebook, if it could handle it. =/

 

[Tartaros]

Ultra thin usually means under powered, so adding graphics isn't going to turn it in to a gaming monster.
It might be useful with faster processors in systems that don't have a graphics option, but price will be a determining factor.
It may be cheaper to build an entire new system.

I don't understand that closed way of thinking, why only thinking of the latest AAA titles, the best of the best and just ultrabooks? This could be an affordable alternative for many people who have a regular laptop but doesn't want a dedicated desktop for some gaming or a gaming laptop. In my case it would allow to save upgrading 2 pcs, I would use the same pc for everything.

 

[Space Lynx]

Until AMD goes bankrupt and all services are stopped, which is bound to happen, even if Zen wins, it isn't enough to keep this company afloat.

 

[medi01]

Until AMD goes bankrupt and all services are stopped, which is bound to happen, even if Zen wins, it isn't enough to keep this company afloat.

Yay, there must be a reason "RTS" was established as a separate entity. Sad though.

 

[ironwolf]

Until AMD goes bankrupt and all services are stopped, which is bound to happen, even if Zen wins, it isn't enough to keep this company afloat.

Ah yes, that same old overused classic like "This *is* the year of the Linux desktop!" and "Desktops are dead, long live tablets!"

 

[Fx]

We have killer PCs but all we get are millions of indies and crappy mini games from Valve such as DOTA2 and CS. It's pretty sad that all the good games are from consoles.

DoTA awards 3-10 million to teams during international tournaments. You are very uninformed.

 

[Slizzo]

If I remember it correctly, thunderbolt is Intel's IP, hence AMD will have to pay Intel in order to use Thunderbolt to push external graphic card solution.

I believe Thunderbolt is also part of the USB spec, so AMD is likely already paying licensing fees.

 

[cdawall]

This never says that AMD will not use thunderbolt. If AMD wants it to catch on they will use a common connector and make some drivers worth using.

 

[RyneSmith]

They could do this for playstation 4, xbox and we will have better games

Don't think it will matter for that honestly. Microsoft and PC are already going to be unified via windows 10 and XBOX will basically become a PC. Link below.

This will end up be a solution solely for laptop users who want to game while at home but not have to buy a gaming laptop.

http://www.theguardian.com/technolo...orms-ending-fixed-console-hardware?CMP=twt_gu

 

[ZoneDymo]

Ah yes, that same old overused classic like "This *is* the year of the Linux desktop!" and "Desktops are dead, long live tablets!"

dont forget "PC gaming is dying"

 

[GorbazTheDragon]

Ultra thin usually means under powered, so adding graphics isn't going to turn it in to a gaming monster.
It might be useful with faster processors in systems that don't have a graphics option, but price will be a determining factor.
It may be cheaper to build an entire new system.

The CPU requirements for games have changed little recently, but CPU power consumption has gone down significantly. It is not hard to adequately cool one of the Skylake quad cores in a relatively thin (think curren 13 inch MacBook Pro). On the other hand, GPU power consumption has changed very little, if anything it has gone up.

You are probably only looking at a total dissipation requirement of at most 50 watts continuous, add a GPU, and you need to at least double that. My old GT60 consumed around 140-150w during a BF3 gaming session, the GPU was probably around 2/3 of that.

With a quad core laptop CPU (~3.5GHz turbo) you should easily be able to back up a GTX 980, and in many games even a 980 Ti. Just look at how much trouble they are having putting a fast GM204 in a massive 17 inch hulk... Put the GPU outside the laptop and you've literally solved all your problems.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

They could do this for playstation 4, xbox and we will have better games

I just read an article yesterday that stated microsoft wanted to have the option available for upgradable parts in their console sometime in the near future.