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New AMD integrated GPU offers discrete GPU performance

AMD has announced a new embedded GPU called the ATI Radeon E4690. The GPU is an integrated device rather than a discrete GPU that allows the decoding and playback of multiple high definition video streams and offloads all hardware decoding from the CPU.

The GPU supports DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL 3.0. AMD's second generation Unified video Decoder is able to hardware accelerate H.264 and VC-1 HD video along with MPEG-2. The GPU utilizes 512MB of 700MHz GDDR3 RAM and AMD has pledged to support the GPU for the next five years.

“The ATI Radeon E4690 sets a new bar for embedded graphics performance,” said Richard Jaenicke, director of embedded graphics at AMD. “Blazingly fast graphics and HD video capabilities enhance the appeal of applications − such as arcade, casino, digital signage and more. With the industry’s only embedded graphics chip that offers DirectX 10.1 and UVD 2.0 support, the ATI Radeon E4690 enables competitive advantages for AMD’s embedded customers.”

The integrated GPU promises discrete GPU levels of performance with 320 shader processors and a 128-bit memory interface. The GPU also offers embedded support for DisplayPort. AMD's E4690 is built on a 55nm process and supports shader model 4.0. The GPU is supported by Windows 7, XP, Vista, and Linux.

ATI recently introduced Stream technology that cuts video transcoding time in half.

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Speculation is that this can do 1080p - bluray
By Shig on 6/1/2009 11:45:55 AM , Rating: 2
I've been looking around the web at a few other news sites that are concerning this GPU. Speculation is that it can do 1080p video (bluray).

Netbooks are looking better and better every week it seems like.




By moriz on 6/1/2009 12:13:49 PM , Rating: 5
seeing this is basically a HD4670 stuffed onto a motherboard, i'd say it will do 1080p just fine.


By Spivonious on 6/1/2009 12:38:33 PM , Rating: 5
All ATI video chips from the 2000 series up can decode blu-ray (h.264/vc-1).


By IntelUser2000 on 6/2/2009 5:49:04 AM , Rating: 3
Embedded isn't same as IGP folks...


Specs
By WoWCow on 6/1/2009 11:44:57 AM , Rating: 3
quote:
The integrated GPU promises discrete GPU levels of performance with 320 shader processors and a 128-bit memory interface. The GPU also offers embedded support for DisplayPort. AMD's E4690 is built on a 55nm process and supports shader model 4.0. The GPU is supported by Windows 7, XP, Vista, and Linux.


Looks to be like an integrated 4670 on a damn mobo...

Good god! Imagining to pick up a mobo, cpu, and ram sticks for 200~300$ and you can run crysis, and (hope to god), SC2 comes out and runs on this thing.

Any word when this will be released for desktop consumers?

If anything, the planned machine will be way powerful (50~75%) than the ancient core2duo e4300 with a 7900 gto I gave.




RE: Specs
By ThePooBurner on 6/1/2009 12:12:57 PM , Rating: 2
Indeed. The spec to me looked like the 3850 (though i guess it and the 4650 perform about the same). Putting that kind of power in an integrated solution will help a ton in getting decent gaming into the hands of the layman and be a pretty good boost to the PC gaming industry. It could be what everyone has always been waiting for. And if it's good enough (and not too expensive) it could make good headway for taking more of the overall GPU market share from intel as i think OEMs might be more inclined to have PCs they can label as gaming capable without having to put a discrete card in. Plus it would have plenty of horse power to avoid issues with Vista or Win7 GUIs.

Not to mention most of the games i play these days are older ones. I haven't been interested in anything new in quite a while. With something powerful enough to run everything i play on the Mobo, building a fleet of guest boxes for friends to come and play on would be way cheaper than ever before.


RE: Specs
By Belard on 6/2/2009 7:22:36 AM , Rating: 2
The 4670 performs between the 3850/3870 cards, but closer to 3870 but runs cooler, smaller die size and of course cheaper.

The 4650 has half the bandwidth of the 4670. But if this GPU/embedded chip will add about $10~15 to the price of the board, it could really help raise the graphic standards.

Of course, intel has their trick up their sleve thats supposed to come out soon. With the destruction that Intel does to others, I'd have to say... hopefully Intel doesn't do TOO good and kill off nvidia & ATi.

DX11 cards... that should be interesting. I'm betting on a 5670 card that is equal to a 4890 at $80.


RE: Specs
By FITCamaro on 6/1/2009 12:24:34 PM , Rating: 3
This is for the embedded market, not for consumers. It's possible though.


RE: Specs
By murphyslabrat on 6/9/2009 3:30:36 AM , Rating: 2
If it's good enough, we'll see it in the desktop space. It happened with Intel's original Core, and if this is worth it, it'll happen here too.


RE: Specs
By murphyslabrat on 6/1/2009 12:30:27 PM , Rating: 2
Already, you can get a $50 mobo, $50 CPU, $30 memory, and still have $70 left over to get an HD4670 with. However, if this could push the price down to below $200, with, say, a ~$130 GPU mobo combo, that would be a nice desktop product.

However, I think this is targeted at more of the mobile/embedded processing market. I think they could do a lot more good there, as this sounds like it could be easily marketed. It also sounds cheaper than having a dedicated graphics board, as size is one of the most expensive parts of a notebook.


wow
By StevoLincolnite on 6/1/2009 11:46:40 AM , Rating: 2
I wonder how big that die is? I just got myself an Asrock AM2 board with a Radeon 3200 with 128mb of side port memory which is also built on the 55nm process, however it's based on a Radeon 2400, but it's still a half decent performer.

Also if the die ends up being pretty monolithic, it would be interesting to see how it's priced.

I know there is a Radeon 4200 (785G) on the horizon, but it looks like just a rehashed Radeon 3200 in the end with higher clock speeds, which overclocking cant fix on the 3200 anyhow, currently I managed to get the 3200 IGP at 1020mhz stable from a 500mhz stock speed.

Still if they pull this off I will be both amazed and happy, I have another rig that is dieing for another cheap AMD based upgrade! (AMD Athlon X2 7850 BE or the new Athlon X2 550 BE anyone?)




RE: wow
By AnotherGuy on 6/1/2009 6:21:23 PM , Rating: 1
Laptops will get so hot everything will start to melt inside...

I dont understand how they plan to cool this off if its builtin in the mobo... a huge fan on top of it... ? bridge it with the cpu heatsink ...


RE: wow
By Alexvrb on 6/1/2009 7:56:51 PM , Rating: 4
quote:
Laptops will get so hot everything will start to melt inside...
What in sam hill are you babbling about? First of all this is an embedded solution, not a mobile solution. While not mutually exclusive, that's not the purpose of this particular chip, its not binned for mobile use, read the article.

With that said: heatsinks, heatpipes, a fan on the side/back/bottom of the laptop. There's tons of ways to cool down hot GPUs and CPUs in a laptop. It's called technology.

For pete's sake they've got SLI/Crossfire laptop rigs with some serious GPU muscle.


RE: wow
By Totally on 6/2/2009 10:50:27 AM , Rating: 2
At which point they are no longer classfied as laptops but 'desktop replacements'.


RE: wow
By FaceMaster on 6/4/2009 12:26:03 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
At which point they are no longer classfied as laptops but 'desktop replacements'.


Your Mum got to that point a long time ago but I'm not complaining about the heat generated.


Crossfire
By techsup1 on 6/1/2009 2:22:44 PM , Rating: 2
It would be really cool if this could work in crossfire with an ATI graphics card.




RE: Crossfire
By icanhascpu on 6/1/2009 3:36:17 PM , Rating: 1
The point of integrated graphics goes over your head.


RE: Crossfire
By MatthiasF on 6/1/2009 4:49:40 PM , Rating: 2
Not really, he has a point. Build a motherboard with a decent integrated GPU, allow one or two more on the PCI-Express bus and it has plenty of upgrade potential.

AMD/ATI seems to agree with their Hybrid CrossFire solution.

http://game.amd.com/us-en/crossfirex_hybrid.aspx


RE: Crossfire
By StevoLincolnite on 6/1/2009 11:27:00 PM , Rating: 2
Ever tried out Hybrid Crossfire? You can pair the IGP with a low-end discreet GPU and get a significant performance increase.

Basically you get more performance than say a single Radeon 4350, at the same cost.

You can buy a basic IGP set-up, and when things start getting to demanding a few months/years down the track, just upgrade to a decent PCI-E card and hope you can get Hybrid Crossfire if you go with a low end, low profile solution.


This could finally be the time...
By DeepBlue1975 on 6/1/2009 2:14:29 PM , Rating: 2
If motherboards with this thing integrated come to market, this could push me to decide on selling my already old 8800gt and get something that can be more powerful, draws less power and generates less heat while freeing up quite a bit of space on my machine.

My PSU (OCZ Powerstream 520) is about 4 years old and if things like this keep on coming, I could make it last even through quite a bit of future upgrades before I feel forced to ditch it.




RE: This could finally be the time...
By Regs on 6/1/2009 5:52:25 PM , Rating: 2
I'm loving it. Heat though is my primary concern. I’m running an X2 and a 4850. I'm not exaggerating when I say this set up is a space heater. Summer nights, down stairs would be 72 with the AC on and my room upstairs with the PC running would be a balmy 89+!!!! That's almost unbearable and I never thought it would get to this point.


By Alexvrb on 6/1/2009 7:53:32 PM , Rating: 2
A REAL nerd would get a window AC unit to help keep ambient temp low, for the sake of his computer. Human comfort is just a bonus. :P


Why not gddr5 Gpu RAM ???
By fteoath64 on 6/2/2009 8:16:10 AM , Rating: 2
Other than cost, one would expect a serious performance boost. The GDDR3 is not that much faster than DDR3 RAM ...




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