An AMD technical engineer has accidently let slip that group purple are engaged on a GDDR6 reminiscence controller. With HBM2’s excessive price and restricted availability, AMD could also be on the lookout for a less expensive reminiscence resolution for his or her subsequent full graphics card era.
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They’ve been championing high-bandwidth reminiscence within the newest AMD Vega graphics card structure to… combined outcomes. On the one hand, this aptly-named stacked reminiscence gives enormous bandwidth beneficial properties in comparison with GDDR5. However, in real-world gaming efficiency, it’s not been as devastating to the market as AMD might need hoped. Of course, it’s no shock that it additionally prices an arm and a leg to producer by AMD’s companions, they usually can’t get HBM2 modules out fast sufficient.
To fight these points, AMD could also be seeking to shift over to the rising GDDR6 reminiscence. This reminiscence spec bumps up developments made to GDDR5X, and in accordance with an AMD technical engineer’s LinkedIn profile, AMD have been constructing a brand new reminiscence controller for this speedy tech.
It had appeared probably that AMD would stick with HBM2 for not less than one other graphics card structure, however with these on-chip modules inflicting so many points for Vega, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the purple group ditch HBM2 for finances and mainstream playing cards, not less than. The reminiscence’s excessive price is a particularly limiting consider potential successors to the mainstream RX580 and RX570 Polaris graphics playing cards.
It would probably be reducing it too positive for AMD to alter up their 7nm Navi designs in the event that they intend to launch in late 2018, but when we’re an early 2019 launch for Navi, possibly. It’s not not possible for his or her future client playing cards to function GDDR6 reminiscence, taking some design cues from Nvidia’s tiered reminiscence strategy between GeForce and Quadro playing cards. From what we collect, Vega’s reminiscence controller is related to the GPU by means of their Infinity Fabric tech and never built-in into the GPU die itself. If Navi follows the same idea… a little bit interposer incision right here, and increase – goodbye HBM2 (grossly oversimplifying).
It could also be that AMD are wanting forward, previous Navi, to no matter lies past the fog of company secrets and techniques. However, sticking with HBM2 might result in a tough yr with Nvidia’s Volta on the best way. Of course, there may be additionally the mysterious 12nm Vega refresh in 2018 to think about… might that function GDDR5 or GDDR6 reminiscence tagging in for HBM2? As lengthy as energy consumption is not a difficulty… presumably.
GDDR6 ought to supply some respite from AMD’s reminiscence pricing and provide woes, and nonetheless supply loads of aggressive efficiency for AMD’s finances and mainstream playing cards. Again, AMD’s plans are foggy at greatest – what are AMD’s plans for the Vega refresh, and can we see one other Polaris refresh earlier than Navi? AMD’s GPU roadmap at the moment appears about as grounded as Felix Baumgartner, and we’ve seen little or no indication to how AMD’s Radeon division will put collectively the upcoming graphics card product stacks. With Raja Koduri out of the image, AMD are in determined want of a somebody on the helm, protecting RTG on observe.
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