In a relatively surprising move, AMD have chosen CES 2013 as the platform for releasing a new range of graphics SKUs, the 8000-series. Composed of desktop and mobile (in the M-variant) chips, the new range brings AMDs GCN architecture to a wider selection of cost brackets in a move designed primarily for the OEM market.
In the desktop market, the 8000-series will be exclusive to large OEMs utilising AMD discrete-class GPUs rather than being pushed to partners such as GIGABYTE, ASUS or MSI. This will seem familiar to many - NVIDIA utilised the same approach with the 300-series pre-Fermi, though we believe that this is the first time AMD have devoted an entire top-level SKU to such an approach.
The major update from the 7000-series is two new entry-level discrete cards - HD8670 and HD8570 - which will be based on AMDs Graphics Core Next and include the associated technological improvements of the 28nm architecture. Both SKUs feature a GPU with 6 Compute Units (384 shaders, compared to 640 on the HD7770), the former clocked at 1GHz and latter at 730MHz. 2GB Video RAM comes as standard, though the HD8570 may be configured with DDR3 rather than the more expensive GDDR5 memory of high-end discrete graphics.
The specs of higher end discrete 8000-series GPUs have yet to be released, but the 8670 and 8570 don't step on any toes in regards to 7000-series models. This may be a simple re-branding exercise, in which case the 7750 and higher SKUs will merely be relabelled 8750 etc in OEM marketing materials rather than necessitating an update across AIB products (such as GIGABYTE, MSI, Powercolor etc. AMD GFX cards). Whatever the decision, the opportunity for consumer confusion remains high, though this would be a good opportunity eliminate the GHZ Edition SKU which should cut down variance somewhat.
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The tale is similar for the new 8000M-series. The meat of the announcement is that new GCN-based mainstream graphics options become available as part of the 8500M and 8600M SKUs, parts which are very similar to their desktop equivalents featuring 6 compute units, though at a lower clock speed to keep TDP under control. These parts will also be coupled to AMDs Enduro technology, allowing discrete graphics to shut down under light loads in a development which should see improved power efficiency in mid-range laptops.
The 'new' 8700M and 8800M GPUs paint a much more confusing picture. The new Performance/Gaming SKUs are superficially similar to the 7700M and 7800M lines, although they are the first to bring AMD's Boost technology to market. However based on the quoted specs (which may be in error) they appear to be at best equal to and at worst inferior to the 7000M-series part they are superseding.
One pertinent example is the 8870M. Ignore the figure for the number of Compute Units/Shaders, that's probably in error, but compared to the 7870M raw performance figures are lower. Coupled with allowing OEMs to pair the GPU with DDR3 video RAM, a 8870M could be appreciably slower than the part it replaces.
The new SKUs and GPUs are due for release in late January, and through OEMs only. We advise anyone looking to buy a new pre-built gaming desktop or laptop at that time to look very closely at the specification and remember that a higher SKU value doesn't necessarily mean a faster product.
PRESS RELEASE
LAS VEGAS, NV — 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show — Jan. 7, 2013 — AMD (NYSE: AMD) today launched the AMD Radeon™ HD 8000M Series of mobile graphics processing units (GPUs) set to deliver discrete graphics performance to a variety of notebook designs, including the incredibly portable ultrathin form factor. The AMD Radeon HD 8000M Series are the first notebook GPUs to be offered with the award-winning AMD Graphics Core Next (GCN) Architecture, which delivers exceptional compute power and performance while stretching battery life through AMD Enduro™ Technology 1, 2. Designs are currently shipping with ASUS and Samsung, with Lenovo and additional OEMs shipping soon.
Additionally, AMD announced the availability of AMD Radeon™ HD 8000 Series desktop graphics, available only through OEMs. The AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series features revolutionary GCN Architecture with support for DirectX® 11.1 for optimal acceleration of Windows® 8 platforms, AMD App Acceleration to enhance GPU performance, and features intelligent power management technology such as AMD PowerTune with boost1,3,4. Both announcements represent a commitment from AMD to provide the ideal graphics solution for everyday notebook and desktop users, whether they’re gaming, streaming online HD videos, creating presentations or editing photos or videos.
“Today’s simultaneous launches of our AMD Radeon HD 8000M Series for mobile and the AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series for desktop graphics symbolise a major milestone for AMD – we are now bringing the capabilities of our GCN Architecture, and full DirectX 11.1 support to a much broader market,” said Matt Skynner, corporate vice president and general manager, AMD Graphics. “More than ever, AMD is ensuring users are fully covered when it comes to graphics power. The AMD Radeon 8000M Series for mobile and the AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series for desktop deliver outstanding compute power to drive productivity and multimedia applications, help improve video and image quality from web browsing to gaming, and provide outstanding battery life through it all.”
The AMD Radeon HD 8800M, HD 8700M, HD 8600M and HD 8500M GPUs are graphics powerhouses, ideal for users who are seeking to upgrade their existing notebook and want a superior, industry-leading graphics experience. Whether on-the-go, at work or at home, the AMD Radeon HD 8000M Series meets the everyday demands of any user. The AMD Radeon HD 8000M Series features AMD Enduro Technology, a cutting-edge power-saving solution that scales GPU usage and power based on graphics demand. Users will experience a redesigned user interface with full user profile control that intelligently detects the power source and GPU, allowing applications to scale seamlessly. Additionally, the new user interface has default settings ideal for a majority of users, with expert mode control options for enthusiasts and power users.
Features of the AMD Radeon HD 8000M Series of GPUs:
· Engineered for Performance: AMD App Acceleration drives GPU-accelerated features in Windows 8 improving graphics performance and application speed, while advanced GPU compute capabilities enable users to run multiple applications smoothly, enjoy beautifully rich and clear video playback, and revel in lightning-fast game play.4
· Stable, Reliable, Feature Rich: The AMD Catalyst™ Technology is designed to allow users to control every aspect of their GPU and ensure hardware stability, as well as enabling them to unlock new features and improvements with each driver release.
· Immersive 3D Visuals: AMD HD3D Technology enables 3D display capabilities for many PC applications allowing users to view, create, share and download in full stereoscopic 3D5.
At CES, AMD is showcasing notebooks from ASUS, Dell, Lenovo and Samsung featuring AMD Radeon HD 8000M Series graphics. For more information on these latest systems visit www.amd.com/HD8000M.
AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series Graphics for OEM Desktop PCs
The AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series desktop graphics cards are designed to make everyday computing entertaining and productive. Driven by GCN Architecture, AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series graphics come fully equipped with AMD App Acceleration to provide a rich Windows 8 experience and enhanced performance when using everyday applications like web browsers and productivity suites4. Users will experience superior visuals and outstanding performance with support for DirectX 11.1 as well as PCI Express 3.01. The AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series graphics cards also utilise AMD ZeroCore Power technology which improves power savings when computers enter an idle state3. Select AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series graphics will be available in desktop systems from major OEMs, starting late January 2013.
LAS VEGAS, NV — 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show — Jan. 7, 2013 — AMD (NYSE: AMD) today launched the AMD Radeon™ HD 8000M Series of mobile graphics processing units (GPUs) set to deliver discrete graphics performance to a variety of notebook designs, including the incredibly portable ultrathin form factor. The AMD Radeon HD 8000M Series are the first notebook GPUs to be offered with the award-winning AMD Graphics Core Next (GCN) Architecture, which delivers exceptional compute power and performance while stretching battery life through AMD Enduro™ Technology 1, 2. Designs are currently shipping with ASUS and Samsung, with Lenovo and additional OEMs shipping soon.
Additionally, AMD announced the availability of AMD Radeon™ HD 8000 Series desktop graphics, available only through OEMs. The AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series features revolutionary GCN Architecture with support for DirectX® 11.1 for optimal acceleration of Windows® 8 platforms, AMD App Acceleration to enhance GPU performance, and features intelligent power management technology such as AMD PowerTune with boost1,3,4. Both announcements represent a commitment from AMD to provide the ideal graphics solution for everyday notebook and desktop users, whether they’re gaming, streaming online HD videos, creating presentations or editing photos or videos.
“Today’s simultaneous launches of our AMD Radeon HD 8000M Series for mobile and the AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series for desktop graphics symbolise a major milestone for AMD – we are now bringing the capabilities of our GCN Architecture, and full DirectX 11.1 support to a much broader market,” said Matt Skynner, corporate vice president and general manager, AMD Graphics. “More than ever, AMD is ensuring users are fully covered when it comes to graphics power. The AMD Radeon 8000M Series for mobile and the AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series for desktop deliver outstanding compute power to drive productivity and multimedia applications, help improve video and image quality from web browsing to gaming, and provide outstanding battery life through it all.”
The AMD Radeon HD 8800M, HD 8700M, HD 8600M and HD 8500M GPUs are graphics powerhouses, ideal for users who are seeking to upgrade their existing notebook and want a superior, industry-leading graphics experience. Whether on-the-go, at work or at home, the AMD Radeon HD 8000M Series meets the everyday demands of any user. The AMD Radeon HD 8000M Series features AMD Enduro Technology, a cutting-edge power-saving solution that scales GPU usage and power based on graphics demand. Users will experience a redesigned user interface with full user profile control that intelligently detects the power source and GPU, allowing applications to scale seamlessly. Additionally, the new user interface has default settings ideal for a majority of users, with expert mode control options for enthusiasts and power users.
Features of the AMD Radeon HD 8000M Series of GPUs:
· Engineered for Performance: AMD App Acceleration drives GPU-accelerated features in Windows 8 improving graphics performance and application speed, while advanced GPU compute capabilities enable users to run multiple applications smoothly, enjoy beautifully rich and clear video playback, and revel in lightning-fast game play.4
· Stable, Reliable, Feature Rich: The AMD Catalyst™ Technology is designed to allow users to control every aspect of their GPU and ensure hardware stability, as well as enabling them to unlock new features and improvements with each driver release.
· Immersive 3D Visuals: AMD HD3D Technology enables 3D display capabilities for many PC applications allowing users to view, create, share and download in full stereoscopic 3D5.
At CES, AMD is showcasing notebooks from ASUS, Dell, Lenovo and Samsung featuring AMD Radeon HD 8000M Series graphics. For more information on these latest systems visit www.amd.com/HD8000M.
AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series Graphics for OEM Desktop PCs
The AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series desktop graphics cards are designed to make everyday computing entertaining and productive. Driven by GCN Architecture, AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series graphics come fully equipped with AMD App Acceleration to provide a rich Windows 8 experience and enhanced performance when using everyday applications like web browsers and productivity suites4. Users will experience superior visuals and outstanding performance with support for DirectX 11.1 as well as PCI Express 3.01. The AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series graphics cards also utilise AMD ZeroCore Power technology which improves power savings when computers enter an idle state3. Select AMD Radeon HD 8000 Series graphics will be available in desktop systems from major OEMs, starting late January 2013.
