A well hidden but v important difference between this and the amd RR apu is the more elegant architecture of amd. this intel rig tacks a gpu with dedicated hbm cache onto their ~cpu via their version of infinity fabric. RR however, uses a dedicated cache controller as a hub to manage all cache resources as a pool - system memory/gpu cache (if any)/fast nvme storage. The intel hbm2 is simply dedicated to the gpu. RR treats it as part of an intelligently managed, layered cache pool, available to either processor. RR processors only use cache VIA the central cache controller HBCC "hub". It seems awfully wasteful of intel to dedicate so much processor space to an igp which is not used at all?

Man makes me wonder if Intel will make ultrabook and Laptop cpus with the AMD vega IGPU because to me that platform would benefit from that vs a desktop CPU because inside of laptops that only have an igpu instead of a dedicated card would benefit from something like this because the user could use it for some light gaming on the side and having a good IGPU would help with video editing as well. Also I can see this being used very well in Apple Macbook pros if users still purchase those that is. Also this could benefit the desktop user who cannot afford a dedicated GPU right away if the IGPU performance is better than a 1050/1050ti/1060 3GB and Rx 470/480/570/580 from AMD since those cards are the mid ranged cards from those companies. Then the User could game on the IGPU until they could save up for one of the Vega cards from AMD or a 1070 ti/1080 or 1080 ti from Nvidia.

sammarbella:

Yes this product (as show: desktop motherboard) will not compete against laptop MXM.They better don't try to use it in a possible "gamer laptop" it will be another disaster for AMD reputation among gamers. Power efficiency? Compared to what? Intel current iGPUs? 🙄 I think Intel made a good deal: externalize all iGPU related dev and hire the ex-exec in charge of AMD GPUs to handle the whole thing (MCM design).Intel own iGPUs were only usable in office tasks.

Yes, this is no where near as power efficient as an Intel iGPU, I fully agree, but its a LOT better than an Intel CPU with an Nvidia MXM. Also, Apple won't be touching anything Nvidia any time soon... I really beleive this is for Apple, and most probably, Only Apple. Probably their next MacBook Pro's. Edit : They might stick it into a Gaming NUC though. Thats possible, with an external PSU Brick. Yes, intels iGPU's are terrible at gaming. Really terrible. 🙂 Intel made a seriously good deal, getting Raja, but he has a lot of work to do, even though the bar is set very very low 😉 (Intel's GPU vs the rest of the world).

Intel desperate to have relevancy in the VR-capable mobile devices of 2018. This is not a licensing deal, Intel purchased the parts from AMD because they were better performance than Nvidia's. In the future we know Intel will replace this with their own GPU. I'm betting that the mobile Vega part is going to be incredible. Even the little 2500u with 8CUs and 15W TDP delivers DX12 FPS equivalent to approximately 1/5th of my Liquid Vega 64. Maybe we finally have the primitive shaders operational in the new drivers.

There are benefits to having an intel+mxm combo like separate cooling, power, overclocking as well as upgradability/replacement, similar to the benefits with desktops. Also, since the GTX980 was made available for laptops, Nvidia's mobile gpus actually offer similar performance to their desktop counterparts and no longer have the "m" (for mobile part). Products like the i7 8709G will entirely depend on price and I don't think it's going to be cheap. However, considering Nvidia's laptop offerings are quite expensive, then, this is much needed competition.

Stormyandcold:

There are benefits to having an intel+mxm combo like separate cooling, power, overclocking as well as upgradability/replacement, similar to the benefits with desktops. Also, since the GTX980 was made available for laptops, Nvidia's mobile gpus actually offer similar performance to their desktop counterparts and no longer have the "m" (for mobile part). Products like the i7 8709G will entirely depend on price and I don't think it's going to be cheap. However, considering Nvidia's laptop offerings are quite expensive, then, this is much needed competition.

One word consumption ,yes separate gpu is faster but it consume more power then integrated gpu. Let's not kid ourselves this is designed for specific Intel's customer and that is Apple , think thin 🙂