AMD Roadmap Updates and APUs with Vega Announcements

Alongside announcing the first desktop Ryzen processors with built-in Radeon Vega Graphics, AMD also detailed the full line up of Ryzen mobile APUs including the new Ryzen PRO and Ryzen 3 models, and provided a first look at the performance of its upcoming 12nm 2nd generation Ryzen desktop CPU expected to launch in April.

In graphics, AMD announced the expansion of the "Vega" family with Radeon Vega Mobile and that its first 7nm product is planned to be a Radeon "Vega" GPU specifically built for machine learning applications.

"We successfully accomplished the ambitious goals we set for ourselves in 2017, reestablishing AMD as a high-performance computing leader with the introduction and ramp of 10 different product families," said AMD President and CEO Dr. Lisa Su. "We are building on this momentum in 2018 as we make our strongest product portfolio of the last decade even stronger with new CPUs and GPUs that bring more features and more performance to a broad set of markets."

AMD CTO and SVP Mark Papermaster shared updates on AMD's process technology roadmaps for both x86 processors and graphics architectures.

x86 Processors

• The "Zen" core, currently shipping in Ryzen desktop and mobile processors, is in production at both 14nm and 12nm, with 12nm samples now shipping.
• The "Zen 2" design is complete and will improve on the award-winning "Zen" design in multiple dimensions.
• AMD is on track to deliver performance and performance-per-watt improvements through 2020.

Graphics Processors

• Expanding the "Vega" product family in 2018 with the Radeon Vega Mobile GPU for ultrathin notebooks.
• The first 7 nm AMD product, a Radeon "Vega" based GPU built specifically for machine learning applications.
• A production-level machine learning software environment with AMD's MIOpen libraries supporting common machine learning frameworks like TensorFlow and Caffe on the ROCm Open ecosystem platform. The industry's first fully open heterogeneous software environment, which is making it easier to program using AMD GPUs for high performance compute and deep learning environments. 

Client Compute Updates
AMD SVP and General Manager, Computing and Graphics Business Group Jim Anderson detailed upcoming AMD client compute processors including:

• The Ryzen desktop processor with Radeon graphics
• Desktop Ryzen APUs combine the latest "Zen" core and AMD Radeon graphics engine based on the advanced "Vega" architecture, bringing:
• The highest performance graphics engine in a desktop processor1
• Advanced quad core performance with up to 8 processing threads
• 1080p HD+ gaming performance without a discrete graphics card
• Beautiful display features with Radeon FreeSync technology2
• Full benefit of Radeon software driver features including Radeon Chill, Enhanced Sync and Radeon ReLive
• Planned to be available starting February 12, 2018.

Graphics & Gaming Updates

AMD discussed its first mobile discrete graphics solution based on the "Vega" architecture. This razor-thin Radeon Vega Mobile GPU is designed to enable new, powerful gaming notebooks in 2018 with extraordinary performance and incredible efficiency. AMD also announced that Radeon Software will add support for HDMI 2.1 Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) technology on Radeon RX products in an upcoming driver release. This support will come as an addition to the Radeon FreeSync technology umbrella, as displays with HDMI 2.1 VRR support reach market. Ubisoft announced that Far Cry 5 will support Radeon RX Vega specific features like Rapid Packed Math as well as Radeon FreeSync 2 technology. Radeon RX Vega owners will be able to enjoy Far Cry 5 at exceptional fidelity, with stunning frame rates and beautiful image quality.