AMD hints at plan for gaming-focused chips after collaboration agreement with Microsoft on next-gen Xbox - AMD promises to unveil a comprehensive strategy for Ryzen and Radeon-powered gaming chips.
Fresh Take:
AMD's plans are taking a giant leap from just supplying Xbox and PlayStation consoles with chip designs. The tech giant is crafting a comprehensive lineup of gaming-optimized chips, powered by powerhouse Ryzen CPUs and Radeon GPUs, aimed at consoles, handhelds, PCs, and cloud gaming. This new endeavor will redefine their existing Z1 and Z2 series, topping them with a whole ecosystem of custom chips tailored for the gaming world.
This development comes right after Microsoft's announcement of its extended collaboration with AMD to build the next-gen Xbox, codenamed Xbox Next, and future handheld gaming PCs. AMD's vision is still a bit vague, but it's clear they're looking to take their existing gaming chips, such as the Z1 and Z2 series, and expand their reach to create a unified gaming landscape.
Lisa Su, AMD's CEO, confirmed that these upcoming chips will play nicely with older hardware and various platforms, suggesting they'll all be x86-based. Additionally, AI gaming technologies, like AI-based upscaling, will be a part of the equation.
While AMD hasn't shared the detailed roadmap for these new chips, we anticipate they'll include successors to the Z2 series for handheld gaming PCs, along with an array of other chips to accommodate a variety of markets. These future chips will most likely be APU-based, following AMD's trend of custom APU designs for gaming systems, from the Xbox 360's custom AMD silicon to the Steam Deck's Van Gogh APU, and the custom silicon in Xbox Series X, Series S, and PS5/Pro consoles.
With AMD's new vision, more manufacturers and DIY PC builders may have new tools to create future gaming systems. However, we'll have to wait and see how this new roadmap unfolds.
Stay in the know: Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News to get our latest news, analysis, and reviews delivered to your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Stay On Point: Sign up for Tom's Hardware's Newsletter to get their best news and in-depth reviews straight to your inbox.
- AMD's new lineup of gaming-optimized chips, fueled by Ryzen CPUs and Radeon GPUs, will not only target consoles and PCs but also expand to the realm of artificial-intelligence, incorporating AI-based upscaling technology.
- The upcoming Z2 series successors, for handheld gaming PCs, and other custom chips from AMD are expected to be APU-based, continuing the trend of artificial-intelligence integration in their gaming systems, such as the Steam Deck's Van Gogh APU and the custom silicon in Xbox Series X, Series S, and PS5/Pro consoles.
