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AMD Banks On Flood of Stream Apps
Slatterz writes "Closely integrating GPU and CPU systems was one of the motivations for AMD's $5.4bn acquisition of ATI in 2006. Now AMD is looking to expand its Stream project, which uses graphics chip processing cores to perform computing tasks normally sent to the CPU, a process known as General Purpose computing on Graphics Processing Units (GPGPU). By leveraging thousands of processing cores on a graphics card for general computing calculations, tasks such as scientific simulations or geographic modelling, which are traditionally the realm of supercomputers, can be performed on smaller, more affordable systems. AMD will release a new driver for its Radeon series on 10 December which will extend Stream capabilities to consumer cards." Reader Vigile adds: "While third-party consumer applications from CyberLink and ArcSoft are due in Q1 2009, in early December AMD will release a new Catalyst driver that opens up stream computing on all 4000-series parts and a new Avivo Video Converter application that promises to drastically increase transcoding speeds. AMD also has partnered with Aprius to build 8-GPU stream computing servers to compete with NVIDIA's Tesla brand."
Low cost, low power CPUs. Already, 99% of people don't use 99% of the power of their CPUs 99% of the time. Why then, is AMD banking on people wanting massive power on specialized hardware that will require fancy compilers?
I consider myself in the ever-dwindling group of "PC gamers," and even I am looking forward to the death of GPUs in my computer. I'm tired of building expensive and power-sucking desktops that go obsolete in 18 months. Instead of building a 1000 dollar desktop next year, I'm getting a laptop and an Xbox 360. My 350 dollar EEE PC will be able to load PDF files and power-points without a 350-watt, 400 dollar video card, thank you very much.
WhatÂ?!! You can use your graphics card to get screwed!?!
Crossfire HD4870X2, BABY!
Length? What the fuck do I care, my case is big enough.