Because all of those parts are already good enough for light web based gaming, web browsing and office work. They are not meant as gaming laptop parts. As nice as it would have been to have even lower powered lower end parts, the ones they are re-branding are already low enough power and good enough for their target market.
-
Competitor rules
Please remember that any mention of competitors, hinting at competitors or offering to provide details of competitors will result in an account suspension. The full rules can be found under the 'Terms and Rules' link in the bottom right corner of your screen. Just don't mention competitors in any way, shape or form and you'll be OK.
AMD Polaris architecture – GCN 4.0
- Thread starter Boomstick777
- Start date
Because all of those parts are already good enough for light web based gaming, web browsing and office work. They are not meant as gaming laptop parts. As nice as it would have been to have even lower powered lower end parts, the ones they are re-branding are already low enough power and good enough for their target market.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 9 Nov 2009
- Posts
- 25,716
- Location
- Planet Earth
Maybe Apple ate them all?
But that is the problem - we don't know if all of them are rebrands or not??
If you look on the website,there is no mention of what cores are used:
http://www.amd.com/en-gb/products/graphics/notebook/r9-m200#
http://www.amd.com/en-gb/products/graphics/notebook/r7-m200#
Remember one of the earlier rumours said this:
http://videocardz.com/59903/possible-polaris-10-and-polaris-11-specifications-emerge
It contradicts the later one.
The rumour sites first said that Polaris 10 mobile would have 2048 shaders and Polaris 11 mobile would have 896 shaders.
Now,AMD has released the specs for the M400 series,they know say since the 2048 shader part has the same number of shaders as Tonga,it is Tonga.
So either one of those rumours is wrong and one is correct.
I can understand some of the lower end models being older chips,since Bristol Ridge uses GCN1.2 IGPs,so there might be issues with trying to do Hybrid XFire with them with GCN1.4 parts.
Whilst the subject said something about the launch, the email doesn't actually say that Polaris will launch does it? Just their next APU.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 9 Nov 2009
- Posts
- 25,716
- Location
- Planet Earth
Emm,it says in large bold letters at the top:
INVITE - Polaris 10 Launch at Computex,Taipei
I know, which is what i wrote in my post, if you cared to read it. All i am saying is the official thing in the email doesn't say that. Anyone could have written that subject and forwarded it. Even Videocardz themselves mention it. " It is only said that AMD will launch 7th Generation of AMD A-Series APUs. However since the title specifically mentions Polaris 10, we are also expecting more news on desktop Radeon 400 series."
Caporegime
- Joined
- 9 Nov 2009
- Posts
- 25,716
- Location
- Planet Earth
Maybe because AMD already have a Polaris session on the 18th??
There has been little to no information on Bristol Ridge so far and it marks the introduction of the AM4 socket which Zen is on.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 33,188
There are lots of reasons and almost no one anywhere has mentioned them.
One thing is pin compatibility, if Acer have the parts sitting in a warehouse for a specific laptop with a supply of say 200k motherboards that will only work with that specific gpu core, then Acer will say hey, rebrand us that GPU so we can sell these systems seeming newer. That way instead of throwing out those motherboards which is a pure loss they can sell them off as cheap systems with a 'new' gpu, even at cost you're still preventing having to write off a large amount of inventory. This is not really AMD planning or needing to keep that GPU around, it's more like helping out a company you do a lot of business with because you can and it keeps a good relationship going.
Another is they are 28nm while the new chips are 14nm. If AMD are wafer/capacity limited then if you can sell every Polaris 11 to say Apple at a higher cost to provide performance/watt that is unmatched at a premium or to reach a level of performance older cores can't reach then that is great. For say desktops where halving power or doubling performance makes almost no difference at all because it's not for gaming and they are low enough power they why sell a premium 14nm production limited chip there when the guys selling that computer just want the lowest cost chip not the fastest or lowest power, 28nm rebrands work just fine there.
Ha I missed that as well, I only read the small print
Caporegime
- Joined
- 9 Nov 2009
- Posts
- 25,716
- Location
- Planet Earth
Looks like the event on the 18th won't reveal anything:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/4jcf29/psa_the_call_on_518_at_9am_ct_about_polaris_is/
PSA: The call on 5/18 at 9AM CT about Polaris is NOT a reveal / launch effort, sorry!
submitted 8 hours ago by AMD-DOWNL1NKGaming Community Manager - stickied post
Hey guys,
I noticed the hype train full steam about this call on 5/18 but I need to put the brakes on this for now.
This is a high-level partner webinar, and there will be no specific technical details discussed.
I want to set expectations here, and while this may seem incredibly disappointing, you'll know more about Polaris soon (no ™).
Pls no shooterino the messenger. While tempted to downvote, please do the opposite to bring awareness.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/4jcf29/psa_the_call_on_518_at_9am_ct_about_polaris_is/
Caporegime
- Joined
- 9 Nov 2009
- Posts
- 25,716
- Location
- Planet Earth
As well? I didn't miss it! I literally pointed it out as part of my post.
You might have a point though:
http://www.amdcomputex.com.tw/
Hmm.
AMD do not have a Polaris launch/reveal session on 18th. I have read elsewhere the 18th is simply a high level partner webinar, though possibly Polaris will be mentioned it will not be anything technical.. It seems the press got that one wrong.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/4jcf29/psa_the_call_on_518_at_9am_ct_about_polaris_is/
Last edited:
I wouldn't be surprised if they don't even launch them at Computex. The official invites only explicitly state the "launch of 7th gen APUs". And "more details about 2016 products, including VR demos".
You'd think if they were launching Polaris at Computex it would be the main focus of an invite like that. So I'm not holding my breath...
You'd think if they were launching Polaris at Computex it would be the main focus of an invite like that. So I'm not holding my breath...
As far as i know they will hard launch at E3, where they rented a whole building.. Maybe some AIB cards will be showcased at Computex, but is was mainky about APUs.
man the title of the email AMD sent to the guy reads, "Invite
olaris 10 launch at computex"...
OMG! That's a first. Someone in AMD PR actually managing their customers' expectations. Good work.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 9 Nov 2009
- Posts
- 25,716
- Location
- Planet Earth
Hoping this means they are more on the ball now and I am hoping they manage to get the Polaris launch perfect. ATI were pretty good in that regard,so hoping RTG has their focus.
The last THREE AMD graphics cards launches have all been a bit meh,so hopefully they have learnt from their mistakes now.
They've recently poached that woman that ran PR for Nvidia for years, so maybe AMD have got a bit of a new philosophy regarding marketing. Here's hoping...
Caporegime
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 31,182
+1
Probably taken note of the absolute slating they've been getting on forums (grassroots) over thie lack of it. It has been pretty dire
Caporegime
- Joined
- 9 Nov 2009
- Posts
- 25,716
- Location
- Planet Earth
It does worry me slightly whether the launch is for AIB cards or OEM stuff for laptops and desktops.
I can understand secrecy about specs,etc as Nvidia could gatecrash them even with simple pricecuts on Maxwell cards,but even a few pictures of some cards,etc just to keep interest going would be something.