AMD

> USB4 or OCuLink connected eGPU bristles with ports and can fit in an M.2 2280 SSD.

> AMD laptop chips have been in short supply "for a decade".

> Up to 16 Zen 5 cores and 40 RDNA 3.5 graphics CUs.

> The Epyc 4004 chips, which launched in May, feature specs almost identical to AMD's consumer Ryzen 7000 CPUs. Pairing these chips with enthusiast-grade motherboards and advanced cooling solutions has afforded unexpected overclocking headroom.

> The situation has become so strained that a report from AC Analysis described it as a "Cold War ice age," eroding mutual trust between AMD and its laptop partners.

[@BrikoX@lemmy.zip's recent post](https://lemmy.zip/post/22973459) gave me a couple of thoughts that I'd like to share;

Preface

Current Context (as of Sept 18, 2024): AMD's Reprioritization of Data Center Clients Over Laptop OEMs

---

If AMD were to upgrade the consumer class to server class via their CPU feature-set expansion and partnerships, they'd have a higher likelihood of acquiring new developers to focus and develop AMD's drivers (esp on the Linux side; pending native support for developers) which could create a positive-feedback-loop for both AMD and the Linux community:

• better Linux support on AMD = higher probability of adding new AMD Linux Devs
  • more AMD Linux devs providing improved Linux desktop experience = more Windows and macOS users jumping ship who would then also help improve AMD Linux desktop exp
    • (while writing, this made me think of SC2's Protoss Katamri Deathball)

---

With AMD's current decisions I see:

• AMD's laptop market shrinking; leaving competitiors to fill in for AMD's departure/vacancy.
• Desktop PC users gaining a higher competitive advantage as performance headroom increases due to AMD's pairing of CPUs with server-grade features with enthusiast mobos

As a knock-on effect users would become more able to start new tech businesses powered by AMD components as self-hosting becomes more accessible via the AMD Linux relationship in addition to NVIDIA's albeit small but increasingly competitive strategies to enter the FOSS competition

• FOSS startups are in an interesting position as the increase in competition from both AMD and NVIDIA in the Linux space is likely to simutaneously:
  • increase capital expenditures(startup costs) due to expanded mobo and CPU feature-sets (in context to the Linux ecosystem) but
  • also decrease long-term costs due to increasing feasibility for users to self-host their own services thereby reducing cloud-dependant subscription-costs

As a systems analyst the current environment in the tech space really tickles my brain in delightful ways🤔

---

Please note however: As I have no certainties about what the path lies ahead in addition to potentially being misinformed; please take everything I've said with a grain of salt in that all of this is speculation and are my thoughts alone (sadly I also have no insider information to provide further supporting evidence)

> More free frames, what's not to love?

> Cross-CCD on Zen 5 dual-CCD CPUs is now in line with Zen 4 chips.

> It's alleged that the contract was worth a cool $30 billion, which Intel could really do with right now.

> Yet more signs of hiding Taiwan branding.

> Graphical boot menus are timing out before AMDGPU can load.

> AMD Fluid Motion Frames 2 (AFMF 2) is designed to leverage AI to generate additional frames, boosting in-game frame rates without requiring any modifications from the game developers. Initial figures suggest the tech can increase frame rates by approximately 40 percent on laptops equipped with the latest Ryzen AI chips, though performance gains will vary depending on the game.

> Zen 5 sales have not gone well and AMD is struggling to sell Ryzen 9000 CPUs. Let's analyze the flow-on effects this is having across the rest...

> Quad-core EPYC 4124P enjoys a whopping 75% overclock.

> "Partners cited miscommunication, unfulfilled promises, and generally poor treatment, reminiscent of Intel’s behavior during its dominant years." - AC Analysis

> Data center sales contributed over 50% of AMD's revenue last quarter.

> The team in charge has already been working on this for 9–12 months.

> The official Radeon RX 7800M specifications recently appeared on AMD's website. The new listing confirms the hardware specifications that manufacturer One-Netbook revealed in late August.

> More power to the GPU, captain.

> Its predecessor drove the ROG Ally and Legion Go.