AMD APU?
AMD APU?
I know this is computer forum of computer enthusiasts but do we all see how much this can change the whole market. I see the good. Say tomorrow they said you could buy a 6500 with a 1080 in for 370 CND wouldn't you jump on that. I would be building systems for my kids, wife, even parents in-law. We knew this was coming look at consoles. Why is this taking so long?
What concerns you about Apus' performance in the PC market? They aim to offer flexibility by letting users pick any CPU and GPU they prefer, but this makes it hard to attract a large audience for an unoptimized design. PCs require more features than consoles, so even optimized APUs won't automatically stand out compared to other setups. You'd need the APU plus compatible hardware like display ports on the board, plus a tailored programming environment to ensure the APU delivers real speed and purpose.
Hardware for PCs can't be priced the same as console games because the consoles are being sold at a loss. Sony and Microsoft balance the difference by generating revenue from software. Component makers can't lose money on their parts either.
Without major changes to PC memory design, such developments won't occur. Dual-channel DDR memory works well for CPUs but restricts the capabilities of GPUs and APUs because overall bandwidth stays low. A clear case is when shortages pushed NVidia to release a DDR4 version of the GT 1030 that underperformed compared to its GDDR5 counterpart. Consoles like the PS5 and Xbox can achieve high performance thanks to their unique custom memory systems. Instead of standard dual-channel DDR4, they employ 12-channel GDDR6 directly beneath the CPU to minimize wiring lengths. Rather than the GPU being attached to the CPU's memory controller, the CPU is positioned beside a GPU's memory controllers. The Steam Deck's specialized chip uses a comparable approach but on a much smaller scale, feeding its modest iGPU via 4-channel DDR5.