Ask Me Anything - Official AMD Radeon Representative

[Thracks]

Since the focus is on Project Freesync, can you tell us any advantage of using Freesync tech over that of the competition?

Also, what makes/models of Freesync monitors are going to be released in 2015?

G-Sync and FreeSync are conceptually similar: let the GPU control the monitor’s refresh, and do such a refresh only when a new frame is ready. All the stuttering/tearing/lag associating with and without vsync is eliminated, leaving silky smooth gameplay in its wake.

Here’s where things break down:
NVIDIA has chosen to deliver this technology in the form of an expensive proprietary module that replaces the standard kit of electronics that comes in a monitor (the scaler). They did this because scalers don’t presently support any mechanism to cede control of the refresh rate of the GPU.

That module costs $100-150 USD, and must be purchased by the monitor vendor for integration into their design. That cost is passed onto the consumer, too. It’s also obtained through licensing, which is a complicated and burdensome legal process—not to mention validating an entirely new monitor with a proprietary scaler replacement. If you’re a monitor maker, you can’t just adopt G-Sync because you want to: you have to ask and there's a big cost associated with it.

AMD acknowledged that some effort with VESA, the authors of the DisplayPort standard, could yield an amendment that would also grant GPUs control of monitor refresh rates. Extending DisplayPort in this manner would be broadly compatible, not to mention free to adopt. We proposed the amendment and it was adopted; it’s now known as DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync.

Indeed, many of the firmware vendors are telling us that they’ve only needed to design and validate new firmware for many of their scalers to outfit them with the Adaptive-Sync support. Three companies basically own the scaler market: Realtek, MStar and Novatek. All three of them have committed to supporting Adaptive-Sync, with some combination of existing scalers upgraded to new firmware, and new-generation scalers built from the ground up with Adaptive-Sync in mind.

In contrast: FreeSync is a bundle of secret sauce in our driver that leans on Adaptive-Sync support in a monitor to update the display whenever a Radeon needs to. How you use the control is as important as having the control, so FreeSync is the “how” and Adaptive-Sync is the “have.”

To tidy up loose ends: the Adaptive-Sync specification supports a wider range of refresh rates than G-Sync, requires no license or licensing fee, and AMD charges nothing to work with partners to bring a design online. Plus, using a standard scaler gives you monitor quality-of-life features like an on-screen menu, audio support (e.g. in-monitor speakers), or even HDMI/DVI outputs (which allows you to at least use the display, even if you don’t have a FreeSync-enabled graphics card).

In every conceivable way, FreeSync is a less materially expensive and more robust. Yes, it takes longer to reach market when you work on an industry standard to get there, but the benefits are very clear.

I can confirm that five UltraHD monitors 24-32" will be entering market in March. Those are from Samsung. But there are several other vendors also preparing displays for Q1, and these will be seen at CES. I'm under confidentiality agreements until then.

So if I understand you correctly then, going forward if a monitor has support for adaptive sync, it then can be considered a Free sync monitor, and will work with new GPUs from AMD?

Yes sir.

 

[Scizor119]

Can you tell us something about AMD next CPU architecture?

Nope!

What if we ask really nicely?

 

[enigmaxg2]

Any chances of better pricing for Central America region?

I cry when I see the store pages here and 1GB Radeon cards still cost 200+ USD, I want to upgrade my current Radeon HD5750 1GB (4 years with it, and it's an awesome card, but can't keep up with newer games).

 

[Thracks]

Will desktop users be able to look forward to any APU releases in 2015?

I do not know, sorry. This is not my area of expertise at AMD.

Freesync will be limited only to large, high end displays?

No.

 

[Thracks]

What's it like working at AMD and how can one get involved with them and possibly score a position there? (it's not like I'm going to major in electrical engineering o-or anything)

I came into AMD as a hardware reviewer. I wrote for a large-ish .com for about 5 years, working on PC hardware, smartphones and US telecom policy. Many of my colleagues are also ex-journalists in the PC hardware industry. You make friends, and friends make opportunity!

 

[pit_1209]

Will desktop users be able to look forward to any APU releases in 2015?

Maybe this could answer your question.
http://anandtech.com/show/8742/amd-announces-carrizo-and-carrizol-next-gen-apus-for-h1-2015

 

[Thracks]

Any chances of better pricing for Central America region?

I cry when I see the store pages here and 1GB Radeon cards still cost 200+ USD, I want to upgrade my current Radeon HD5750 1GB (4 years with it, and it's an awesome card, but can't keep up with newer games).

I hear you, but AMD doesn't control pricing at the retailer. We have a suggested retail price ("SEP"), set in $US. Beyond that, retailers are free to ignore the suggestion. Of course strength of the local currency, import/duty/taxation and supply/demand also influence the final shelf price.

 

[BigBird757]

Can you tell us something about AMD next CPU architecture?

Nope!

What if we ask really nicely?

Please?

 

[pit_1209]

Is it true that AMD next gen graphics architecture it´s called Caribbean Islands and slated to summer 2015?

I think that´s too much time for Nvidia to dominate the market as the only one with a new arch till that.

 

[brisa117]

How far back will FreeSync support go for your graphics cards, and is this a hardware issue or a development choice? I'm mostly concerned about the HD7970 (for selfish reasons *looks at signature*).

 

[jpishgar]

Please?

Actually, I'm happy to mention we're slating a discussion with the CPU guys at AMD for Q1 of 2015, which isn't that far away. So keep a tight hold on your CPU-centric burning questions till then, and you'll have ample opportunity to fire them at the CPU team.

-JP

 

[bobbybamf12]

Can you tell us something about AMD next CPU architecture?

Nope!

What if we ask really nicely?

Please?

He can't tell you, not because he doesn't want but because he can't. There hasn't even been much or if any rumors of a new FX CPU so I doubt there really anything plan.

 

[Jtaylor1986]

Is the mantle API version 98304 effectively the gold release then?

 

[beta212]

Two questions,
1. Are there plans to stream line the driver installation process? Aka, auto detection and removal of old drivers.

2. Will there be high end Carrizo laptops that are similar to ultra books in a thin form factor (1080p displays in 2015 anybody?), since all of the current Kaveri offering are distinctively low end in terms of form factor (thick, 13"+ screens, sub 1080p, off center touchpads, etc...)

 

[Onus]

I'd love to see some strong half-height [true] single-slot (i.e no protruding fan) cards. Your last / best was the HD7750 (e.g. Sapphire's version). I'd like to see a competitor to the GTX750Ti in this form factor.

 

[Mr_Speedy]

Will something like FreeSync finally make viewing video a totally flawless experience on a PC monitor?
I'm talking about the standard bluray framerate of 23.976fps which does not divide evenly into the various standard 60Hz/75Hz etc refresh rates. (the 3:2 pulldown judder issue and similar).
I assume freesync will automatically sync to whatever framerate the video is and play it back without 'pulldown judder'.

(I currently have a workaround with my monitor set at 71.928Hz (exact 3x multiple of 23.976Hz) but this still isnt ideal for all other video framerates like 25fps PAL and 30/60fps video.)

 

[Thracks]

How far back will FreeSync support go for your graphics cards, and is this a hardware issue or a development choice? I'm mostly concerned about the HD7970 (for selfish reasons *looks at signature*).

The supporting GPUs:

Kaveri, Beema, Mullins, Temash, R9 295X2, R9 290X, R9 290, R9 285, R7 260X, R7 260.

This is a decision that reflects hardware capabilities. It's not a software/development choice.

 

[Thracks]

Will something like FreeSync finally make viewing video a totally flawless experience on a PC monitor?
I'm talking about the standard bluray framerate of 23.976fps which does not divide evenly into the various standard 60Hz/75Hz etc refresh rates. (the 3:2 pulldown judder issue and similar).
I assume freesync will automatically sync to whatever framerate the video is and play it back without 'pulldown judder'.

(I currently have a workaround with my monitor set at 71.928Hz (exact 3x multiple of 23.976Hz) but this still isnt ideal for all other video framerates like 25fps PAL and 30/60fps video.)

Yes, this is one of the use cases that FreeSync addresses. The refresh rate of the display can be lowered to an exact multiplier, or the specific refresh rate, of the content in question.

 

[Thracks]

Is the mantle API version 98304 effectively the gold release then?

The Mantle API is still in beta.

 

[Thracks]

I'm curious about something that I see in most every review of AMD graphics cards. This is the poor reference cooling usually provided. Is there a reason for this? I know the vendors usually add their own custom cooling and that this new cooling works well, but is this the intention of AMD? Is reference cooling just not a concern and only basic cooling provided simply for test purposes and vendors are expected to do something custom?

Not exactly a massive problem but something I am just curious about.

The reference solution provides adequate cooling to keep the product operating within the planned thermal and acoustic constraints. It also serves as a vehicle for AIBs to quickly achieve retail readiness while planning aftermarket solutions.

 

[Math Geek]

I'm curious about something that I see in most every review of AMD graphics cards. This is the poor reference cooling usually provided. Is there a reason for this? I know the vendors usually add their own custom cooling and that this new cooling works well, but is this the intention of AMD? Is reference cooling just not a concern and only basic cooling provided simply for test purposes and vendors are expected to do something custom?

Not exactly a massive problem but something I am just curious about.

The reference solution provides adequate cooling to keep the product operating within the planned thermal and acoustic constraints. It also serves as a vehicle for AIBs to quickly achieve retail readiness while planning aftermarket solutions.

that makes sense. thanks for the answer

 

[digitalthug916]

AMD is embedded in the console market. Is there any plan to develop a low TDP mobile specific graphics module for mobile gaming platforms, ala nVidia shield or integrated VR gear?

 

[renz496]

Is the mantle API version 98304 effectively the gold release then?

The Mantle API is still in beta.

then what about AMD promised to release the public SDK this year?

 

[Daniel Sauvageau]

That said, FreeSync and DisplayPort Adaptive-Sync are different. DPAS just allows you to control the display. How do you do that? You need some sort of "secret sauce." That's FreeSync.

How much "secret sauce" could there possibly be behind flipping the output frame buffer once the current frame finishes rendering and triggering the frame dump to the display?

It seems to me like it should be a trivial tweak over the existing vsync page flip. (Except maybe for the extra work to signal the variable refresh over DP. I have not looked at how Adaptive Sync works at the protocol level but if many existing scalers can be firmware-upgraded with AS, I presume the signaling changes must be similarly trivial.)

 

[dovah-chan]

Thanks

Just a few more questions for me. How closely knit are the CPU engineers and GPU engineers? What kind of strides and collaboration did it take to build such a versatile architecture that is the mixing Steamroller and GCN (Kaveri)? Also what GCN cores are in Kaveri? Pitcairn, Tahiti, Cape Verde, Tonga, or Hawaii?

Also does AMD have any plans to expand upon their lineup of discrete mobile cards? I'm aware AMD still makes mobile discrete GPUs but is it just a choice that the OEM has to include them in not? (well of course they have a choice in what they include in their products) I can see a mobile version of Tonga being competitive.

(I really want to ask about the 20nm yields but I know mass production probably hasn't started and even if it had, you cannot reveal such confidential information.)