AMD: Navi Speculation, Rumours and Discussion [2019-2020]

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Aside from the choice of an expensive and rapidly, and poorly, ageing Intel hardware choice I don't think it looks terribly outlandish for the intended user base (disregarding silly things like 400$ wheels and 1000$ over-engineered but impressive display stands). Unlike the YouTubers Apple so thoughtfully provided their latest and greatest machine to fawn over... Though it would have been nice to see a "light" version with ordinary Core i9 and non-ecc memory make it to the lineup.

I can only hope that Apple and AMD team up with more excellent rDNA hardware though. AMD seems exceedingly accommodating there. Maybe rDNA with HBM at some point? Arcturus options for deep-learning workstations? Endless possibilities!

Now if they want to get some extra ROI in their old Pro design maybe they can shove some upgraded Mac mini hardware inside and some Navi goodness for graphics? Like an iMac without a screen. I like the little trashcan. It would at least stay cooler than the current mini that's for sure.
 
I was curious, and configured an HP Z8 to > $70k (not sure what the actual max is)... I'm not sure if that means Apple prices aren't crazy or whether the entire workstation market has gone off the deep end. Supposedly at least the monitor (not the stand) is reasonable when compared to pro monitors with similar specs / target market...
 
I don't think anyone in their right mind would say there isn't a "brand tax" that is higher for Apple. That is as may be. But usually their high end stuff is somewhat competitive in their specific marketplace for professional machines at least. Their consumer stuff... less so. The trashcan Mac Pro was actually decent value on launch actually, though Apples pricing strategy of hardly ever lowering prices made that a short lived assertion. I expect the same from the new Mac Pro.

In general the high en professional field seems to be over priced as all hell though. And I don't see for what advantage really. What does a Quadro or WX card offer other than driver tweaks and SKU's with more exotic memory? What does a Xeon offer other than a slightly increase instruction set and more PCI-e lanes? Seems that stability is the main premium you're paying for. But since I don't move in those circles that's just my rather uneducated opinion.

Gotta admit though, I really want one with four W5700X and 16 or 24 cores. Imagine the gaming performance!
 
Leovinus said:
In general the high en professional field seems to be over priced as all hell though. And I don't see for what advantage really. What does a Quadro or WX card offer other than driver tweaks and SKU's with more exotic memory? What does a Xeon offer other than a slightly increase instruction set and more PCI-e lanes? Seems that stability is the main premium you're paying for. But since I don't move in those circles that's just my rather uneducated opinion.
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Stability and support (both support from the manufacturer to customer and proper support for professional software)
 
psurge said:
I was curious, and configured an HP Z8 to > $70k (not sure what the actual max is)... I'm not sure if that means Apple prices aren't crazy or whether the entire workstation market has gone off the deep end. Supposedly at least the monitor (not the stand) is reasonable when compared to pro monitors with similar specs / target market...
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The cost of entry used to be a lot lower. That’s why HP has lower priced models but the Mac Pro starts at $5,999.00 for pretty lackluster entry hardware. Sure it scales beyond my needs but my 2012 Mac Pro were only $2,799.00 for comparison.
 
Kaotik said:
Stability and support (both support from the manufacturer to customer and proper support for professional software)
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A large part of the cost when you get into products meant for the professional and enterprise sector is the support. Those markets get an entirely different and vastly expanded level of support than consumer devices.

As the price goes up, it even gets into the territory of the OEM sending people out to your workplace if you experience problems.

Regards,
SB
 
Kaotik said:
You can't possibly make any such conclusions from available info. Neither Zen2 cores nor RDNA-GPU means it has to be big.
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Just a spurious reaction on my part, not a conclusion. Zen 2 is a MCM design, slapping the GPU onto it as its own CCD would be interesting to see. It's unlikely that AMD would design a monolithic die containing both Zen 2 cores AND rDNA cores. The die would be enormous. I assume, rather than conclude.
 
Leovinus said:
Just a spurious reaction on my part, not a conclusion. Zen 2 is a MCM design, slapping the GPU onto it as its own CCD would be interesting to see. It's unlikely that AMD would design a monolithic die containing both Zen 2 cores AND rDNA cores. The die would be enormous. I assume, rather than conclude.
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Zen 2 has been implemented only as MCM so far, but there's absolutely nothing that would prevent one doing monolithic designs with it. (as gross over-simplification) just throw away the extrenal on-package IF-links and connect them to the internal InfinityFabric instead. The CPU IP blocks themselves shouldn't need any changes between monolithic and chiplet designs.
 
We don't know for sure if Renoir is a monolithic die or another 8-core chiplet coupled with a I/O chip that has a GPU in it.
 
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