Jon Peddie Research has just published “Opportunities, Threats, and Changes Created by the Embedded Graphics Processors.” The once-unthinkable marriage of CPU and GPU has arrived.

By the staff of Jon Peddie Research

A genuine inflection point is occurring in computer manufacturing and related industries: the integration of powerful SIMD graphics processing elements with multi-core, multi-stage scalar X86 CPUs. In so doing the stalwart and ubiquitous IGP (integrated graphics processor) will fade out of existence.

For several reasons, many people believed the CPU and the GPU would never come together:

• During the past eight years, the graphics processor unit, GPU, has grown in complexity compared to the CPU exceeding the transistor count, and matching or exceeding the die size of the CPU.
• GPUs are characterized by a high level of complexity, with power and cooling demands.
• GPU design cycles are faster than those of the CPU.

Amazing things become possible as semiconductor manufacturing tolerances get ever smaller, approaching their absolute, and possibly Heisenberg limit. With four times the number of transistors possible in the same space as the previous manufacturing node or feature space, the compute density demanded by GPUs suddenly becomes not just feasible, but completely possible, and practical.

Moving graphics into the CPUs will be attractive first to the builders of low-cost machines. Intel’s Core i5 (Clarkdale and Arrandale), which are Embedded Processor Graphics (EPG) units were the first wave. Intel’s Sandy Bridge will be next generation, while AMD will introduce a massive SIMD GPU array in their Fusion processors (Ontario and Llano) which will be the first Heterogeneous Processor Units (HPUs.)

The impact in the total PC and related market on discrete GPUs due to the combination of devices being offered with integrated graphics (IGPs, EPGs, and HPUs) will break the historical rise of discrete GPU sales and put the category in decline.

The EPG/HPU will truly revolutionize the PC and associated industries. The amount of computation capability available in the size, weight and power consumption of systems equipped with EPG/HPUs coupled with the attractive prices they will carry, will upset the market dynamics like never before, and maybe not since the introduction of the PC.

Report overview

Presenting the latest report from Jon Peddie Research, Opportunities, Threats, and Changes Created by the Embedded Graphics Processors

Report Outline

• Definitions of the components in the inflection point.
• Two routes: EPG and HPU.
• Ignore HPUs and suffer the consequence
• History repeats – did we learn anything?
• AMD potentially gains market share: Market positions of Intel, Nvidia,
  and Others to AMD.
• Tension at the inflection point and graphics market shares.
• GPU architectures, PC architectures, Next generation architectures, Newest architectures, and the History of integrated graphics.

Reasons to Buy

The report contains extensive data and analysis on the worldwide GPU, IPG, EPG, and HPU market and will benefit you in the following ways:

• For the first time obtain in one report clear, comparative explanations of the four different forms of graphics processors: IGP, GPU, EPG, and HPU
• Review comparative data for chip shipments numbers, by vendor for the four segments
• In order to complete the picture, review comparative explanations, data and forecasts for notebook, desktop, and workstation
• Benefit from 33 data-packed tables and figures that can be pasted straight into your presentations and reports
• Obtain a range of other forecasts for chip types including segmentation by platform
• Read market positions of the three leading suppliers to this inflection point
• Understand the segmentation (from Value to Workstation) in the desktop and notebook markets
• Understand the history and evolution of Moore’s low and function integration got us to this point

AMD, Intel, and Nvidia will all be adjusting their specifications, marketing strategies, and market shares for all of 2011. Supplemental updates will be generated and provided to purchasers of this report at no extra charge.

Detailed Table of Contents

Here is a summary table of contents for this new report:

• Executive Summary
• Introduction: Two routes: EPG and HPU
• Evolve or die
• History repeats—did we learn anything?
• Ignore HPUs and suffer the consequence
• Memory the key
• First casualty UMA IGPs
• Historical break in discrete GPU growth
• Second casualty – Entry level (Value) discrete GPUs
• Seriously wounded – Midrange discrete GPUs
• AMD potentially gains market share
• Intel
• Nvidia
• Others
• GPU suppliers
• Historical market share changes
• Graphics performance
• New media intensive applications
• Tension at the inflection point
• Total PC graphics market shares
• Desktop
• Desktop market share shifts
• Notebook
• Notebook market share shifts
• Integrated/embedded devices by segment
• IGPs rapidly decline
• Embedded Processor graphics move in
• HPU graphics disrupt the market
• Summary and conclusion

Appendix Sections

• GPU architectures
• PC architectures
• Next generation architectures
• Newest architectures
• History of integrated graphics
• The IGC
• SMA
• Embedded memory
• UMA
• The IGP
• Bifurcated market
• Market consolidation
• SAM, TAM and PAM

List of Charts, Figures, and Tables

• History of graphics in the PC for the past 30 years
• EPGs and HPUs will take over the market in less than two years
• The rise and fall of graphics chip suppliers due to technology evolution
• The disappearing market for IGPs
• Discrete mobile GPUs had been enjoying the rise in notebook sales – HPUs will put a stop to that
• Discrete desktop GPUs decline due to HPUs is blunted by GPU-compute uptake
• Discrete GPUs sales will be impacted by HPUs
• History of total PC graphics market share
• Market share in the PC graphics market
• Discrete desktop GPU shipment forecast impact from HPUs
• Market shares in the desktop graphics market
• Discrete notebook GPU shipments forecast impact from HPUs
• Market shares in the notebook graphics market
• Total PC IGP sales forecast
• Desktop IGP sales forecast
• Notebook IGP sales forecast
• Total PC Processor Graphics sales forecast
• Desktop EPG sales forecast
• Notebook EPG sales forecast
• Total PC HPU sales forecast
• Desktop HPU sales forecast
• Notebook HPU sale forecast
• Block diagram of ATI/AMD’s RV870 GPU (Source AMD)
• Block diagram of Nvidia’s Fermi GPU (Source Nvidia)
• Basic contemporary Intel PC architecture
• Basic contemporary AMD PC architecture
• Intel PC architecture for high-end machines
• Hybrid PC architecture
• Intel Core i5 Processor graphics
• Intel’s future HPU Sandy Bridge
• AMD’s HPU Ontario—the SIMD Engine is the GPU
• The evolution of function integration into the CPU
• Conceptualization of PAM/TAM/SAM and SOM

How to Buy This Report

For more information and to buy this report, visit:

http://jonpeddie.com/publications/opportunities-threats-and changes-created-by-the-egp-hpu/