AMD brings high-end graphics to embedded

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Advanced Micro Devices announced at the Embedded Systems Conference what it claimed is the first graphics chip for embedded systems to support Microsoft's DirectX 11, the OpenCL standard and up to six simultaneous displays.

The DX11 and OpenCL support is key because it brings embedded graphics for the first time into the world of general-purpose computing on graphics processors. OpenCL is an applications programming interface for handling parallel programs on multicore processors and Microsoft's DX11 includes DirectCompute, its API for general purpose computing and graphics chips.

AMD claims its new chip, the Radeon E6760, delivers 40 to 60 percent more performance above its existing high end embedded graphics part (the E4690) across on a range benchmarks. Specifically, it delivers up to 576 GFLOPs, compared to 384 for the earlier part. The chip uses the same 40nm core in AMD's mainstream desktop graphics processors.

In the embedded space, AMD is seeing traction for such parts in a range of applications including casino and arcade gaming, medical imaging, military imaging and signal processing, aircraft cockpit displays and high-end digital signage using multiple displays.

AMD committed to making the part available for five years to serve embedded systems that often have much longer life times than products in the PC market where lifetimes are typically about 18 months. To make that promise, AMD agreed to take responsibility for finding and qualifying graphics memory chips for the processor since those devices can become obsolete in as little as a year.

So the Radeon device ships on a 37.5mm2 BGA that serves as a multi-chip module with both graphics and a Gbyte of memory consuming a total of 35W max. Currently the device ships using GDDR-5 memory chips.

The chip is available through distributors including Arrow and Avnet.