Intel ValleyView Atoms bring 700% better GPU performance

Intel’s Atom platform is languishing in mediocrity at the moment. AMD is currently competing (and outcompeting) them both on the CPU and GPU fronts at the same price points. AMD’s Brazos 2.0, which is actually just Brazos 1.0 with USB 3.0 and marginally higher clock speeds, was barely un upgrade because competition from Intel is so lacking.

AMD currently has 44% of the “low to mid range” CPU market because of its Llano and Brazos APUs. Intel had been otherwise too occupied with Atom for Smartphones, like Medfield, to worry about its Atom for desktops.

Now it appears Intel is turning the crank on this sector too. With the news that Haswell could drop dual core processors,comes the requirement that the Intel Atom platform will have to take the place of the “sub Haswell quad core” performance segment.

Intel’s next move is 22nm-based Intel Atoms, which would certainly outperform 40nm based AMD Brazos 2.0 chips. However, releasing these 22nm Atoms now would be pointless as there is still a mountain of work to complete on the integrated GPU, where Intel still trails AMD.

On the CPU side we are expecting dual and quad core Atoms off the 22nm process but the performance increase will only be typical generational improvements – so 10-15%. On the GPU side Intel has been making massive headway, the iGPU is touted to be 400 to 700% faster in 3D applications.

With the better 22nm CPU part and a 700% increase in the GPU to take it significantly ahead of Brazos’ 3D capabilities, expect Intel to walk all over AMD’s Brazos 2.0 offerings. However, AMD is 6 months ahead of Intel and they won’t be looking to sit around and wait to be overtaken in one of the few markets where they still possess an advantage over Intel. AMD’s successor to Brazos 2.0, the Jaguar APUs, feature GCN GPU architecture and they should be ready from next spring. Intel’s new Atoms should arrive in late 2013.

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