Apple Finally Buying AMD CPUs?

[Ecchi Nutuano]

Yes, please!

Realistically Apple just tests hardware all the time. Apple had macOS compiled on x86 years before transitioning to intel, and it stands to reason they would test AMD too, and it's not like it's a huge undertaking to support another x86 manufacturer.

Though the cynic in me thinks Apple included this support intentionally as a way to rattle intel's cage for a more favourable deal.

I don't see Apple immediately EoL the brand new Mac Pro(despite AMD destroying intel right now on the desktop and server).
All of these are APU's. Picasso is last generation, and it's IPC was not really competitive (energy/performance) to intel's mobile CPU (the GPU side of the APU being the exception). Renoir is coming out any day, but it's mobile only (at this time?). Van Gogh is a Navi-based APU, but my guess is it won't be out until end of year. About the only product I can see these in would be an iMac, without stepping on iMac Pro and Mac Pro (low end configurations).

Any transition would have to happen in the next 18 months. Jim Keller has been working for intel for almost 2 years. Architectures take years to design and implement, and it's likely he knows how to beat Zen, considering he's the one who designed it.

 

[Gigamaxx]

Yes, please!

Realistically Apple just tests hardware all the time. Apple had macOS compiled on x86 years before transitioning to intel, and it stands to reason they would test AMD too, and it's not like it's a huge undertaking to support another x86 manufacturer.

Though the cynic in me thinks Apple included this support intentionally as a way to rattle intel's cage for a more favourable deal.

I don't see Apple immediately EoL the brand new Mac Pro(despite AMD destroying intel right now on the desktop and server).
All of these are APU's. Picasso is last generation, and it's IPC was not really competitive (energy/performance) to intel's mobile CPU (the GPU side of the APU being the exception). Renoir is coming out any day, but it's mobile only (at this time?). Van Gogh is a Navi-based APU, but my guess is it won't be out until end of year. About the only product I can see these in would be an iMac, without stepping on iMac Pro and Mac Pro (low end configurations).

Any transition would have to happen in the next 18 months. Jim Keller has been working for intel for almost 2 years. Architectures take years to design and implement, and it's likely he knows how to beat Zen, considering he's the one who designed it.

Raven is in there too. Thats Gen2 Ryzen 2200g, 2400g APUs. Vega11, and Vega8 graphics (Polaris22).

Here's the 2400g in 10.15.4 with open core.

 

[Th3iPodM0N]

I'd really like this to be true honestly. Been thinking about jumping to AMD for a while and while it isn't a huge deal to get an AMD hack working, I'd rather it be "native" if this somehow turns out to be true.

 

[Ecchi Nutuano]

I was not discounting AMD-Hackintosh community(using opencore or any bootloader). Just speculating on Apple’s actual intentions or how serious they could be.
But yes, I did miss raven.

 

[Gigamaxx]

I was not discounting AMD-Hackintosh community(using opencore or any bootloader). Just speculating on Apple’s actual intentions or how serious they could be.
But yes, I did miss raven.

It is odd they would have raven in there as there is little chance they would be using back dated technology. It would make sense to be looking at the newer versions that you mentioned.
No offense taken on the AMD Hackintosh viability, they have been easier and more efficient to do compared to back in the day when you needed a custom kernel.
Personally, I think once Intel masters 7nm AMD will be outperformed by leaps and bounds but it is good to see them competing for now.

 

[skroutz999]

If they think now AMD for solution its already too late to the party for Apple. They are bound to intel with new mac pros for at least 5 years from now on. Also for mobile industry that change, will lead to confusion and issues if they use the amd chips in laptops and imacs. Propably they will use their own chips starting from macbook series and after several years they will decide either to put their own on higher spec machines or choose amd if the latter is getting stronger against intel even more.

P.S. I think and hope that intel in time will get the crown back from amd. Their cpus are already head to head in most comparisons except the new high end threadrippers. When intel has 7nm ready then they can take the lead again.

 

[trs96]

This chap seems to think Ryzen will be used in the 13" MBP this year. The 8 core Ryzen 7 4800U. That would be a game changer. That way you can get the very light and portable 13" form factor but not compromise on performance or battery life. His argument is pretty good, lets' see what gets introduced at WWDC 2020. Can hardly wait for that.

 

[pastrychef]

This chap seems to think Ryzen will be used in the 13" MBP this year. The 8 core Ryzen 7 4700U. That would be a game changer. That way you can get the very light and portable 13" form factor but not compromise on performance or battery life. His argument is pretty good, lets' see what gets introduced at WWDC 2020. Can hardly wait for that.

This guy speaks of the loss of Intel Quick Sync, but it's a non-issue if Apple has a T2 chip in there...

 

[Ecchi Nutuano]

Well, T2 gets leveraged for video en/de-coding when the application uses Apple’s API, and adheres to the supported h264/265 spec. If you encode in 10bit h265 for instance, it’s going to rely on the cpu, not the T2. Intel’s quicksync is definitely more robust than T2 (though T2’s implementation is screaming fast - just the output is garbage compared to Quicksync at the same effective bitrate). Being APU’s though, could fill the gap of supported specs, but my understanding is still poorly supported and implemented(compared to nvenc).

 

[pastrychef]

Well, T2 gets leveraged for video en/de-coding when the application uses Apple’s API, and adheres to the supported h264/265 spec. If you encode in 10bit h265 for instance, it’s going to rely on the cpu, not the T2. Intel’s quicksync is definitely more robust than T2 (though T2’s implementation is screaming fast - just the output is garbage compared to Quicksync at the same effective bitrate). Being APU’s though, could fill the gap of supported specs, but my understanding is still poorly supported and implemented(compared to nvenc).

Wouldn't encoding be done by the GPU imbedded in the APU?

How is the output from iMac19,x and MacPro7,1?