Market Dynamics Created by the Embedded Graphics Processors

Market Dynamics Created by the Embedded Graphics Processors - Impact on low end GPUs

A true inflection point occurred in the PC and related industries in 2011 with the full scale production of scalar X86CPUs with integrated powerful multi-core, SIMD graphics processing elements. In so doing the ubiquitous and stalwart IGP – integrated graphics processor, is fading out of existence.
For several reasons, many people believed (and some hoped) the CPU and the GPU would never be integrated:

GPUs are characterized by a high level of complexity, with power and cooling demands, and have dramatically different memory management needs.
GPU design cycles are faster than those of the CPU.
GPU has grown in complexity compared to the CPU exceeding the transistor count, and matching or exceeding the die size of the CPU.
The x86 has steadily increased in complexity, power consumption, and become multi-core.

With four times the number transistors possible in the same space as the previous manufacturing node or feature space Moore’s law seems unstoppable, and with the move to 32nm and now 28nm the possibilities for integration of such complex and alien functionality is not only possible and feasible, but a reality.

EPGs and HPUs will take over the market in less than two years

The impact on discrete GPUs due to the combination of devices being offered with integrated graphics (IGPs, EPGs, and HPUs) will impact the historical rise of discrete GPU sales and threatens to put the category in decline, or at least so some believe, it’s not that simple, nothing in the PC industry is.

The EPG/HPU will truly revolutionize the PC and associated industries. The amount of computation capability available in the size, weight, 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.

The report includes a historical perspective that illustrates the sharp growth embedded processors devices have enjoyed recently, and an architectural review in the appendix.

Companies and organizations analyzed or mentioned in the report include: AMD, Intel, Lucid Logic, Matrox, Nvidia, and VIA.

Reasons to Buy

This report contains extensive data, forecasts, analysis and insight on the worldwide market for Integrated Graphics, Embedded Processor Graphics, and Heterogeneous Processors. The report will provide you with a range of important benefits, such as:
For the first in one report clear, comparative explanations of all of the device markets: Tablets (ARM & X86, Android & Windows), Smartphones. E-book readers, and portable handheld game consoles.

You can then review 5-year market forecasts for all of these markets which will allow you compare shipment volumes on a year-by-year basis and without double-counting.

Benefit from data-packed tables and 34 insightful charts-each with its own detailed table that can be pasted straight into your presentations and reports.

Learn about the impact on GPUs from the EPGs and HPUs

Understand which segments will suffer cannibalization, which won't, and why.

See a forecast of market shares and the area of contention between them.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary
Introduction
- Two routes: EPG and HPU
  - GPUs do more than graphics
  - HPUs will be the norm
Evolve or die
- History repeats – did we learn anything?
- HPUs and EPGs enter the mainstream
  - Memory the key
- First casualty UMA IGPs
  - Laptop discrete graphics little impact
  - Desktop discrete graphics low end at risk
- Second casualty – Entry level (Value, Essential) discrete GPUs
- Slightly 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
  - Notebook
- Integrated/embedded devices by segment
  - IGPs rapidly decline.
  - Embedded Processor graphics move in
  - HPU graphics disrupt the market
- Summary and conclusion
Appendix
- GPU architectures
- PC architectures
  - Next generation architectures
  - Newest architectures
- Block diagrams
- History of integrated graphics
  - The IGC
  - SMA
  - Embedded memory
  - UMA
  - The IGP
- Bifurcated market
- Market consolidation
SAM, TAM and PAM

Table of Figures

Figure 1: EPGs and HPUs will take over the market in less than two years
Figure 2: The rise and fall of graphics chip suppliers due to technology evolution
Figure 3: The disappearing market for IGPs
Figure 4: Discrete mobile GPUs will be impacted by EPGs and HPUs
Figure 5: Discrete desktop GPUs decline due to HPUs is blunted by GPU-compute uptake
Figure 6: Low-end discrete GPUs sales will be impacted by HPUs
Figure 7: History of total PC graphics market share
Figure 8: AMD’s Desktop roadmap (Source AMD)
Figure 9: AMD’s Notebook roadmap (Source AMD)
Figure 10: Intel’s roadmap (Source Intel)
Figure 11: Market share in the PC graphics market
Figure 12: Market shares in the desktop graphics market
Figure i3: Market shares in the notebook graphics market
Figure 14: Total PC IGP sales forecast
Figure i5: Desktop IGP sales forecast
Figure 16: Notebook IGP sales forecast
Figure 17: Total PC Processor Graphics sales forecast
Figure 18: Desktop EPG sales forecast
Figure 19: Notebook EPG sales forecast
Figure 20: Total PC HPU sales forecast
Figure 21: Desktop HPU sales forecast
Figure 22: Notebook HPU sale forecast
Figure 23: Block diagram of ATI/AMD’s RV870 GPU (Source AMD)
Figure 24: Block diagram of Nvidia’s Fermi GPU (Source Nvidia)
Figure 25: Basic contemporary Intel PC architecture
Figure 26: Basic contemporary AMD PC architecture
Figure 27: Intel PC architecture for high-end machines
Figure 28: Hybrid PC architecture
Figure 29: Intel Core i5 Processor graphics
Figure 30: Intel’s future HPU Sandy Bridge (Source Intel)
Figure 31: AMD’s HPU Ontario – the SIMD Engine is the GPU
Figure 32: Comparison of AMD’s Llano and Intel’s Sandy Bridge
Figure 33: The evolution of function integration into the CPU
Figure 34: Conceptualization of PAM/TAM/SAM and SOM (Courtesy RAK Associates)

Table of Tables

Table 1: History of graphics in the PC for the past 30 years