AMD currently discussing breakup, spinoff, or split-up of the company (separation of divisions)

[Norman_the_Owl]

But their GPUs are good. The 7000 series was a success, the 200 series was a success...and the 300 series seems great. I don't get it why they would want that... And with Zen coming up... who knows how that will fare against intel.

All of this is idealistic

7000 series was better than 600 series, yea. But Nvidia was still doing better.

200 series really wasn't that much of a success. By the time it got phased out Nvidia had 3 quarters of gamers on their side. 300 series won't change anything in a meaningful way

[EllieThePurpleFuzzy]

If only ATI came back, Linus and ATI would make a perfect canadian duo (ATI was canadian i believe)?.

[sof006]

Wouldn't mind seeing ATi again... Maybe they'll actually be able to supply decent drivers with their graphics cards *cough*

[-CLASSIFIED-]

If anything the brands would be as follows , amd for the server stuff , then Radeon for the gpu side. None of the "omg ati is coming back"

But I doubt and will split anytime soon (imo)

[Simons]

But their GPUs are good. The 7000 series was a success, the 200 series was a success...and the 300 series seems great. I don't get it why they would want that... And with Zen coming up... who knows how that will fare against intel.

Their 300 series is not great, its just the 200 series all over again, so its old technology in a new box/shell.

[Biggerisbetter]

Intel picking it up is not anticompetitive. They don't have a dGPU business at all, 0 market presence. Nvidia couldn't do anything to stop it, just as Intel couldn't stop Nvidia from picking up AMD's CPU division.

 

First, AMD is not splitting themselves in half or even thirds to sell each part to the highest bidder. Also, AMD is only looking at ways on how to get raid of it under-preforming asset in its portfolio. Example: Darden selling Red Lobster to Golden Gate Capital. Due to Red lobster dragging down quarterly earnings for the past 2 years. Its called propping up earnings. Also if you believe that amd selling is most profitable GPU sector to Intel and AMD keeping its Cpu sector is not anti-competitive then I would advise you to look up what it means. Nvida does not have the assets, the cash on hand, nor to the have fabs to compete with Intel. This is common market insight.

[Dabombinable]

This isn't a compute card:

 

http://www.pcauthority.com.au/News/402249,intel-announces-knights-landing-gpu.aspx

April fools!!!!!

[patrickjp93]

First, AMD is not splitting themselves in half or even thirds to sell each part to the highest bidder. Also, AMD is only looking at ways on how to get raid of it under-preforming asset in its portfolio. Example: Darden selling Red Lobster to Golden Gate Capital. Due to Red lobster dragging down quarterly earnings for the past 2 years. Its called propping up earnings. Also if you believe that amd selling is most profitable GPU sector to Intel and AMD keeping its Cpu sector is not anti-competitive then I would advise you to look up what it means. Nvida does not have the assets, the cash on hand, nor to the have fabs to compete with Intel. This is common market insight.

Nvidia and Intel don't compete in CPUs anyway, except perhaps the Tegra in tablets. That's a moot point no court would care about in regards to Intel getting the GPU portion of AMD. 

 

Second, you assume AMD doesn't think its CPUs will ever be its big money maker again, yet they're pushing for datacenters again. Your assumptions and your knowledge of the definitions are highly flawed right now.

[Lethal Seraph]

Looked up AMD on Google and they replied, rumors isn't true.

[MoonSpot]

Does it even make sense for intel to consider buying any part of amd?  Or anyone in all honesty.  I could see Apple, but that seems like a stretch.  If Intel keeps improving their iGPU anywhere near the same rate they have been they'll continue taking more and more of the bottom out from under nvidia and AMD.  Forcing both to either start bringing a great deal more value to lower price points, or catering more and more to the 1%(figuratively speaking).  In such a scenario gunning for the top wouldn't fair so well as developers, who live and breath on volume, wouldn't make squat for them.

 

Keep bringing on the iGPU's and APU's baby.  Force both nvidia and amd to to get into a race to make a more compelling case of the average joes dollar.

[Valentyn]

OP needs to be updated. AMD denies all rumours!

 

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/208659-reuters-claims-amd-mulling-breakup-or-spinoff-company-denies-rumors

 

AMD’s own spokesperson Sarah Youngbauer told ExtremeTech the following: “While we normally would not comment on such a matter, we can confirm that we have no such project in the works at this time. We remain committed to the long-term strategy we laid out for the company in May at our Financial Analyst Day.”

[BiG StroOnZ]

OP needs to be updated. AMD denies all rumours!

 

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/208659-reuters-claims-amd-mulling-breakup-or-spinoff-company-denies-rumors

 

From the same article.

 

"AMD might or might not admit to exploring such ideas, but there’s a bigger structural problem with attempting to break up the company. It’s difficult to imagine how to split AMD in a way that would preserve necessary cross-license arrangements with companies like Intel while simultaneously creating two viable businesses"

 

Meaning, even if they were or are they most likely aren't going to admit to it.

 

Also from the article in the OP, that same Spokesperson declined to comment previously (the one who commented in the ExtremeTech article):

 

"A spokeswoman for AMD declined to comment."

[MoonSpot]

Also from the article in the OP, that same Spokesperson declined to comment previously (the one who commented in the ExtremeTech article):

 

"A spokeswoman for AMD declined to comment."

 

Are you assuming there is only one spokeswomen?  IDK or particularly care either way though, just seemed like dots being connected that maybe shouldn't.

[BiG StroOnZ]

Are you assuming there is only one spokeswomen?  IDK or particularly care either way though, just seemed like dots being connected that maybe shouldn't.

 

No. What I am saying is that AMD could basically be saying that it is not being considered at the moment to calm investors so it would not mess with their stocks. They are obviously going to say they are committed to the long-term strategy they stated at Financial Analyst Day because of this. Rumors like this don't tend to appear unless they have some ounce of truth in them. It's also not the first time a "rumor" like this has appeared in the wild, this has happened before. 

[MageTank]

Clarification for everyone: AMD representatives have assured that any purchase of a division would be incumbent upon a guarantee of IP access by AMD's other division(s). I think AMD is looking for someone to buy out its debts and pay top dollar for ATI. As much as everyone wants Samsung and Qualcomm to jump in, I think the two highest bidders will be Intel and Apple. With Apple's move to the Metal API, SOC experience, and vertical integration structure, it fits their business model to buy ATI even if they have to outbid Intel. It's a risky move, AMD believing they can go all-in on Zen and Zen+. 2015/16 will be even more interesting than I first thought.

I called this before previously, and it is the right choice for AMD to do this. Regardless of this outcome, if Zen fails, AMD is over. By letting go of the debt imposed by ATI, and letting someone big like Intel go against Nvidia, it gives AMD the opportunity to regroup, and focus on CPU's without any hindrance. We need this to happen, and i hope Intel wins the bid for the graphics IP. If Intel obtains ATI, Nvidia will have to wake up and get hungry again. This competition would be outstanding for consumers everywhere. Imagine with all of the money Intel can throw at graphics, what kind of outcome this will bring.

 

I love the fact that AMD has gone all in, and if Zen pay's off, we will see an entire new world come 2016.

[Doobeedoo]

I called this before previously, and it is the right choice for AMD to do this. Regardless of this outcome, if Zen fails, AMD is over. By letting go of the debt imposed by ATI, and letting someone big like Intel go against Nvidia, it gives AMD the opportunity to regroup, and focus on CPU's without any hindrance. We need this to happen, and i hope Intel wins the bid for the graphics IP. If Intel obtains ATI, Nvidia will have to wake up and get hungry again. This competition would be outstanding for consumers everywhere. Imagine with all of the money Intel can throw at graphics, what kind of outcome this will bring.

 

I love the fact that AMD has gone all in, and if Zen pay's off, we will see an entire new world come 2016.

Yeah indeed, their next CPU and GPU next year need to really take market share. I can only see closure of them if it doesn't work out, which would be bad

[MageTank]

Yeah indeed, their next CPU and GPU next year need to really take market share. I can only see closure of them if it doesn't work out, which would be bad

I just don't see their GPU's getting anywhere though. Their only saving grace right now was Fury, the rest of the 300 lineup was inconsequential to the gaming market. People looking to invest in newer GPU's might buy them, but people that already have current 200 series will not upgrade to them. I feel AMD may have shot themselves in the foot with this latest rebrand, and for them to recover from it will take somewhat of a miracle, considering that people can just flash their current cards into 300 series as long as they do not mind the smaller memory buffer and slightly slower memory bandwidth. Most of the 200 series cards does fine at 1440p as far as memory performance goes, so i cant see the need to upgrade to 300 series unless someone was aiming for 4k. Even then, the Fury is the obvious choice in that scenario.

 

We will not see a decision made about this until we see Zen. If Zen is a success, then i have no doubts that AMD will try to give their graphics division another shot, because they will have the brand presence to attempt it again. If Zen fails, AMD will try to segregate away from ATI as best they can, and hope the consumers will forgive another mistake. Though, i don't think even the best of fanboy's will be able to take another lackluster CPU and platform again. We need Zen to be great, all of us do.

[Notional]

From the same article.

 

"AMD might or might not admit to exploring such ideas, but there’s a bigger structural problem with attempting to break up the company. It’s difficult to imagine how to split AMD in a way that would preserve necessary cross-license arrangements with companies like Intel while simultaneously creating two viable businesses"

 

Meaning, even if they were or are they most likely aren't going to admit to it.

 

Also from the article in the OP, that same Spokesperson declined to comment previously (the one who commented in the ExtremeTech article):

 

"A spokeswoman for AMD declined to comment."

 

They are obligated to state their long term strategies on things like analyst days. Further more, off loading the GPU department to a separate company, would not change anything with the Intel cross license agreement. In the theoretical event that it would void the license agreement, Intel would renegotiate that license immediately, as Intel's x86-64 (their 64 bit tech(, is an AMD license, so goodbye Intel 64 bit processors, or hello to Itanium, being a gigantic failure.

 

This is another one of those pointless rumours, like being sold to Samsung. With AMD's focus on APU's, none of this would make any sense. Either way, AMD officially stated this is not true, so you should change the OP accordingly.

[Doobeedoo]

I just don't see their GPU's getting anywhere though. Their only saving grace right now was Fury, the rest of the 300 lineup was inconsequential to the gaming market. People looking to invest in newer GPU's might buy them, but people that already have current 200 series will not upgrade to them. I feel AMD may have shot themselves in the foot with this latest rebrand, and for them to recover from it will take somewhat of a miracle, considering that people can just flash their current cards into 300 series as long as they do not mind the smaller memory buffer and slightly slower memory bandwidth. Most of the 200 series cards does fine at 1440p as far as memory performance goes, so i cant see the need to upgrade to 300 series unless someone was aiming for 4k. Even then, the Fury is the obvious choice in that scenario.

 

We will not see a decision made about this until we see Zen. If Zen is a success, then i have no doubts that AMD will try to give their graphics division another shot, because they will have the brand presence to attempt it again. If Zen fails, AMD will try to segregate away from ATI as best they can, and hope the consumers will forgive another mistake. Though, i don't think even the best of fanboy's will be able to take another lackluster CPU and platform again. We need Zen to be great, all of us do.

Yeah all true, I guess rebrand is due to their amount of money and lack of RnD and all. Zen haves to be great, but I could see their next GPUs in 2016 be more brute as competition and no rebrands since they'll have new HBM thus more memory and they're moving to smaller node. All this for them haves to do something good or if it would flop it would be bad.

[patrickjp93]

Does it even make sense for intel to consider buying any part of amd?  Or anyone in all honesty.  I could see Apple, but that seems like a stretch.  If Intel keeps improving their iGPU anywhere near the same rate they have been they'll continue taking more and more of the bottom out from under nvidia and AMD.  Forcing both to either start bringing a great deal more value to lower price points, or catering more and more to the 1%(figuratively speaking).  In such a scenario gunning for the top wouldn't fair so well as developers, who live and breath on volume, wouldn't make squat for them.

 

Keep bringing on the iGPU's and APU's baby.  Force both nvidia and amd to to get into a race to make a more compelling case of the average joes dollar.

Intel is currently paying 1.5bn USD per year to get access to most of Nvidia's IP (though not the fundamental pieces needed to tie together the advanced parts because JSH simply ate a 500 million USD fine to yank those patents after the Larrabee debut). It's definitely in Intel's interests to buy all of ATI even at a premium.

[Dabombinable]

Intel is currently paying 1.5bn USD per year to get access to most of Nvidia's IP (though not the fundamental pieces needed to tie together the advanced parts because JSH simply ate a 500 million USD fine to yank those patents after the Larrabee debut). It's definitely in Intel's interests to buy all of ATI even at a premium.

Straight up, Intel is the best company at the moment to use the Ati IP. Considering how far Intel has taking their iGPU since the first GMA (which BTW can actually run quite a few games at acceptable quality and framerates), Nvidia will have to really get their asses into gear if they want to stay on top.

[carolkarine]

Straight up, Intel is the best company at the moment to use the Ati IP. Considering how far Intel has taking their iGPU since the first GMA (which BTW can actually run quite a few games at acceptable quality and framerates), Nvidia will have to really get their asses into gear if they want to stay on top.

 

plus, unlike samsung, qualcomm, or apple, intel would likely continue to make desktop, enthusiast-class GPUs.

[Dabombinable]

plus, unlike samsung, qualcomm, or apple, intel would likely continue to make desktop, enthusiast-class GPUs.

Well they already have their iGPU knocking on AMD and Nvidia's doors, so that's something right there.

[carolkarine]

Well they already have their iGPU knocking on AMD and Nvidia's doors, so that's something right there.

My point was that Qualcomm or Samsung would want to take ATI and go low-power SOC's, and apple would... Do what with it? Go low-power SOC's as well, but they probably would continue to manufacture desktop Gpus - just not for consumers.