Get ready for AMD’s keynote at Computex 2024, where CEO Lisa Su will unveil the company’s latest advancements. Expect insights into Zen 5 processors, both for desktops and laptops, and an emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI). Watch the keynote on June 2 at 9:30 p.m. ET on AMD’s YouTube channel or the Computex channel.
The data for the first quarter of 2024 paints a concerning picture for AMD’s gaming GPU business. Overall GPU shipments decreased by -9.9%, with AMD experiencing the largest drop of -13.6%. Combined with a significant decline in gaming revenue, it raises questions about the company’s future in the gaming segment. AMD’s market share also decreased by -0.7%, while Intel and Nvidia saw small gains.
Computex 2023 is just around the corner, and we’re expecting some major announcements from Intel, AMD, and Nvidia. Here’s what we’re hoping to see:
AMD’s gaming revenue has plummeted by 48% year-over-year, leading to speculation about the company’s future in the high-end GPU market. Despite a recent increase in shipments, AMD’s GPUs remain less popular than Nvidia’s, with even the latest RX 7900 XTX failing to make a significant impact in the Steam Hardware Survey. With AMD prioritizing datacenters and AI, gamers may have to brace themselves for a potential shift in the company’s priorities.
AMD reported first-quarter earnings that exceeded Wall Street expectations, driven by strong growth in its Data Center segment and a recovery in its client business. However, the company’s gaming segment declined significantly. AMD expects continued growth in the current quarter, albeit at a more modest pace.
Erste Group analysts downgraded AMD shares to Hold from Buy, expressing concerns over the company’s valuation. Despite strong revenue growth in 2023, analysts noted a decline in the gaming segment and a valuation that they believe is significantly higher than competitors like NVIDIA. They cited AMD’s competitive CPUs compared to Intel and its progress in meeting customer demand for AI solutions, but emphasized the limited upside potential at current share prices.
Gigabyte has officially confirmed the ‘Ryzen 9000’ moniker for AMD’s upcoming processor lineup, dispelling rumors of a Ryzen 8000 branding. Based on the Zen 5 architecture, the Ryzen 9000 series is expected to debut later this year, along with the Strix Point APUs. AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su has confirmed a launch for client and server applications in the second half of 2024. Rumors suggest a potential showcase at Computex 2024 and significant performance improvements of over 40% compared to Zen 4.
AMD’s upcoming processor lineup for desktops will be branded under the ‘Ryzen 9000’ moniker, according to official confirmation from Gigabyte. Codenamed ‘Granite Ridge,’ the Ryzen 9000 series will be based on the Zen 5 architecture and will offer significant improvements over the current-generation Zen 4-based ‘Raphael’ CPUs. Rumors suggest that the first Ryzen 9000 processors will be showcased at Computex 2024 before going on sale later this year. AMD has already confirmed that Zen 5-based CPUs for both client and server applications will launch in the second half of 2024.
AMD is facing a headwind as China plans to replace foreign chips from its telecom systems by 2027. However, AMD is still a buy as it is countering this with the introduction of new AI PC chips and the expansion of the AI PC market. AMD’s Ryzen AI integration in select models and AMD PRO technologies provide enhanced security and manageability for business users.
AMD has uploaded new firmware files to its Linux repository, indicating an impending refresh to its RDNA 3 graphics architecture. The codename GC 11.5 in the new GPU firmware suggests the upcoming update, while changes in the LLVM compiler further corroborate this. The refresh is expected to improve chip flexibility and performance, notably through enhanced scalar ALUs. The first recipients of the updated architecture will likely be the Strix Point and Strix Halo laptop APUs, with the latter rumored to match the performance of a laptop RTX 4070. AMD’s use of TSMC’s N4 process nodes for these APUs should prevent excessive chip size. Historically, AMD releases Linux firmware updates close to product launches, suggesting the new APUs may debut soon, possibly at Computex 2024.
