Portable Steam Machine Running SteamOS Linux Uses AMD Graphics

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Portable Steam Machine Running SteamOS Linux Uses AMD Graphics

While all of the initial Steam Machines use Intel CPUs with NVIDIA graphics, a portable Steam Machine gaming device that hopes to ship next year and run SteamOS will be using AMD graphics...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Smach-Zero-AMD-Linux

[HartOfWave]

720p is quite meh, but for battery life and fps improvements it's seems sensible. I suppose this is also the first thing to compete with the shield portable?

[Gapil301]

AMD? LINUX? GAMING?

ARE U KIDDING ME VALVE?!

[swoorup]

AMD? LINUX? GAMING?

ARE U KIDDING ME VALVE?!

Gotta save AMD from getting nvidia being a monopolized market

[BSDude]

Why exactly it has to be catalyst? Wouldn't the AMDGPU be theoretically up to par by then?

[droste]

[...]However, at least the device isn't shipping for another year so there's much time for AMD to further improve the Catalyst driver for running the latest Steam Linux games -- or perhaps even getting the RadeonSI Gallium3D driver into good enough shape that it could be used for shipping on the Smach Zero.[...]

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[Jumbotron]

One needs to look at it this way. What other alternative in the portable x86 world is there other than AMD? And when I say portable I am including the console market as well...ie, X-Bone, PS 4 and the upcoming Nintendo NX. ( I know, technically they are not "portable" but like handheld gaming devices such as this Steam device, mobile phones and tablets, consoles can't be upgraded )

These devices all need to meet strict power and thermal requirements, be cheap in terms of BOM ( Billable Order of Materials ) and performant. Intel meets the power and thermal requirements but they fail in terms of cheap BOM and good graphics performance. Nvidia is COMPLETELY out of the game when it comes to strict power and thermal requirements and COMPLETELY out of the x86 world seeing as how they have no license to clone an x86 CPU like AMD.

So the strategy of AMD making "custom" SOC's for platforms such as gaming consoles, x86 based handhelds, gaming machines ( think Las Vegas style gambling machines ) seems to be paying off. It may also mean as they pick up design wins that they focus more resources, both monetarily and manpower towards better drivers and API support.

[Ancurio]

Why exactly it has to be catalyst? Wouldn't the AMDGPU be theoretically up to par by then?

Catalyst is a userspace driver, and mainly responsible for performance characteristics. AMDGPU is a kernel driver. Apples and Oranges.

[M@yeulC]

AMD? LINUX? GAMING?

ARE U KIDDING ME VALVE?!

IIRC, this portable steam machine (aka steamboy) had nothing to do with valve (ie, not affiliated besides using SteamOS).
This should however be fine for platformers, and streaming. The price tag is a bit high for me, though.

[boffo]

Nice, every game on the console would be synchronized with the pc.