For a long time, Intel was the CPU manufacturer of choice for gaming computers. While its processors did have some shortcomings – their heat emissions were especially legendary – they did do a great job for years. But times are changing: Intel’s biggest rival AMD is becoming increasingly popular among gamers. And this year, it has become the dominant processor supplier in the gaming console market.
AMD is everywhere
In the last few years, AMD has released one amazing product after another. Its Threadripper desktop CPU has amazed everyone with up to 64 cores and 128 threads, and its AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is currently the best gaming processor money can buy. But desktop computers are not the only areas where it excels: soon, it will find its way to smartphones, too. Imagine playing your favourite games at Spin Casino on a phone powered by a lightning-fast, RDNA 2-powered Exynos processor. The slots will never miss a beat, rendering every frame in an instant, and even live-dealer games will stream in perfect high-definition on the go.
But AMD is not only on desktops and laptops, servers and embedded systems. It also provides customized solutions for its clients, including those building gaming consoles.
Next-gen gaming consoles
It was a major slap in the face for Intel when both Sony and Microsoft chose AMD solutions for their next-generation consoles. Sony’s PlayStation 5 is powered by an AMD Zen 2-based CPU running at up to 3.55 GHz, while Microsoft’s Xbox Series X has a similar processor running at up to 3.8 GHz. And both gaming consoles have high-performance RDNA 2-based graphics capable of running games in 4K at 120fps.
This month, another gaming console was announced – and it’s also AMD-powered. Set to be released in December, the Steam Deck will be powered by a Zen 2-based quad-core CPU and RDNA 2 GPU, offering unparalleled gaming performance for a portable console. And, according to Valve’s promise, it will run triple-A games – well, not in 4K but in an acceptable 720p. Then again, it will have a 7-inch screen, so 4K would not be feasible anyway.
So today, aside from the Nintendo Switch’s ARM processor, we can state that AMD clearly dominates the gaming console market – and its market share in PC gaming also continues to grow.
