Microprocessors with Integrated Graphics Will Cause Discrete GPU Market Decline

From X-bit Labs: Central processing units (CPUs) with integrated graphics processors will inevitably destroy the market of chipsets with integrated graphics processors (IGPs). But besides that it would also put the market of discrete graphics processors onto the path to decline, according to Jon Peddie Research market tracking agency.

A genuine inflection point is occurring in the PC and related industries, the integration of powerful SIMD graphics processing elements with multi-core, multi-stage scalar x86 CPUs. In so doing the stalwart and ubiquitous IGP - integrated graphics processor, will fade out of existence.

Since the GPU grew in greater complexity than the CPU during the past eight years, exceeding the transistor count, and matching or exceeding the die size of the CPU, many thought the two would never be able to cohabitate.

Moving graphics into the CPUs will be attractive first to the builders of low-cost machines. Intel's Core i5/i3 (Clarkdale and Arrandale), which are embedded processor graphics (EPG) units, were the first wave. Intel's Sandy Bridge will be next generation, while AMD will introduce a massive SIMD GPU array in their fusion processors (Ontario and Llano) which will be the first heterogeneous processor units (HPUs).

The impact in the total PC and related market on discrete GPUs due to the combination of devices being offered with integrated graphics (IGPs, EPGs, and HPUs) will break the historical rise of discrete GPU sales and put the category in decline.

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