Pure market dominance has been an issue lately for the CPU space; especially so when it has one innovator taking the lead for years on end. That all changed when AMD stepped up and took hold of the proverbial runaway train; essentially, it stopped playing second fiddle. Even if AMD spent some time to organise and plan its return, the comeback has been a momentous splash. In fact, with everything now in place and having all its pistons firing, taking the limelight for a short while seems inevitable.
However, by further commoditising the ICT industry and expanding access to high-performance hardware, AMD has truly rocked the boat. Interestingly, many did expect AMD to turn around and go toe-to-toe with its immediate rival; though, oddly, most can’t imagine the latest round of fisticuffs would be a long, and now extensive, brawl. In fact, the next-gen AMD processors – with their refreshes and successors – are now the second beacon of innovation for this space.
PC.com caught up with Ryan Sim, AMD ASEAN Sales Director, to find out how things are like for the chipmaker; of course, that includes discovering what’s different now.
PC.com: Having launched the AMD Ryzen Raven Ridge and AMD Ryzen 2 right after, one must ask: will there be more?
Sim: Well, it’s hard to tell at this point; after all, we’re still hyping up the current and next-gen CPUs and APUs we just put out. The innovations and concepts that AMD released over the last few months are market leaders in their own right. Thusly, the campaigns in place make full use of whatever data and knowledge we have on hand; from there we will determine what could possibly be the next best course option available.
PC.com: How is AMD performing now, especially after capturing a sizeable chunk of the marketplace?
Sim: Right now, we’re doing extremely well. After we launched the first AMD Ryzen Series, there is a surge of demand for the new hardware. This is something we’ve always wanted to do – innovate and transform the marketplace. Being able to do just that with our next-gen processors has always been the goal the company is aiming for. With the new lines – AMD Ryzen Raven Ridge and Ryzen 2 – now available, it’s very clear we’re doing something right.
Our growths, going beyond double digit, is a testament to these latest achievements from the last 12 months. If anything, AMD is expecting more growth – in many ways, we’re very bullish. The previous quarters saw a 40% growth year-on-year. The recently released FY report confirms this will jump to 50% for the next quarter, with an estimated 20% growth for 2018.
PC.com: The arrangement with Intel, while not unexpected, still did shake-up certain paradigms. What inspired AMD to take this leap of faith?
Sim: This is, somewhat, natural progression for AMD. We knew there is a gap to fill with the AMD APUs; if there is an opportunity to widen AMD’s innovation and learn various market forces, then why not? This includes learning from market rivals, of course. Admittedly, what AMD has produced with the other chipmaker is unprecedented to a certain degree. Even so, if it is logical from multiple angles, then there is really no reason not to consider this collaboration.
What happens after that? I can’t really say for sure.
PC.com: Beyond consumer platforms, AMD doesn’t have much to do with the enterprise space. How is that coming along?
Sim: Let’s correct that impression – there is AMD EPYC. That platform specifically targets the enterprise and server-class segments. AMD has been addressing the concerns of large businesses for some years now and, to-date, is diving deeper. AMD EPYC brings to the table industry innovations that help businesses tackle transformative market trends; this includes like artificial intelligence, Machine Learning, and Big Data.
PC.com: AMD has dabbled with game consoles and has substantially invested in the GPU space. What is more significant for Team Red – next-gen console collaboration or diversifying graphics?
Sim: Having worked with the leading game consoles in the last few years, there is no doubt that the experience has been an exciting one for AMD. After all, they’re the Sony PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One! From those collaborations alone, there have been a lot of take-aways. Will it define what the next step will be moving forward? Well, working with the console makers and producing new graphics are necessities; that means there is no leaning heavy to one side, AMD will push hard for both.
