The end of GPU's?

[Tuork]

Not really sure where this should go, so I'm going to shove it here in the meantime. Mods, feel free to move, or remove if this is a repost.

THIS (http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/gpu-sweeney-interview.ars/1) is an interesting article about an interview with Tim Sweeney after NVISION.

To sum it up, he basically says that the future of graphics processing is all in powerful multi-purpose parallel processors and programming languages (think C++) that will allow a programmer to basically do whatever he wants.

What do you think? I think he's certainly spot on regarding current tendencies (CUDA, Intel's Larabee - from what I read). If this is the case, what do you think is going to happen to companies like nVidia? They're on the right track, but we're still talking about GPU's here. Would you think AMD/ATI would be able to have a competitive advantage based on these predictions?


I think this is all very exciting. If all this plays out as Sweeney predicts, we're going to be looking at some major changes to the way we view computer architecture. :)

[crainger]

I think Nvidia will rise, especially the way it's leading with CUDA and the like. Perhaps becoming the new lead with an all-in-one processor. Intel will still hover where it is, I think it's graphics side will let it down. Ati/AMD... I really don't know. Perhaps due to the merge, if things do go towards all-in-one, they may power ahead and being to dominate again.

[bob saget]

if we keep getting pretty games (that we will be able to actually play :p), i dont see anything bad.

[Vanzagar]

I think once Larrabee hits we'll get a better understanding of how the future will shape up... will it be a hit or a dud? who knows... until then I can't see anything changing significantly...

[Tuork]

I think once Larrabee hits we'll get a better understanding of how the future will shape up... will it be a hit or a dud? who knows... until then I can't see anything changing significantly...

Right. It's not like it's going to change in the course of the next year, but I'd say withing the next 5 years we're going to start seeing some interesting changes to computer architecture.

It would be cool, highly unlikely, but cool nonetheless, to see some nVidia CPU's.

I must say that I find it funny how for a moment (say about 3 years ago or so) everything seemed to be pointing to the creation of independent process-specific processors, such as physX and x-fi sound cards, even network cards with their own processors.

[3DBrad]

Nvidia is in great position. GPGPU is becoming more popular, and they're also already working on a lot of things for raytracing.

Intel, on the other hand, is using inferior technology for the Larabee, technology which is still based on the Pentium line of processors.

AMD/ATI, hmmm, maybe if they can start releasing good drivers they could do well. :p

[hell_of_doom227]

EPIC is dead in my book.

[Tuork]

Here's an interesting article on OpenGL vs. DirectX development over the past years.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/opengl-directx,2019.html

Take a look at page 7 (I think) and how they are planning on implementing Object oriented style programming into shader languages.