Intel Pairs Up With AMD To Develop Powerhouse Chips For Thinner, Lighter Enthusiast Laptops

Longtime rivals Intel and AMD said they are pairing up to help enthusiast laptops become thinner, lighter and "deliver a premium experience" with a new chip that includes technology from both companies.

The new eighth-generation Core processor will pair Intel’s mobile-targeted Core H-series processor, second-generation high-bandwidth memory and an AMD Radeon Technologies Group discrete graphics chip in a single processor package.

"It’s a prime example of hardware and software innovations intersecting to create something amazing that fills a unique market gap," said Christopher Walker, vice president of the Client Computing Group and general manager of the Mobile Client Platform at Intel, in a blog post. "Helping to deliver on our vision for this new class of product, we worked with the team at AMD’s Radeon Technologies Group."

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The new chip will reduce the silicon footprint to less than half that of standard discrete components on a motherboard, creating more flexibility for OEMs to add features such as new board layouts, cooling solutions or increased battery life.

The new chip design also includes technology called EMIB, a smart intelligent bridge enabling heterogeneous silicon to transmit information in close proximity, enabling faster and more efficient products in smaller sizes, said Intel.

"For customers, I think it's early to try to guess how these products will really perform, but the assumption is that it will have to be a better product, or they would not have decided to partner in the first place. Time will tell, but I see AMD as the biggest winner so far," said Randy Copeland, president and CEO of Velocity Micro, a systems builder and Intel partner based in Richmond, Va.

AMD shares rose 6 percent after Monday’s market open, while Intel’s stock trickled up 0.5 percent.

"Our collaboration with Intel expands the installed base for AMD Radeon GPUs and brings to market a differentiated solution for high-performance graphics," said Scott Herkelman, vice president and general manager, AMD Radeon Technologies Group, in a statement. "Together we are offering gamers and content creators the opportunity to have a thinner and lighter PC capable of delivering discrete performance-tier graphics experiences in AAA games and content creation applications. This new semi-custom GPU puts the performance and capabilities of Radeon graphics into the hands of an expanded set of enthusiasts who want the best visual experience possible."

The two chip companies have faced off with new competing products over the past year, including server chips and enthusiast platforms, but Intel executives said that the new cooperation could help deliver innovation for the mobile space.

"In close collaboration, we designed a new semi-custom graphics chip, which means this is also a great example of how we can compete and work together, ultimately delivering innovation that is good for consumers," said Walker in a statement.