Open-source, the idea that a piece of hardware or software should have its underlying code open to change by any user and not just its developer, has been gaining a lot of momentum over the last decade. In fact, giant corporations like Microsoft and Google have opened up large parts of their code so that developers can create features and applications that can advance their own work.
On Monday, AMD followed suit, introducing its new, open-source Radeon Pro WX series of GPUs. In total, the Pro WX series comprises three different cards, the WX 7100, the WX 5100 and finally the WX 4100. According to AMD, the WX 7100 is designed for the most demanding engineering and virtual reality (VR) development projects, the WX 5100 is a suitable mate for most product development applications and the WX 4100 brings mid-range application performance for CAD technicians.
While AMD was a bit scant on the specs of each card, the chip firm did mention that each card is powered by the company’s Polaris 10 family of GPUs.
What’s That Mean?
Well, the Polaris architecture is a power-efficient 14 nm FinFET manufacturing technology that includes support for many of the newest displays. In all, the WX Pro Series will add “4K video decode and encode support including HEVC2 and VP9 and next generation display support including DisplayPort 1.4-HDR3 and HDMI 2.0”
But again, what’s all of that have to do with open-source?
To be honest, I imagine that AMD has it in mind to bring VR developers and CAD/CAE developers into its ecosystem by giving them more control over the WX Pro GPU. With greater access to the code underpinning, the cards’ performance developers will be able to make more realistic and immersive environments for product inspection and design.
"We have taken a long, hard look at the workstation space and chose to focus on what we define as 'the art of the impossible.' Radeon Pro represents a powerful alternative to the old way of doing things, setting aside proprietary solutions for open-source ones and closed ecosystems in favor of greater choice and flexibility," said Raja Koduri, senior vice president and chief architect, Radeon Technologies Group, AMD.
While open-source still seems like a slippery slope for some firms, AMD’s move furthers the call for more openness in both software and hardware design. In a technologically literate ecosystem such as the one we live in today, that idea seems to make the most sense. Why have your engineers try and figure out every little thing that a customer might want? Why not let the customer decide they want and provide them with the access to build it? If you do that, you can focus on your business’ core competency and build better products.
I think that’s the bet AMD is making.
AMD says that the WX Pro Series will be available beginning Q4, 2016, and all of the cards in the series will enter that market at a sub-$1000 price.