AMD monetizes its GPU licenses not only with discrete graphics cards and graphics integrated into other PC processors but also by selling semi-customized SoCs for most modern game consoles, such as Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Some newer models like PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X even take advantage of the company’s newest graphics architectures, such as “Polaris”.
Sony is closely associated with the development of AMD “Navi”
2020 could see the launch of next-generation gaming consoles, which are more specifically designed for 4K UHD gaming, with gaming equipment that combines visual fidelity, so console manufacturers are looking for a powerful new GPU IP. Sony seems to have decided to stay with AMD.
AMD will supply a semi-personalized SoC to Sony for its next main console, “PlayStation 5”. This chip will have a graphics processor based on the “Navi” architecture, which follows “Vega”.
2020 could also be the year when the 7 nm silicon manufacturing process reaches a certain maturity and constitutes the majority of bulk ASIC production nodes.
Sony is working closely with AMD to develop the Navi architecture, so the versions are efficient enough to be implemented in the console SoCs being built. The design goal will be to enable 4K games at 60 Hz, as 4K TVs will have become very popular by 2020.