AMD preparing 4800S Desktop Kit based on recycled console APUs

[nanoguy]

In context: With GPUs still floating way above MSRP and manufacturers now selling pre-built desktops without a GPU, many people are either forced to play the waiting game or pay exorbitant prices. For some people, AMD will soon have a stopgap solution in the form of a desktop kit based around console APUs that will be bundled with a Radeon RX 6600 graphics card.

Earlier this year, AMD started repurposing Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 chips that have a defective GPU into desktop kits. These are integrated solutions that feature a small mini-ITX motherboard, soldered GDDR6 chips as system memory, a single PCIe expansion slot, and an assortment of storage and peripheral connectivity options. The company quietly launched the 4700S Desktop Kit in June for around $320, but we don’t have any official word on how many units have been sold since then.

According to VideoCardz, AMD is now preparing a new 4800S Desktop Kit, which will feature the same recycled defective APUs from current generation consoles. The APU in the 4700S integrates an 8-core, 16-thread Zen 2 CPU that has a base clock of 3.6 GHz and can boost up to 4.0 GHz, but the 4800S is expected to come with a slightly overclocked, higher-binned APU. The 4700S Desktop Kit came with either 8 or 16 gigabytes of soldered memory, which may also be the case with the new kit.

Interestingly, the new 4800S Desktop Kit comes in a micro-ATX form factor and sports a PCIe 4.0 slot, whereas the 4700S had a PCIe 2.0 slot that was limited 4 lanes, greatly limiting what graphics cards could be used. The new kit also has an M.2 slot and Wi-Fi connectivity, and it will support AM4 CPU coolers.

The report says AMD will bundle the 4800S with a TUL (PowerColor) Radeon RX 6600 graphics card, which should be enough for running recent games at 1080p. The exact release date isn’t clear, but industry insiders believe AMD is targeting Q1 2022 for the 4800S.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/92527-amd-preparing-4800s-desktop-kit-based-recycled-console.html

 

[Peter Farkas]

I remember Lisa Su saying in either the Q1 or the Q2 quarterly updates that she sees the chip shortage to improve by the end of the year. Yet, I don't see any improvement and now we have defective, recycled console parts used for a soldered PC kit.
Shocking...

 

[letsgoiowa]

Sounds like this is the definitive proof that those people who were arguing "AMD can just make drop in APUs for the AM4 platform stronger than the Series X right now" were off their rocker: they obviously need soldered GDDR6 and specific, special boards for it. I feel pretty validated right now.

This is a very interesting option and I'm glad to see it. There's plenty of room for this segment and type of device, which could be incredible value. Unfortunately I don't see any indication that the formerly series X GPU actually works on this device, which would've been really awesome to see--it would perform a bit below a 6700 XT.

 

[Puiu]

I remember Lisa Su saying in either the Q1 or the Q2 quarterly updates that she sees the chip shortage to improve by the end of the year. Yet, I don't see any improvement and now we have defective, recycled console parts used for a soldered PC kit.
Shocking...

What she said in Q4 2020 came true. Chip shortages did ease up for CPUs in the second half of 2021 (you can actually buy CPUs below MSRP now).

She also said is that supply might ease up in the second half of 2022 (in the context of new fabs opening up in 2022). This optimistic statement was made on the 28th of september this year (it's easy to google)

 

[Peter Farkas]

What she said in Q4 2020 came true. Chip shortages did ease up for CPUs in the second half of 2021 (you can actually buy CPUs below MSRP now).

She also said is that supply might ease up in the second half of 2022 (in the context of new fabs opening up in 2022). This optimistic statement was made on the 28th of september this year (it's easy to google)

thanks for the correction, I solely relied on my memory and was lazy to google

 

[Irata]

What she said in Q4 2020 came true. Chip shortages did ease up for CPUs in the second half of 2021 (you can actually buy CPUs below MSRP now).

She also said is that supply might ease up in the second half of 2022 (in the context of new fabs opening up in 2022). This optimistic statement was made on the 28th of september this year (it's easy to google)

Looking around, CPU are all available and at better prices, so for that part it was true. Compare it to earlier this year when only certain Zen 3 SKU were available at a good bit over msrp.

 

[Dimitriid]

This is basically a tacit admission that they know distributors sell any and all GPUs to miners directly: the only difference between a system integrator and a consumer is that they actually do have the direct ear of AMD and I am certain they voiced the same concerns: We can't build anything decent because none of your partners will actually source us GPUs fast enough.

So AMD is actually basically closing a deal with Powercolor to get back some of those GPUs, and again the implication is that AMD knows and condones Powercolor and it's associates and distributors to sell *DIRECT TO MINERS* and they don't want them to stop, they just want to make sure some of the allocation goes back to them to serve those VIP customers in the form of system integrators.

So overall what looks like good news is actually a scumbag move.

 

[Fulljack]

This is basically a tacit admission that they know distributors sell any and all GPUs to miners directly: the only difference between a system integrator and a consumer is that they actually do have the direct ear of AMD and I am certain they voiced the same concerns: We can't build anything decent because none of your partners will actually source us GPUs fast enough.

So AMD is actually basically closing a deal with Powercolor to get back some of those GPUs, and again the implication is that AMD knows and condones Powercolor and it's associates and distributors to sell *DIRECT TO MINERS* and they don't want them to stop, they just want to make sure some of the allocation goes back to them to serve those VIP customers in the form of system integrators.

So overall what looks like good news is actually a scumbag move.

I don't see why companies are scumbag for selling products indiscriminately to gamers or even miners. sure, I agree the notion of hating scalpers—a useless middleman who adds zero value to product and just rip you off, but miners? they didn't do nothing wrong, though?

PS: no, I'm not miners

 

[Dimitriid]

I don't see why companies are scumbag for selling products indiscriminately to gamers or even miners. sure, I agree the notion of hating scalpers—a useless middleman who adds zero value to product and just rip you off,

Yeah to clarify the distaste is with the lack of sincerity: I wouldn't mind if AMD and Nvidia along with their partners down the line said "While we care about gamers, unprecedented compute demand has made it difficult to get cards into gamer hands"

That's it: just let everybody know the truth: they care about compute/miners first and foremost and not gaming consumers.

There's got to be a middle ground between just pretending they can bury their head in the sand for 2 to 4 years and claim they're interested in gamers while doing absolutely nothing to curve the sales to miners and basically admitting they couldn't care less about gamers since miners are making them millionaires and billionaires right now, ruining potential future sales to consumers.

but miners? they didn't do nothing wrong, though?

This is a bit more out of scope for this discussion but I don't agree: the environmental and criminal impact (As it greatly facilitates money laundering) mining has overall means I can never condone any mining support. But as I said we can probably park that topic for now since we should just focus on AMD and Nvidia's actions.

 

[bviktor]

I remember Lisa Su saying in either the Q1 or the Q2 quarterly updates that she sees the chip shortage to improve by the end of the year. Yet, I don't see any improvement and now we have defective, recycled console parts used for a soldered PC kit.
Shocking...

That's just your feelings. Unless you provide any numbers, your argument is not an argument but an expression of your personal perception of the situation.

Also, increased supply won't eliminate shortage if demand also increases.

 

[p51d007]

Beats tossing them in a landfill I guess.

 

[Arbie]

Why does this article call these chips "recycled", including in the article title? In casual terms that means "used" or even "heavily used and pulled apart and made to work as something else". In this case one could infer that they were used in consoles until found to be partially defective. Is that what you mean?

It seems like they are "repurposed" or "redirected" or something not commonly pejorative. Your source webpage says nothing about "recycled".

Maybe - it just makes for more mouse-clicks to diss a manufacturer like this. Everyone despises manufacturers, right?

 

[shark975]

Sounds like this is the definitive proof that those people who were arguing "AMD can just make drop in APUs for the AM4 platform stronger than the Series X right now" were off their rocker: they obviously need soldered GDDR6 and specific, special boards for it. I feel pretty validated right now.

This is a very interesting option and I'm glad to see it. There's plenty of room for this segment and type of device, which could be incredible value. Unfortunately I don't see any indication that the formerly series X GPU actually works on this device, which would've been really awesome to see--it would perform a bit below a 6700 XT.

yeah, whats up with this article completely ignoring the GPU? Thats a huge GPU, 52 CU's and 12 TF in the case of the Series X, about as powerful as a discrete 6700XT. Something is fishy about this article. Surely if these were defective console SOC's, at least 8-10 TF worth of CU's ought to be salvageable. Which would make them the strongest APU's available. Yet the article never speaks of the issue and if or why the CU's would be disabled. Like I said, trash article, and I'm inclined to believe it's nonsense these are not console APU.

 

[Watzupken]

yeah, whats up with this article completely ignoring the GPU? Thats a huge GPU, 52 CU's and 12 TF in the case of the Series X, about as powerful as a discrete 6700XT. Something is fishy about this article. Surely if these were defective console SOC's, at least 8-10 TF worth of CU's ought to be salvageable. Which would make them the strongest APU's available. Yet the article never speaks of the issue and if or why the CU's would be disabled. Like I said, trash article, and I'm inclined to believe it's nonsense these are not console APU.

I don't think the article mentioned, but like previous release of the 4700S, the GPU is disabled. Likewise, this 4800S is no different, which is why it require a dGPU to work, I.e. the RX 6600. If it is disabled completely, what is there for the article to mention? I was looking forward to see AMD enable some of the functional iGPU CU, but nope, they are not doing it. And that is likely because the CPU is probably something off the shelf from AMD, but the custom GPU is not, even though it uses RDNA2 as the building block.

In any case, for the asking price of this, I rather get a proper computer which can be both upgradable and more powerful.