There are still scores of gamers out there relying on computers for their entertainment, and that number could even rise, as games become even easier to port from next-gen consoles thanks to the shared graphics technology.
The news comes courtesy of AMD, a company that has for years had a hand in making both computer and graphics processors, and has this year come up with new chips for graphics cards that allow for more advanced graphical effects, programmable audio, video output to as high as 4K video, and a way to make it easier to get games developed for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 to run on Windows PCs.
Games ports aren’t always common, but part of the reason AMD suspects this could change comes down to one basic thing that both of the next-gen systems have in common: they both run on new AMD graphics technology.
With AMD being used as the main graphics provider on each, as well as a new cross-platform game development system called “Mantle,” titles developed for either of the new consoles can theoretically make the jump to PC without anywhere near as much extra development time, which AMD says is “what game developers want.”
“It’s been a long time since the industry has seen something so radical and innovative,” said Robert Hallock, PR Manager of Gaming and Graphics at AMD.
The new chips capable of running this share graphical power of the new consoles will be making their way to desktop-based graphics cards in the next few weeks, and also include support for 4K Ultra HD monitors, of which there are now some beginning to appear in shops, making computers one of the few devices capable of ultra-res gaming.
In fact, if you struggled to find a way to use a 4K TV you might have just bought yourself, a Windows PC supporting 4K gaming could well be an option, since it’s not yet known if either of the next-generation consoles will support this technology natively.
Finally, there’s audio, which is not normally an area graphics cards are known for, but with the new chips, AMD is hoping programmers take advantage of the hardware and make it do more, creating sound that takes over the user’s experience and to be wholly real.
Ultimately, the new cards supporting this technology will be heading to shelves in October, and will be found in the R9 and R7 chips, which should range from around $100 to as high as $500, though we’ll have more on pricing as it becomes available.
“Mantle” sounds impressive i cant wait to check out some reviews on these cards