AMD to ditch ATI brand

Makes sense with integrated CPU/GPU's just over the horizon. After all they would have ATI graphics, yet AMD CPU's, so using a single brand works much better.

By skarlock on 31 Aug 2010

I can't believe AMD are thinking of doing this. ATI is a well known name and in my opinion the reason why AMD have sold so many graphics chips. Why remove a name that is well known for making graphics chips. AMD are known for CPUs, ATI are known for graphics whats wrong with that. Yeah they have the merged CPU/GPU chips but why not have a slogan like Powered by AMD and ATI Graphics. AMD are just struggling to sell CPUs in my opinion as Intel are moving ahead with their CPUs so AMD just want to get their name across more.

By ICTtech15 on 31 Aug 2010

Name

@ICTtech15

In all mergers sooner or later one party dumps the name of the other. It may be painful for somewhat nostalgic people, but that's the business...

By stasi47 on 31 Aug 2010

I think they've dropped the wrong name, ATI is associated with being brand leader in its field. AMD as a brand might be better known but no longer is something recognised as the best.

By Shuflie on 31 Aug 2010

This is either the best or worst idea ever. Lots of Intel PC's ship with ATI graphics so, by re-branding to AMD, every one of these PC's becomes an AMD PC which will make their processors more acceptable.
The reverse is that Intel marketing goes to war on AMD graphics and makes AMD processors even harder to sell.
Given the difference of scale, I know who I'd back.

By milliganp on 1 Sep 2010

In the Win95 days there used to be no end of problems with ATI and their drivers that had massive bloat and were nigh on impossible to remove properly. Have not seen much improvement over the years. Bring linux into the equation and ATI was only for the masochistic and to be avoided in preference to Nvidia. When I recently had cause to try to get an ATI working on linux again, I see the proprietary driver is 95Meg in size and still buggy as ever. Would be nice to see PCPro when reviewing these A-list cards try them in on Linux too. Maybe they would come out with a different answer!

By jezmc on 2 Sep 2010

Misinformation or disinformation

@jezmc: I'm not sure which it is but you are just plain wrong. AMD have been working closely with the Linux kernel team and have been releasing code over a period of time. Just last month AMD "open-sourced" some hardware acceleration code thus improving the capabilities of the open-source AMD driver which already exists.

Yes, there is a way to go but AMD is honouring its promise to provide open-source support for its graphics cards.

See the Phoronix website http://bit.ly/bRxskX for a more in-depth report.

By 6tricky9 on 2 Sep 2010

@6tricky9 Not sure which what is? They might have been working closely with the linux kernel team and I won't knock them for that, but in my post, I was talking about the proprietary not open-source driver. For me running on a new Dell Precision workstation, with a brand new install of Ubuntu Karmic and the proprietary driver, the system would hard lock when I tried to switch users. Ran with the open source driver and this issue was resolved but instead would not correctly detect the monitor and I could not override the detected EDID like I can with the Nvidia driver. I'm not knocking the open-source efforts, in fact I applaud them, just making the point that there are more to graphics cards than windows drivers. Not sure what I am wrong about here.

By jezmc on 3 Sep 2010

There is nothing rational about corporates

I can understand that AMD has to reveal the true identity of the brand. ATI was great, but it’s been AMD’s manufacturing power that’s pushed it past its rivals; AMD needs credit for that. Also, it’s not good business to be nostalgic about branding. But when it comes to “sensitivity” to customer’s feelings – AMD are woefully lacking. I’m still sore from the 939 socket dump; that’s why I turned Intel.

By vic_ago on 4 Sep 2010

There is nothing to trust about corporate promise

They want our loyalty, but they don’t play by the same rules. Trust their word at your own peril.

By vic_ago on 4 Sep 2010