



Intel's Gen. 12-based discrete GPU is code-named "Arctic Sound." Will connect to Intel processors via EMIB. — Ashraf Eassa (@TMFChipFool) January 14, 2018

The big news with Intel (outside of the Meltdown and Spectre madness) is that it partnered with rival AMD to build custom modules combining its Core processors with AMD's Vega graphics. That's an exciting development, though it's not the end game for Intel's graphics play. Looking down the line, Intel will switch to using its own custom discrete graphics solutions, dubbed Arctic Sound and Juper Sound, according to Motley Fool's Ashraf Eassa.Intel has not made any official announcement in regards to its own discrete custom graphics, of course, but even if Eassa is misinformed on the codenames, it is at least plausible that Intel is going in that direction. After all, Intel managed to pry graphics guru Raja Koduri away from AMD after he revived AMD's GPU business with the formation of a dedicated graphics division called Radeon Technologies Group , and the Vega architecture "Raja is one of the most experienced, innovative and respected graphics and system architecture visionaries in the industry and the latest example of top technical talent to join Intel," Dr. Murthy Renduchintala, Intel's chief engineering officer and group president of the Client and Internet of Things Businesses and System Architecture, said at the time. "We have exciting plans to aggressively expand our computing and graphics capabilities and build on our very strong and broad differentiated IP foundation. With Raja at the helm of our Core and Visual Computing Group, we will add to our portfolio of unmatched capabilities, advance our strategy to lead in computing and graphics, and ultimately be the driving force of the data revolution."Building its own custom discrete graphics solution would fit Intel's stated plan to "aggressively expand" its computing and graphics capabilities. Not that anything is imminent—Intel is currently cranking out Gen 9 and Gen 9.5 graphics solutions on Kaby Lake and Coffee Lake , respectively, while the company's upcoming Cannon Lake processors will feature Gen 10 graphics.CPUs with Arctic Sound graphics probably won't arrive until 2020, possibly later, followed by Jupiter Sound. Also interesting to note is that Eassa says Arctic Sound will connect to Intel's CPU by way of an Embedded Multi-Die Interconnect Bridge (EMIB). That points to Intel having a Multi-Chip Module (MCM) like it using now to pair its Core processors with Vega graphics. The implication there is that Intel's partnership with AMD is not going to be a long-term thing.