Nvidia working on their own Smart Access Memory solution for Ampere and both Intel and AMD CPUs

[Humbucker]

https://twitter.com/GamersNexus/status/1327006795253084161

From NVIDIA, re:SAM: “The capability for resizable BAR is part of the PCI Express spec. NVIDIA hardware supports this functionality and will enable it on Ampere GPUs through future software updates. We have it working internally and are seeing similar performance results."

Hard to fit in a tweet, but basically, they're working on enabling the same feature as AMD Smart Access Memory (AMD GPU+CPU=Perf uplift) on both Intel and AMD. No ETA yet. Doesn't look like it'll be ready before RX 6000 launch, but we'll keep an eye on development.

Further info: does not require PCIe Gen4

weird times we're living in where AMD are locking their features to their own hardware and Nvidia are coming in late with a non-platform specific implementation. interesting to see if there is a genuine performance increase or they're just trying to get a bit of good PR out before benchmarks.

 

[AthlonXP1800]

Very interesting!

When SAM will be enabled then Ampere will be faster than Navi 21!

Shame Nvidia had to wait until they get AMD Zen 3 Ryzen 5000 CPUs samples and also wait in Q1 2021 for Intel Rocket Lake CPUs to test in Nvidia labs then release drivers later.

Poor Navi 21.

 

[Woodsta888]

So Nvidia, after seeing AMD card's sales pitch.. you feel like drawing out something that was always there?

What with the pricing and performance so relatively close between two supposed manufacturers...just don't feel right.

Stinks!

 

[SkeeterUK]

copy cats lol

 

[Radox-0]

Sucks it likely took AMD’s move to make it happen most likely. But nice to see Nvidia getting the uplift for ampere owners and more so on platforms which are not pcie3, aka all the Intel stuff out to date of which there is plenty.

 

[EastCoastHandle]

Hmm, so it's not going to be subscription based for them?
Strange indeed

 

[gpuerrilla]

Doesnt matter, grim called it.

 

[stooeh]

I guess there's no reason for AMD to hold it back on Zen 2?

 

[Grim5]

Doesnt matter, grim called it.

Hello

 

[Rroff]

Sucks it likely took AMD’s move to make it happen most likely. But nice to see Nvidia getting the uplift for ampere owners and more so on platforms which are not pcie3, aka all the Intel stuff out to date of which there is plenty.

Rumours that it needs BIOS updates so that would exclude a lot of older platforms that simply won't get an update and probably why AMD is only bringing it to the 5000 series if true.

 

[Steampunk]

So will AMD behave like Nvidia and lock the SAM capability to AMD cards only, or will they decide that SAM for Nvidia cards would sell more 5xxx series GPUs?

 

[Rroff]

So will AMD behave like Nvidia and lock the SAM capability to AMD cards only, or will they decide that SAM for Nvidia cards would sell more 5xxx series GPUs?

From what I can tell there is GPU firmware level support on the 6000 series GPUs for it so probably not something they can just enable for any GPU from the CPU side.

 

[KentMan]

From what i have read it works on PCIE3 but needs 64 bit OS and on AMD Agesa 1.1.0.0, so it wont work on older versions of Win10 either.

Its BAR on linux, but Microsoft added this support to Win10 a while ago, but it requires 64bit drivers and 64bit OS plus certain Eufi features.

I guess they are all now available by default on AMD 6xxx GPU's and 5xxx CPUs so its safe to turn it on by default.

It wont work on Win7 and older hardware, but it looks like it should also work on older Ryzen gen cpus as well and even RDNA1

 

[kevman]

Think Nvidia will be working double time on any software improvements they can make at the minute.

 

[Techen]

Interesting to see people saying nvidia been sitting on this technology but so has AMD. Overall this is great for us as AMD are forcing nvidia to give us more interesting technology. Am sure Nvidia is also giving AMD a run for there money like having to push RT onto consumer cards.

 

[Jacky60]

So Nvidia, after seeing AMD card's sales pitch.. you feel like drawing out something that was always there?

What with the pricing and performance so relatively close between two supposed manufacturers...just don't feel right.

Stinks!

I've thought this for a while, different architectures from Nvidia/AMD/Intel all supposed 'competitors' manage to miraculously land within 5% of each other at 4K for high end gaming. There's clearly unofficial
cartel like collusion regarding price and performance going on.

 

[Dontrocktheboat]

IF this pans out, coupled with AMDs stock issues. 6-series could be DOA.

 

[Twinz]

IF this pans out, coupled with AMDs stock issues. 6-series could be DOA.

AMD's stock issues? Have you tried to buy a 3000 series lately?

 

[SonicSW20]

weird times we're living in where AMD are locking their features to their own hardware and Nvidia are coming in late with a non-platform specific implementation. interesting to see if there is a genuine performance increase or they're just trying to get a bit of good PR out before benchmarks.

Wouldn't be the first time AMD launches a new feature only available on latest hardware. With previous examples of this, those features were added to older compatible hardware via driver updates later on.

 

[robfosters]

AMD's stock issues? Have you tried to buy a 3000 series lately?

Yes but 3080 production is definitely ramping up now.