If Microsoft WERE to include a dedicated GPU...

[megatronium]

Would it come from NVidia or AMD? I'm leaning toward AMD as NVidia has just released the Shield Tablet. While I can't really see companies like Adobe and Autodesk porting their programs over to ARM, I could see Microsoft partnering with AMD to include a dedicated GPU in SP5. Remember that AMD is already looking towards mobile GPUs as its future with work already started in that direction and their hope to power the next Nintendo handheld. What do you think about a Surface with a dedicated GPU and how it could take shape?

 

[GreyFox7]

It will be in the future 14" model with 5 pound 1000 WH battery

I don't know that NVIDIA releasing a shield tablet makes much difference.
I expect MS to release their own NVIDIA Tegra K1 based Surface 3 (non pro) tablet in the fall.

So an NVIDIA K2 graphics complement is not unreasonable ... then you have a micro supercomputer.

you could put hundreds or thousands of them in racks to scale out your compute cluster.

 

[Liam2349]

More likely to be nVidia, and I pray that would be the case as nVidia are way better with drivers than AMD. However, it won't happen any time soon - we have enough thermal issues.

 

[Kif]

Apple is big into dedicated GPU's and they can't squeeze one into the MacBook Air's or the Retina 13" Macbook Pro's. The chances of MS doing it are almost nil.

 

[GreyFox7]

Apple is big into dedicated GPU's and they can't squeeze one into the MacBook Air's or the Retina 13" Macbook Pro's. The chances of MS doing it are almost nil.

Apple used to put a GPU in the MBA but have since gone to the integrated only. I assume they felt it was good enough and cut the GPU to save cost.

 

[unruledboy]

discrete gpu also means higher consumption and thickness, and it leads to more space for battery and the card, heavier in weight.

maybe sp4 with broadwell could ease the problem a little bit.

 

[leeshor]

If they want to keep the cost down, the weight down and the heat dissipation low I can't see it happening. I once found it necessary to put a video card in every system even if it had integrated video. Current video support on the i7 4790 processors (the ones I use the most) are better than a low cost dedicated card and improving.

 

[daveyp]

No need for a dedicated GPU. The HD5000 series for broadwell (5300, 5400, etrc) will outperform the Iris Pro (HD5200) which already performs on par with the GT650m and better than the 840m dedicated mobile GPUs. If the Surface Pro generations continue, they will only get thinner and lighter and so standalone graphics cards will not be possible anyway; both weight, available space and heat are all major roadblocks.

In a couple of years, I see discrete mobile GPUs being replaced completely in all but the most robust "desktop-replacement" laptops. I wouldn't be surprised if the Iris Pro HD6x00 series outperforms entry level desktop graphics cards.

So not only is it highly unlikely the Surface line get separate GPUs, I hope they don't. We will see performance exceeding most mobile GPUs in an integrated form factor and also get excellent battery life in future surfaces.