AMD and Xbox Partnership Involves Making Custom Chips for Consoles, PCs and Handhelds

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Following AMD’s collaboration with Microsoft on chips designed for upcoming gaming devices, CEO Lisa Su has discussed the agreement and its implications for AMD and Xbox in the future. In a video broadcast (which you can view below), Su elaborated on how both companies are aligned in their vision for the future of gaming, focusing on enabling players to enjoy their favorite games from anywhere.

Su stated that AMD and Microsoft are working towards a daring, unified concept for gaming’s future. This vision emphasizes effortless gameplay across all devices, prioritizing gamers’ enjoyment regardless of location. We’re thrilled to strengthen our bond with Microsoft, leveraging over two decades of collaboration, creativity, and trust. From the early days of Xbox 360, through the cutting-edge consoles like the Xbox Series X and S, to the recent introduction of ROG Xbox Ally handhelds.

In her communication, Su clarified AMD’s plans for enhancing its collection of CPU and GPU processors. She mentioned that the company is engaged in developing a comprehensive strategy for gaming-focused chips. Essentially, this collaboration with Xbox implies that they will jointly design chips for consoles, desktop computers, handheld devices, and even systems that underpin Xbox Cloud services.

In the future, AMD will expand its work on custom chips for Xbox consoles to create a comprehensive plan for gaming-focused chips, as explained by Su. This means integrating the strengths of Ryzen and Radeon not only for console and handheld devices but also for PCs and cloud services. And they’re doing this while ensuring backward compatibility, allowing gamers to play their preferred games across various platforms, a commitment to both players and developers.

In collaboration with Microsoft, we’re constructing a dynamic, open-ended platform that will introduce cutting-edge graphics and immersive gaming experiences, fueled by AI technology featuring innovative foundational models to propel the advancement in rendering. This spans from console to cloud to portable devices. AMD and Microsoft are jointly shaping the future of immersive gaming. We’re thrilled about our partnership with Microsoft, aiming to bring this groundbreaking tech to gamers worldwide.

It’s important to mention that although this collaboration may be fresh, AMD processors have been powering Xbox consoles since at least the launch of the Xbox One, which utilized an AMD APU (a blend of CPU and GPU) back then. Intriguingly, the same AMD chip was also behind the PS4’s power. Moving forward, it’s worth noting that both the Xbox Series X/S and PS5 are equipped with AMD processors in their latest versions as well.

This potential collaboration between Microsoft and AMD may bring them closer in their work, but it’s not anticipated to significantly impact AMD’s ongoing business relationships with Sony regarding the PS5. Instead, this partnership appears focused on broadening Microsoft’s Xbox Play Anywhere program, given that Su hinted at gaming handhelds, PCs, and even Xbox Cloud.

More recently, Microsoft, in collaboration with hardware partner Asus, revealed the ROG Xbox Allies and ROG Xbox Allie X handheld gaming devices. These devices are both equipped with AMD processors. Specifically, the ROG Xbox Ally is powered by an AMD Ryzen Z2A chip, while the ROG Xbox Allie X utilizes a Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip.

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2025-06-20 14:41