infoTECH Feature

December 09, 2010

Say Goodbye to VGA Graphics as Intel and AMD Partner for the Execution

The competitive intensity between Intel and AMD (News - Alert) could easily cut glass on most days, yet it seems the two rivals agree about the future of the venerable VGA graphics port: it simply won’t exist.

According to a recent ARS Technica report, the two chipmakers are joining forces with Dell (News - Alert), Lenovo, Samsung and LG in an industry wide agreement to phase out the VGA entirely by 2015. At the same time, this group will standardize solely on HDMI and DisplayPort.

Intel (News - Alert) and AMD wrote in a joint press release that DisplayPort and HDMI allow for slimmer laptop designs while also supporting higher resolutions with deeper color that the standard VGA. This technology is more than 20 years old and simply does not keep up with current demands.

As laptops get smaller and their embedded flat panel resolutions increase for more immersive experiences, DisplayPort simply delivers power advantages bidirectional communications and design efficiency benefits. As a result, it is the superior choice over LVDS, which is the previous standard for LCD panel inputs.

Expect to see LVDs gone from Intel’s product line by 2013, with VGA to follow in 2015. AMD has a similar timetable in place as both companies aim to completely phase out the two technologies.

"Newer standards such as DisplayPort and HDMI clearly provide the best connectivity options moving forward," said AMD's Eric Demers, in the statement. "In our opinion, DisplayPort 1.2 is the future interface for PC monitors, along with HDMI 1.4a for TV connectivity."

The push for 3D displays in both TV and PC markets appear to be contributing to the push for the depreciation in the use of VGA. In the TV market, the 3D panels require the latest HDMI spec, supporting greater bandwidth. For PCs, GPU makers and monitor manufacturers would prefer to see gamers use shutter glasses and make the jump to true 3D gaming.

Even in the handheld gaming and device space, parallax barrier technology is expected to bring 3D to the smallest displays in the coming year. This means users will enjoy the experience without the glasses – a main goal for all working in development in this space.

For the consumer’s part, it has yet to be seen that they really care that much about 3D as device makers do. Yes, the concept is cool, but once you get over the initial, “Wow,” you really just want to get back to the experience. Too often, productions in 3D are built around concepts that allow for the most objects to be thrown at the viewer, which degrades the overall experience.


Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Tammy Wolf
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