AMD

AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) is an American manufacturer of processors, graphics cards and chipsets. AMD products are sold separately or can be found as components in a wide range of laptop and desktop computers. AMD products can be found in the highly popular PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

A wide range of graphics cards

AMD produces several series of graphics cards, each designed for a different purpose. The Radeon R5 and R7 series are basic graphics cards designed for multimedia desktops. The Radeon R9 series offers sufficient power for less demanding computer games. The Radeon RX series is AMD's most powerful and is suitable for more demanding games. The Radeon RX 480, for example, can handle virtual reality. AMD also caters for graphic designers and other professionals with the FirePro series.

AMD processors

AMD processors can be divided into the FX series and others. Most models in the FX series have sufficient power for complex games, whereas other AMD models are suitable for less demanding use, e.g. browsing the Internet, watching videos and movies, and playing less complex games.

Milestones in the history of AMD

• 1969 – foundation of the company
• 1975 – starts to produce RAM
• 1979 – debuts on the New York Stock Exchange
• 1982 – enters into cooperation with IBM
• 1988 – establishes the Submicron Development Center
• 1993 – founds Spansion for the the manufacture of flash memory
• 1998 – partnership with Motorola
• 1999 – introduces x86 processor architecture
• 2006 – acquisition of ATI