AMD tipped to manufacture Nintendo NX processor

Just like the PS4, Xbox One and Wii U, Nintendo’s NX console could be powered by an AMD processor.

VentureBeat reports that, as with the other machines, signs are pointing to an AMD APU (a chip that combines both a graphics processor and central processor), with AMD chief executive Lisa Su saying that the company has won a third semi-custom chip design contract.

Late last year AMD CFO Devinder Kumar told analysts that the company was working on two semi-custom chip designs – one ARM based and one x86.

They are going to announce it,” he said of his unnamed client. And then you will find out that it is AMD’s APU that is being used in those products.”

Using an x86 AMD and Intel architecture could also pave the way for possible Wii U backwards compatibility, too, although that console’s unique control system could throw up a few barriers – unless the GamePad were made to be compatible, of course.

Intel are another possible contender when it comes to NX design, of course, but the site adds that the company has given little indication in recent times that it is interested in the game console chip market. IBM’s interest in the sector has also decreased significantly following the sale of that division to Globalfoundries.

One note of caution – Moor Insights & Strategy analyst Patrick Moorhead has said that should Nintendo opt to follow the Android route with its new machine, Nvidia would probably be a more likely choice of partner. Remember that Nintendo has previously denied that Android will power the NX.