Google Stadia Relies on Custom AMD GPU to Outpower Current Consoles
Google reveals that its Stadia cloud gaming service uses a custom AMD graphics card that theoretically outperforms both the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X combined.
Google reveals that its Stadia cloud gaming service runs on a custom AMD graphics card integrated into Linux-based data center instances. This unnamed GPU reportedly produces 10.7 teraflops of processing power, which theoretically exceeds the combined output of a PS4 Pro and Xbox One X.
The hardware must handle the demanding task of running modern games at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second while simultaneously encoding the video stream for players. Speculation suggests the chip closely resembles an overclocked AMD Pro Vega 56, while the promoted 16 GB of total memory likely includes both system RAM and video RAM.
Google also teases a multi-GPU instance for advanced effects like fluid dynamics, though the exact application for this setup remains unclear. Because every concurrent player requires a dedicated hardware instance, this custom infrastructure represents a massive financial investment as Google attempts to scale the platform to hundreds of thousands or even millions of simultaneous users.