14 DAY TRIAL // E3 is an event focused on video games and it is often easy to forget that behind the impressive graphics and interesting gameplay, players will always find complex hardware from a variety of producers.
AMD used its stand at the trade show to focus on the range of experiences that modern players have access to, ranging from a system that uses Radeon graphics cards and FX processors to power Tomb Raider on a five-monitor setup to mobile solutions that offer enough power for modern video games experiences.
The multi-monitor setup, using Visio hardware, was certainly impressive, especially given the smooth gameplay and the gorgeous effects associated with Lara Croft's new adventure.
But as I played for a few minutes, I wondered whether gamers really needed six monitors in order to enjoy one of the game experience they loved.
I often felt like the extra screen size was actually a distraction, with the included details distracting me from the core job of keeping Lara Croft alive and exploring the environment.
AMD is not at fault here, their tech is certainly solid and powerful, but the gaming industry might need some time in order to catch up and deliver game experiences that actually use all the extra computing power offered by new processors and graphics cards.
The company was also offering a number of mobile solutions for testing and it was certainly impressive to see games like Tomb Raider and Crysis 3 running, with an attached controller, on devices that could easily fit in the large backpack pocket.
AMD-designed custom processors are currently powering the Wii U home console from Nintendo and they will also be found in the Xbox One from Microsoft and the PlayStation 4 from Sony later in the year.
The company is also introducing new desktop processors and graphics cards, designed to offer even more computing power to gamers.