AMD Files to Trademark What Looks Like a Vega 2 Logo

AMD has applied for a trademark covering what many assume is a logo for Vega 2 graphics. The new mark closely remembers Vega's existing logo, which is essentially just a stylized "V," but with the right side modified to look like the Roman numeral "II." (Or, as the company described it in the trademark application, "a smaller triangle and four alternating light and dark horizontal stripes.") The implication is clear.

This application's discovery follows an interview with Barrons in which AMD CEO Lisa Su said the company plans to be "competitive in high-end graphics" and is currently "making high-performing quality products and building a solid long-term foundation." The company also revealed the world's first 7nm GPUs, the Radeon Instinct MI60 and MI50, at its Next Horizon Event in November and released them later that month.

But the Radeon Instinct MI60 and MI50 aren't for gaming--they're accelerators designed to help researchers handle complex tasks like deep learning and cloud computing. That means the company hasn't made a graphics announcement that directly affects PC gamers since Vega debuted in August 2017. Nvidia, meanwhile, recently introduced its RTX graphics cards to allow people to experience real-time ray tracing.

All of which means red team faithfuls await graphics news from AMD with bated breath. It's tempting, then, to assume AMD's application for this trademark means it plans to reveal new consumer-focused GPUs sooner than later. But it's worth remembering that companies often apply for trademarks long before they have to use them, or make sure their bases are covered legally even if they never actually release the product. The company might also plan to use this updated logo for the new Radeon Instinct accelerators but not for its upcoming consumer graphics cards.

Does that mean we expect the RX Vega line to be the last of AMD's consumer graphics cards? No, but it does mean that applying for a trademark doesn't necessarily imply a certain timeline, so it's best not to get hopes up. (Of course, us saying that means AMD's probably going to do a surprise debut of its new graphics cards just in time for the holidays or something.) This logo is a breadcrumb to follow; don't mistake it for a true reveal. Especially when people have already raised questions and circulated rumors about what AMD has planned for its next-gen Navi architecture.

Nathaniel Mott
Freelance News & Features Writer

Nathaniel Mott is a freelance news and features writer for Tom's Hardware US, covering breaking news, security, and the silliest aspects of the tech industry.