1GB GDDR4 HD2900XT coming later this month?

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Creig

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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The current Radeon 2900 XT with GDDR3 memory? It seems that later this month AMD will be releasing a new Radeon HD 2900 XT graphics card with GDDR4 memory. AMD plans to take another shot at Nvidia with this new version of the Radeon HD 2900 XT that features double the memory and improved memory bandwidth thanks to the higher memory clock speeds. This means we will soon see Radeon HD 2900 XT video cards with 1GB of GDDR4 memory per card! This card will remain at 9" (23cm) in length, just like the current model that's outfitted with 512MB of GDDR3 memory.
Click to expand...

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/507/3/

First I've heard of it. Anyone else heard similiar?
 
n7

n7

Elite Member
Jan 4, 2004
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I've heard talk of that since around the HD 2900 XT's launch.

But i don't think it's going to catch the 8800 GTX still...if it actually comes out.
 
RussianSensation

RussianSensation

Elite Member
Sep 5, 2003
19,458
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The problem with HD 2900XT is that it's clearly not memory bandwidth limited but is gpu limited (i.e. ROPs and texture units). 1GB ram for this card is also a waste of $ considering by the time majority of games actually start to use 512mb, HD 2900XT will be pretty slow, nevermind 1GB. ATI needs to release a 65nm card with more shaders, rops and/or higher clocks soon.
 
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tuteja1986

Diamond Member
Jun 1, 2005
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not so much to do with texture unit me think !! rop is the problem !!

fillrate and rop is what ati needs to fix because games like UT2007 use the fillrate to do most of their advance effect :(
 
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Matt2

Diamond Member
Jul 28, 2001
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I'm going to have to agree with RussianSensation here.

HD2900XT is CLEARLY not memory bandwidth limited. It has ~19% more memory bandwidth than a stock GTX. Whether or not 512mb is a limitation, I dont know. I havent seen the latest numbers on video memory usage. In most games the HD2900XT seems to close the gap on on the GTX at ultra high resolutions with AA and AF (showing that it is not bandwidth limited) so I would guess that outside of a few games 1GB is probably not going to do much for R600 except raise the price.

If I were AMD, I wouldnt release a 1GB version until I was able to shrink R600 to 65nm. They've got a good card in a good price bracket. Unless they are confident they can beat 8800GTX with merely an extra 512mb and a little more memory bandwidth, there is no sense in releasing a $500 card that is going to lose to Nvidia. At least right now, AMD can claim that HD2900XT isnt supposed to compete with the GTX.

Then again, if they do release this "XTX" variant, we might finally see the GTX come down in price a little bit.
 
Bateluer

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
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Doesn't GDDR4 use less power than GDDR3? Not sure if it be of any significance though.
 
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Matt2

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Jul 28, 2001
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Originally posted by: Bateluer
Doesn't GDDR4 use less power than GDDR3? Not sure if it be of any significance though.
Click to expand...

I would think that any power savings achieved by going to GDDR4 would be offset by doubling the amount of RAM.

I could be wrong though.
 
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humanure

Senior member
Dec 28, 2005
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Dailytech did a short article on this card a while back, it's pretty clear from the numbers that memory bandwidth is not the problem.

2900xtx
 
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tuteja1986

Diamond Member
Jun 1, 2005
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ATI redid design layout of the card... Its the same size as 2900XT not the huge card like canceled 2900XTX.
 
Cookie Monster

Cookie Monster

Diamond Member
May 7, 2005
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It wasnt a huge card to began with. That "XTX" is just the OEM version going to be used by dell etc. (3inch of the card is just for the fan itself)
 
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Munky

Diamond Member
Feb 5, 2005
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I won't go as far as judging what the real problem with the 2900xt is, but I'll agree that the problem is not the memory size or bandwidth. So, there's little hope for the 1GB model of catching up or beating the 8800gtx if everything else stays the same.
 
C

Creig

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,170
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I agree. I don't see the 1gb model performing all that differently unless a program needs more than 512mb. Then we might start seeing a performance delta.

What this little blurb doesn't say is whether or not clockspeeds between the 512mb and 1gb are the same. I wouldn't think they'd be any different.
 
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Chadder007

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
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Originally posted by: RussianSensation
HD2900XT is starting to look worse and worse:

Loses to 8800GTS 640mb in DX10 patch - Company of Heroes
Gets destroyed in Lost Planet

Once NV releases refresh of 8800GTX and replaces it with 8900GT (similar to how 7900GT replaced 7800GTX 256mb while offering faster performance at a far lower price), ATI will be in serious trouble.
Click to expand...

That Company of Heroes test is totally opposite from any real world users results. ATI has been beating out similar NVidia systems with the GTX on the forums with the latest drivers.
 
RussianSensation

RussianSensation

Elite Member
Sep 5, 2003
19,458
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Originally posted by: Chadder007
Originally posted by: RussianSensation
HD2900XT is starting to look worse and worse:

Loses to 8800GTS 640mb in DX10 patch - Company of Heroes
Gets destroyed in Lost Planet

Once NV releases refresh of 8800GTX and replaces it with 8900GT (similar to how 7900GT replaced 7800GTX 256mb while offering faster performance at a far lower price), ATI will be in serious trouble.
Click to expand...

That Company of Heroes test is totally opposite from any real world users results. ATI has been beating out similar NVidia systems with the GTX on the forums with the latest drivers.
Click to expand...

Yes but was that in DX9? The link above is for DX10 performance only.
 
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Nightmare225

Golden Member
May 20, 2006
1,661
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0
Originally posted by: Chadder007
Originally posted by: RussianSensation
HD2900XT is starting to look worse and worse:

Loses to 8800GTS 640mb in DX10 patch - Company of Heroes
Gets destroyed in Lost Planet

Once NV releases refresh of 8800GTX and replaces it with 8900GT (similar to how 7900GT replaced 7800GTX 256mb while offering faster performance at a far lower price), ATI will be in serious trouble.
Click to expand...

That Company of Heroes test is totally opposite from any real world users results. ATI has been beating out similar NVidia systems with the GTX on the forums with the latest drivers.
Click to expand...

That's directx9, my friend. The situation is completely reversed under 10...
 
Bateluer

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
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Anyone notice how those Legitreviews tests were done with beta drivers? Those weren't performed with the latest 7.5 Catalysts.

And realistically, is anyone buying a 2900XT or 8800 for DX10? People are buying them for their DX9 performance.
 
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ShadowOfMyself

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2006
4,227
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I see no point for this card other than pure marketing... You know most average Joes buy their cards thinking "wow 1 gb!! this must be the best!"... because I doubt there would be any real world performance improvements
 
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Matt2

Diamond Member
Jul 28, 2001
4,762
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0
Originally posted by: Bateluer
Anyone notice how those Legitreviews tests were done with beta drivers? Those weren't performed with the latest 7.5 Catalysts.

And realistically, is anyone buying a 2900XT or 8800 for DX10? People are buying them for their DX9 performance.
Click to expand...

:confused:

The ATI Radeon 2900XT used the CATALYST 7.5 drivers that were released on May 31st, 2007 and all three of the NVIDIA cards used Forceware 145.45 drivers that were also released on May 31st, 2007.
Click to expand...
 
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