AMD will launch new GPU

[Extelleron]

RV670 to join the lineup in next quarter

http://www.dailytech.com/AMD+P...PU+SKU/article8005.htm

AMD has a new ATI Radeon HD 2000-series graphics processor in the pipeline slated for Q4?2007. The new RV670 GPU is not an ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT replacement, but rather an additional product to AMD?s current midrange lineup. Very little detail is known about RV670 right now.

DailyTech speculates the upcoming RV670 should fill in the large pricing gap left between the ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT and the HD 2900 XT, similar to how RV570 joined the X1000-family as the X1950 Pro.

AMD has had a rough launch with its ATI Radeon HD 2000-series GPUs. After months of delay, the ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT hit the market with performance barely able to keep up with the months old GeForce 8800 GTS. The 1GB ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT has essentially become a niche product, with low production numbers and performance that barely edges out its 512MB brethren.

Confusions also arose when there was miscommunication between AMD and partners in regards to features of the ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT. The AMD ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT lacked universal video decoder, or UVD, capabilities when board partners believed the GPU had it. Nevertheless, not all was lost with the ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT, with it winning tests in CrossFire configurations under Windows Vista.

AMD also recently released its value and mainstream ATI Radeon HD 2400 and HD 2600-series as well, which were met with disappointing performance. Not all is lost with the mainstream models however. The ATI Radeon HD 2600-series manages to shine when it comes to multimedia tasks.

Sounds like it could be a great card if it performs well. I don't know how it will be cut-down from HD 2900XT, but I'm speculating it may have the same hardware but a 256-bit memory interface and a slightly lower (650-700MHz) core clockspeed. It also could have 240 SPs and 12 or 16 TMUs, on a 65nm process with a high clockspeed (800-900MHz)

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Extelleron

RV670 to join the lineup in next quarter

AMD has a new ATI Radeon HD 2000-series graphics processor in the pipeline slated for Q4?2007. The new RV670 GPU is not an ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT replacement, but rather an additional product to AMD?s current midrange lineup. Very little detail is known about RV670 right now.

DailyTech speculates the upcoming RV670 should fill in the large pricing gap left between the ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT and the HD 2900 XT, similar to how RV570 joined the X1000-family as the X1950 Pro.

AMD has had a rough launch with its ATI Radeon HD 2000-series GPUs. After months of delay, the ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT hit the market with performance barely able to keep up with the months old GeForce 8800 GTS. The 1GB ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT has essentially become a niche product, with low production numbers and performance that barely edges out its 512MB brethren.

Confusions also arose when there was miscommunication between AMD and partners in regards to features of the ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT. The AMD ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT lacked universal video decoder, or UVD, capabilities when board partners believed the GPU had it. Nevertheless, not all was lost with the ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT, with it winning tests in CrossFire configurations under Windows Vista.

AMD also recently released its value and mainstream ATI Radeon HD 2400 and HD 2600-series as well, which were met with disappointing performance. Not all is lost with the mainstream models however. The ATI Radeon HD 2600-series manages to shine when it comes to multimedia tasks.

Sounds like it could be a great card if it performs well. I don't know how it will be cut-down from HD 2900XT, but I'm speculating it may have the same hardware but a 256-bit memory interface and a slightly lower (650-700MHz) core clockspeed.

I heard (or rather read) that R6xx is a modular design and it would be simple for ATI to create variations of as many (up to full 320 shaders) or as few modules as they like.

So, even if they hack off "2 modules" for example and bring the shaders down to 300 shaders or whatever, it's supposed to be fairly easy for them from a manufacturing standpoint. I'm actually surprised we haven't seen a broader range of product from the R6xx line if this is actually true.

 

[CP5670]

This sounds reminiscent of AMD/ATI's last two generations of cards. Their original midrange line turns out to be no good, so they release new SKUs of cut down versions of their high end cards to make up for it. Hopefully this new product will continue the trend and be a great value.

 

[tvdang7]

if it beats the 8600gts by a decent a amount ill prob buy.

 

[dreddfunk]

Keys - I think I'd read much the same someplace, but I can't for the life of me remember where. If you'll pardon the pun, the 'key' questions I'd have would concern power and noise. ATI hasn't exactly had a stellar track record in the power/noise department in this price range. I'm hoping for a single-slot, low-noise, low-power part that has decent performance along the lines of a 7950gt. I also wonder if we'll see a preemptive launch of an 8800/8900GS product from nVidia? I can't imagine that they don't have something waiting in the wings for just such an occasion. Please, nVidia, just a little 8900GS?

Will we finally see the launch of decent $200 cards? For goodness sakes I hope so.

 

[ShadowOfMyself]

And again this begs for the question - WHY NOT INCLUDE THEM IN THE INITIAL LAUNCH?

I seriously, seriously dont understand AMD here

 

[Extelleron]

Originally posted by: dreddfunk
Keys - I think I'd read much the same someplace, but I can't for the life of me remember where. If you'll pardon the pun, the 'key' questions I'd have would concern power and noise. ATI hasn't exactly had a stellar track record in the power/noise department in this price range. I'm hoping for a single-slot, low-noise, low-power part that has decent performance along the lines of a 7950gt. I also wonder if we'll see a preemptive launch of an 8800/8900GS product from nVidia? I can't imagine that they don't have something waiting in the wings for just such an occasion. Please, nVidia, just a little 8900GS?

Will we finally see the launch of decent $200 cards? For goodness sakes I hope so.

Power consumption is going to depend on whether it's a scaled down HD 2900XT or something new, on a 65nm process. If it's a HD 2900XT GPU with a lower clockspeed, it's still going to have high power consumption - probably around the level of an 8800GTS.

If RV670 is a new, 65nm GPU, then it will have pretty low power consumption, just like the HD 2400 and HD 2600 series. Of course, this could be negated if AMD goes for a very high clockspeed like I had said, such as 800-900MHz.

 

[nemesismk2]

Exciting news, hopefully it will outperform my x1950 xt and I will be very happy!

Although saying that it has to be quiet too and not need a power station to run it like the 2900 XT

 

[dreddfunk]

Keys - Your analysis is precisely what was on my mind. It could be a 65nm part but still require some decent amps because it's been clocked so high. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Munky]

Originally posted by: CP5670
This sounds reminiscent of AMD/ATI's last two generations of cards. Their original midrange line turns out to be no good, so they release new SKUs of cut down versions of their high end cards to make up for it. Hopefully this new product will continue the trend and be a great value.

That was my thought exactly when I saw this thread. If this card turns out to be a 1950pro of the 2900 generation, then it's a great bang/buck card, too bad it comes later than it should have. And I can't imagine the profit margins on such a card being as big as something like a 6600gt or a 7600gt, which were midrange cards "done right" from the start.