ATi's R400 delayed until Summer '04??

[NFS4]

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2003/tc2003044_3712_tc024.htm
http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2003Apr/bch20030410019546.htm

The plan worked. ATI (ATYT ), now with an estimated 19% of the market, and Nvidia (NVDA ), with 32%, are the only major specialized makers of graphics chips to survive. (Intel (INTC ) holds a 28% share of the graphics-chips markets, and two smaller rivals own single-digit bites.) That has given ATI the leeway to make a surprising decision: On Mar. 31, it confirmed that it will lengthen its product cycle to 24 months.

 

[PrinceXizor]

This makes sense when you consider comments by Nvidia stating that basically ever increasing DirectX standards broght ever increasing GPU changes to be compliant with those standards. Now that DirectX 9 is supposedly "status quo" for awhile, it makes sense in a depressed economic situation in the tech industry to cool off on the rapid deployment of new GPU's.

As far as the R400 goes though, I doubt this statment would impact it too much when you consider it was probably developed with an 18 month release date in mind...it may be slightly delayed (because they feel they can) or not. Its probably far enough along not to delay too much anyhow. It's an interesting comment though, considering Nvidia seemed to take the opposite stance...i.e. we're going to maintain our current turnaround timetables.

P-X

 

[bluemax]

I'm more interested in the RV350 and nVidia's lower-end offerings....

.... especially something that may come in PCI for my SV25!

EDIT: 24 months?!?!?!?!?!?!?! :Q :Q :Q :Q Holy crap! Betcha' that'll change if the NV35 rocks the world.

 

[Lonyo]

Pah, saved yourself with the geeknews link

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=31&threadid=1020594&highlight_key=y&keyword1=ati&FTVAR_MSGDBTABLE=

 

[Rilescat]

Oh...so they think they are 1/2 Matrox now .....poor Matrox....they used to be sooo cool.

 

[ElFenix]

its hard to make a sea change when you have to wait 2 years for the process technology to mature

 

[Woody419]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
its hard to make a sea change when you have to wait 2 years for the process technology to mature

But you still have to wait 2 years for the graphics in games to catch up with the latest game cards anyway, at least in 2 years there may be a real reason to upgrade besides bragging rights.

 

[chizow]

Wow! Jen-Hsun wasn't kidding when he said it would take @ $200 million per year in R&D to ante up in today's graphics chip industry. Not a huge surprise, Orton and other ATi execs have been dropping hints (ie. managing expectations) about increasing product cycles for some time. Let's hope for the sake of competition they don't sleep on R400 for too long; nVidia's already running NV50 simulations on their Xeon clusters. :Q

Good news though, it'll allow game makers to catch up to current technology instead of playing constant catch up and producing sloppy titles.

Chiz

 

[TronX]

Don't let them fool you. The R400 is a done deal.
ATI is in the lead and they are going to hold off
and make more money. ATI wants to use a 24
month cycle and we all know Nvidia is not
going to sit around for 2 years. Nvidia will use a
12 month cycle as normal and force ATI to keep up or
fall down like 3dFX.

Let's Face-the-facts.. most people
like to spend their tax returns on new computer
parts. Nvidia will have a new card waiting for them.

Just when I thought ATI was back in the game.

 

[AmdInside]

In the past, it would bother me but lately, there hasn't been many good PC games. I've been playing a lot of console games on my Xbox. I use my computer mostly for *gasp* work.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: TronX
Don't let them fool you. The R400 is a done deal.
ATI is in the lead and they are going to hold off
and make more money. ATI wants to use a 24
month cycle and we all know Nvidia is not
going to sit around for 2 years. Nvidia will use a
12 month cycle as normal and force ATI to keep up or
fall down like 3dFX.

Let's Face-the-facts.. most people
like to spend their tax returns on new computer
parts. Nvidia will have a new card waiting for them.

Just when I thought ATI was back in the game.

read my statement on process technology and then reconsider. the only thing you can really do without having a shrink is improve clock rates and marginally improve efficiency. nvidia in the last 3 1/2 years has released only 2 actually new graphics chips, the gf3 and the fx. so much for 12 month product cycles.

 

[TronX]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: TronX
Don't let them fool you. The R400 is a done deal.
ATI is in the lead and they are going to hold off
and make more money. ATI wants to use a 24
month cycle and we all know Nvidia is not
going to sit around for 2 years. Nvidia will use a
12 month cycle as normal and force ATI to keep up or
fall down like 3dFX.

Let's Face-the-facts.. most people
like to spend their tax returns on new computer
parts. Nvidia will have a new card waiting for them.

Just when I thought ATI was back in the game.

read my statement on process technology and then reconsider. the only thing you can really do without having a shrink is improve clock rates and marginally improve efficiency. nvidia in the last 3 1/2 years has released only 2 actually new graphics chips, the gf3 and the fx. so much for 12 month product cycles.

We can't really go by the last 3 1/2 years of Nvidia history.
The reason I say this is because the Nvidia's GPU was held back.
They simply could not make the silcon waffers for the new GPU in time.
This is why they have IBM to help out now.

I understand your point that just because they slow things down
does not mean we may never see updated videocards each year.
They could use faster DDR, more Pipes, PCB layers and even try
a HeatPipe like the FX and call them Ultra or Pro's for another 6 months.

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: TronX
Let's Face-the-facts.. most people like to spend their tax returns on new computer parts.

I hope you realize just how HUGE of an exageration that really is.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Wingznut

Originally posted by: TronX
Let's Face-the-facts.. most people like to spend their tax returns on new computer parts.

I hope you realize just how HUGE of an exageration that really is.

Yeah, some wives make their husbands spend the money on new countertops

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Wingznut

Originally posted by: TronX
Let's Face-the-facts.. most people like to spend their tax returns on new computer parts.

I hope you realize just how HUGE of an exageration that really is.

Yeah, some wifes make their husbands spend the money on new countertops

Ha!

And hardwood floors, and new mouldings, and paint, and a new microwave, and....

 

[Wolfsraider]

lol mine got me for new carpet lineoleum and paint first now were getting new furniture to match
we already got the new black kitchen,new blinds,drapes are ordered.....

oh well it'll be my turn to buy that new "office" enviromnent ie the desk the 21 inch lcd the new chair woot

gonna be a good year

 

[sandorski]

Damned women. We gave them the vote, we shouldn't have let them know about tax returns!!

I'm sure ATI will have engineers working on something, just in case Nvidia tries something.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: chizow
Wow! Jen-Hsun wasn't kidding when he said it would take @ $200 million per year in R&D to ante up in today's graphics chip industry. Not a huge surprise, Orton and other ATi execs have been dropping hints (ie. managing expectations) about increasing product cycles for some time. Let's hope for the sake of competition they don't sleep on R400 for too long; nVidia's already running NV50 simulations on their Xeon clusters. :Q

Good news though, it'll allow game makers to catch up to current technology instead of playing constant catch up and producing sloppy titles.

Chiz

My opinion also. It's NO surprise if you have been keeping up with ATI's "hints" since the 9700 came out.

And, I like it . . . I'm sick of bypassing 3 "upgrades" every 2 years.

Now . . . how about some "RUMOURS"??! (not from the Inq - VR Zone)

ATi R350 & R400 Info

Impress Reports :
R350

Optimization of the physical design to allow higher core frequency (380Mhz)
Improvement in efficiency of memory access
Pixel Shader supports infinite conversion of the number of orders
ATi has modified the GPU physical design to allow for higher core frequency instead of finer process technology (0.13). Radeon 9800 Pro not equipping with GDDR2 initially is because of the high cost and high thermal dissipation. GDDR2 is running at 2.5V Vdd although Vddq is at 1.8V and with 1Ghz memory frequency, you can expect large amount of heat to be produced. If Radeon 9800 Pro uses GDDR2 memory now, a heat spreader would be require for the memory and you can expect a cooling system like the FlowFX of the GeForce FX 5800 Ultra. However, due to limitation of GDDR-I memory frequency which can hardly scale up anymore, DDR2 is the only way to go and Radeon 9800 Pro is expected to be fitted with 256MB of GDDR2 towards second half of the year when Samsung GDDR2 1.4Ghz is ready for sampling. ATi also has re-designed the memory controller of the Radeon 9800 Pro to improve memory access by decreasing the frequency of reading and writing of memory. From our sources, Triplex is said to be sampling their Radeon cards with GDDR2 technology now so it will be interesting to see how much boost will they get from the cards.

R400

0.13 micron process
Programmable Shader 3.0 (Pixel & Vertex)
PCI Express x16 (8GB/s bi-directional)
DirectX 9/10
Availability in End of 2003-Q1'04

:Q


(I don't put any credibility in the above - but it's "fun")

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: AmdInside
In the past, it would bother me but lately, there hasn't been many good PC games. I've been playing a lot of console games on my Xbox. I use my computer mostly for *gasp* work.

Doom III
Enter The Matrix
Tron 2?

The games are starting to roll out. Don't lose faith.

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: Wingznut

And hardwood floors, and new mouldings, and paint, and a new microwave, and....

A new garage door, picture frames (!!), clothing for the kids, and a vanity.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: SeekingTao

Originally posted by: AmdInside
In the past, it would bother me but lately, there hasn't been many good PC games. I've been playing a lot of console games on my Xbox. I use my computer mostly for *gasp* work.

Doom III
Enter The Matrix
Tron 2?

The games are starting to roll out. Don't lose faith.

Battlefield 1942 played online ownz anything that consoles have to offer IMHO

 

[SickBeast]

it's about time videocards lasted longer than 6 months.

 

[TronX]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Wingznut

Originally posted by: TronX
Let's Face-the-facts.. most people like to spend their tax returns on new computer parts.

I hope you realize just how HUGE of an exageration that really is.

Yeah, some wives make their husbands spend the money on new countertops

LOL.. I said "LIKE TO" hehe.. Never said the other stuff like bills and wife.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: TronX

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Wingznut

Originally posted by: TronX
Let's Face-the-facts.. most people like to spend their tax returns on new computer parts.

I hope you realize just how HUGE of an exageration that really is.

Yeah, some wives make their husbands spend the money on new countertops

LOL.. I said "LIKE TO" hehe.. Never said the other stuff like bills and wife.

Dang . . . I wonder what percentage of GH AT'ers are married . . . I can't tell cause there isn't a "depressed" or "whipped" icon.

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Dang . . . I wonder what percentage of GH AT'ers are married . . . I can't tell cause there isn't a "depressed" or "whipped" icon.

*Raises hand* Start the tallying appopin.