HD3870X2 GDDR4 pictured

[reviewhunter]

From CeBit:
http://img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/481e0bccde.jpg

Source: http://www.sx-team.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=719
(source is in Serbian, translator couldn't translate it into understandable english)

 

[hclarkjr]

here is better info PowerColor HD 3870 X2 Comes With GDDR4

 

[NinjaJedi]

"This combination of leading-edge graphics memory and state-of-the-art GPU, essentially doubles the performance of the original version of the card."

I don't recall gddr4 doubling performance of other cards that have either gddr3 or gddr4. 3870 for example. Maybe I am wrong but that's a bold claim.

 

[Extelleron]

Originally posted by: NinjaJedi
"This combination of leading-edge graphics memory and state-of-the-art GPU, essentially doubles the performance of the original version of the card."

I don't recall gddr4 doubling performance of other cards that have either gddr3 or gddr4. 3870 for example. Maybe I am wrong but that's a bold claim.

Could be talking about doubling the performance of the 3870 with the 3870 X2.

 

[reviewhunter]

Originally posted by: hclarkjr
here is better info PowerColor HD 3870 X2 Comes With GDDR4

Thanks for that!

 

[bunnyfubbles]

Originally posted by: Extelleron

Originally posted by: NinjaJedi
"This combination of leading-edge graphics memory and state-of-the-art GPU, essentially doubles the performance of the original version of the card."

I don't recall gddr4 doubling performance of other cards that have either gddr3 or gddr4. 3870 for example. Maybe I am wrong but that's a bold claim.

Could be talking about doubling the performance of the 3870 with the 3870 X2.

precisely.

Regular 3870s are supposed to come with GDDR4 which can be much faster than GDDR3. Current 3870X2s come with GDDR3.

 

[firewolfsm]

Yes but 3870 X2s already have 512-bit (effective) buses so they're not memory limited at all. In some cases, the card was more than twice as fast as the 3870 with just GDDR3.

 

[Extelleron]

Originally posted by: firewolfsm
Yes but 3870 X2s already have 512-bit (effective) buses so they're not memory limited at all. In some cases, the card was more than twice as fast as the 3870 with just GDDR3.

Saying 3870 X2 has a 512-bit bus is not really true. Each core has a 256-bit link to 512MB of memory, they are separate. So each core has 57.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

The HD 2900XT was oversaturated with 105GB/s of bandwidth, but I think a faster RV670 core @ 825MHz could use more than 57.6 GB/s.

 

[NinjaJedi]

The statement they make saying "doubles the performance of the original version of the card" is meaning the original 3870x2. At least that's the way I see it. In that whole article they don't mention the 3870. (except the GPU core) There are 2 versions of the 3870 some have gddr3 most have gddr4. They are a bit faster but I don't recall the difference between the 2 being double. If they meant double of the 3870 it's very misleading or at the very least worded incorrectly.

 

[Bateluer]

Any word on when these GDDR4 X2s will be on the market and what their MSRP will be?

 

[BigMoosey74]

They are working on the revision A12 and to get the PCIe switch to PCIe 2.0 which should theoretically speed the xfire communication between the two GPUs if the full bandwidth is used. From what I remember, GDDR4 doesn't produce many gains over GDDR3..just more so extra stability for higher clocks. So...I think the revision to A12 and PCIe 2.0 switch are the huge factors going into the new 3870x2. What I am curious to see is if this card will start to see benefits from PCIe 2.0 slots now. 3870 / 3850 cards are supposed to see gains from the revision as well.

I am excited to see how the X2 turns out though. If the PCIe 2.0 switch helps, it means all the better for the 4870x2 series.

Edit: Just found the page where it mentioned this.

"The new card will have an updated PLX Bridge chip that will support PCIe 2.0 and at the same time, ATI is trying to shorten the PCB and add GDDR4 to the card. The current Radeon 3870 X2 has a PLX chip that supports PCIe 1.1 communication and, obviously, a new card should have some better results with the faster inter-chip communication.

The RV670 chips will upgrade to revision 12 and this probably means higher frequencies and more performance. The current Radeon 3870 X2 dual chip cards come with RV670 chips' Revision 11. "

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: NinjaJedi
"This combination of leading-edge graphics memory and state-of-the-art GPU, essentially doubles the performance of the original version of the card."

I don't recall gddr4 doubling performance of other cards that have either gddr3 or gddr4. 3870 for example. Maybe I am wrong but that's a bold claim.

if they are talking about the original card also with the original drivers ooB .. sure .. that IS actually very very likely we will see 2X performance increase over the Original Version when it was with Cat 8.1 [or that beta driver they included]



that is apoppin's own translation of AMD's marketspeak .. they speak truth
[sorta]
they just didn't mention that G-DDR4 really won't have that much to do with it
i.e. "this combo doubles performance ..."

 

[Sylvanas]

Cool, GDDR4 should help reduce the power consumption of an X2 by quite a bit, was 50 watts with the 2900 series.

 

[reviewhunter]

50W?

any links?