R600 may have external 512-bit memory controller.

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Cookie Monster

Diamond Member
May 7, 2005
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512bit means a larger die space. The PCB will require more layers, and also it will be much more complex due to having 16 memory chips. This with the cost of 16 GDDR4 memory chips will make the R600 come with a higher price tag. Not to mention if the R600 have 1024mb it will be very expensive.

In a cost perspective its very unlikely (but ATi isnt conservative as nVIDIA which has its both bad and good). Im not sure if GDDR4 is in quantity, but with nVIDIA taking the tried and true in the form of GDDR3, it suggests that GDDR4 is expensive and also not in quantity as GDDR3.

Will be very expensive and the power draw of 1024mb of Vram will be pretty high even with GDDR4.

edit - not to mention the loads of power related components.

 

Matt2

Diamond Member
Jul 28, 2001
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Does anyone else feel that the INQ just scans forums and makes their news up based on speculation threads?

Feels like we just had this 512bit discussion last week here on AT.
 

flashbacck

Golden Member
Aug 3, 2001
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Originally posted by: Matt2
Does anyone else feel that the INQ just scans forums and makes their news up based on speculation threads?

Feels like we just had this 512bit discussion last week here on AT.

hmm... In that case we should start some whacky rumor and see if it pops up on the stINQ.
 

Matt2

Diamond Member
Jul 28, 2001
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Originally posted by: flashbacck
Originally posted by: Matt2
Does anyone else feel that the INQ just scans forums and makes their news up based on speculation threads?

Feels like we just had this 512bit discussion last week here on AT.

hmm... In that case we should start some whacky rumor and see if it pops up on the stINQ.

"INQ author Fuad Abazovic to receive Pulitzer Prize"

:D
 

ronnn

Diamond Member
May 22, 2003
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As keys has said. The Inquirer is right more often than wrong. Problem is they tend to mix the right and wrong in the same article. Anyways this rumour has been quite persistant - so sounds like the r600 will be a heck of a card with a heck of a power draw.
 

ShadowOfMyself

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2006
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It only makes sense.. Double the number, double the power :)

r300 = 256
r600 = 512

Seriously, as some people have said, no one expected r300 to have a 256 bit bus either.. I bet 4 years ago you would also think "NO WAY, TOO EXPENSIVE" so, I see no reason not to believe it
 

Dainas

Senior member
Aug 5, 2005
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Its about time for a proper 512 bus card(3dlabs efforts don't count), It would be awsome if ATI could get this card out only a few months after the G80. Then I could go to a new motherboard with a clean conscious.
 

LittleNemoNES

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
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Meanwhile none of the over-the-top Nvidia fanboys have bothered to post...
Like on that informative thread about people having trouble with the 7900GTO
 

hardwareking

Senior member
May 19, 2006
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wasn't the availability of the geforce 7800 GTX 512 hampered by the lack of high speed GDDR3 memory?So isn't nvidia playing with fire when usin it on the 8800 series?
Where as ATI so far with the x1950xtx hasn't had any troubles with the memory.What do u think?
 

Cookie Monster

Diamond Member
May 7, 2005
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Originally posted by: hardwareking
wasn't the availability of the geforce 7800 GTX 512 hampered by the lack of high speed GDDR3 memory?So isn't nvidia playing with fire when usin it on the 8800 series?
Where as ATI so far with the x1950xtx hasn't had any troubles with the memory.What do u think?

That was about 6months ago. GDDR3 is in mass production, especially the 1.2ns GDDR3 modules which the G80 is using. (The ones that the 7800GTX 512mb used)

ATi is the one playing with fire. According to the rumour, the GDDR4 used on R600 is going to total 1024mb. For 512bit they need 16 memory chips. These memory chips will have to be 64mb each. GDDR4, especially ones that can be clocked higher (with low latency) are quite rare and the quantity available is probably far more less compared to GDDR3. (The ones X1950XTX is using is THE slowest GDDR4 memory currently available today).

 

josh6079

Diamond Member
Mar 17, 2006
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These memory chips will have to be 64mb each. GDDR4, especially ones that can be clocked higher (with low latency) are quite rare and the quantity available is probably far more less compared to GDDR3. (The ones X1950XTX is using is THE slowest GDDR4 memory currently available today).
:shocked: That double-negative sent me for a loop.
 

Zenoth

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2005
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Are we even sure that R600 will have 64 Unified Shaders ? Or is it just yet another rumor ?
 

lopri

Elite Member
Jul 27, 2002
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If it happens we'll see an unprecedented bandwidth. I still say no for the viability. FYI: Doubling the bandwidth, not to mention doubling the width, doesn't equal to doubling the performance. A prime example is 256-bit 6800U and 128-bit 7600GT.
 

Cookie Monster

Diamond Member
May 7, 2005
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Originally posted by: Zenoth
Are we even sure that R600 will have 64 Unified Shaders ? Or is it just yet another rumor ?

That another rumour. Now the latest rumour is that the R600 has 96 shaders..
 

Avalon

Diamond Member
Jul 16, 2001
7,571
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Originally posted by: Cookie Monster
Originally posted by: Zenoth
Are we even sure that R600 will have 64 Unified Shaders ? Or is it just yet another rumor ?

That another rumour. Now the latest rumour is that the R600 has 96 shaders..

I'd hope it would be 96 shaders over 64. The latter sounds rather weak compared to the extremely impressive rumored bandwidth.
 

BFG10K

Lifer
Aug 14, 2000
22,709
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If true the bandwidth on this card will be insane. I just hope ATi finally pull their finger out and start offering full screen super-sampling to take advantage of it.
 

poohbear

Platinum Member
Mar 11, 2003
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Originally posted by: apoppin
pretty soon we're gonna have to stop saying ATi . . . they approved the merger . . . DAAMiT

;)

:D

amd have repeatedly stated they're keeping the ATI brandname. it simply has far too much brand recognition to do away w/.
 

apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
34,890
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alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: poohbear
Originally posted by: apoppin
pretty soon we're gonna have to stop saying ATi . . . they approved the merger . . . DAAMiT

;)

:D

amd have repeatedly stated they're keeping the ATI brandname. it simply has far too much brand recognition to do away w/.

DAAMiT = ATi + AMD :p

:roll:
 

jiffylube1024

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
7,430
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Originally posted by: Zenoth
Are we even sure that R600 will have 64 Unified Shaders ? Or is it just yet another rumor ?

Rumour. All we know (or are pretty certain) is that it will consume 200-300W at load!