- Jul 4, 2005
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I already have a R700 thread. So let's try to keep all info on that one in that thread. This will be the constantly updated R680 thread. 
I search the net every day for info on these two cards.
R680 hardware is ready, but software isn't
Hardware development faster than software
Radeon 3870X2 has seen the public eye, but ATI forbids any testing of such a product. It waits for the final driver before it releases the numbers.
The story is quite simple, RV670 the chip behind the R680, got out sooner than anyone had expected and the software guys didn?t plan that this would happen.
R680 is made of two RV670 chips and even the card design is finished, but the software guys need at least till January to have the driver ready. This driver is also going to support CrossfireX, so if you want to buy more than two 3870 or 3850, better save your breath until January.
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Another R680 card pictured / OEM MAYBE ?
One seriously big card
Although Fudo got us some nice R680 pictures here, Chiphell has got their hands on a slightly different looking card which seems to have been made for OEMs and System Integrators. It has an extender that makes it possible to mount this card in a slot at the front of the case which holds in in place, something that isn't standard in most cases these days. However, it was fairly commonplace back in the days of full-length ISA and VLB cards, and Dell still uses in some of its cases today.
Thanks to the clear plastic shrouding over the heatsink, it's easier to see what's underneath it and it has a massive heatsink, indeed. Some parts look like they're made from some sort of alloy, while others are made from copper, just as with the Radeon HD 2900XT. There are two big copper heatsinks and this gives away the two-chip design, but there's also a smaller heatsink in between the two.
It's very possible that AMD will be offering this card to companies such as Dell or HP, to name a couple of the big boys in town, but at the moment it's too early to tell. The card design makes sense, especially as Dell got a similar design from Nvidia for the 8800 GTX and Ultra cards they use. The full-length cards are more secure during transit and this would reduce RMAs and engineer call-outs.
I search the net every day for info on these two cards.R680 hardware is ready, but software isn't
Hardware development faster than software
Radeon 3870X2 has seen the public eye, but ATI forbids any testing of such a product. It waits for the final driver before it releases the numbers.
The story is quite simple, RV670 the chip behind the R680, got out sooner than anyone had expected and the software guys didn?t plan that this would happen.
R680 is made of two RV670 chips and even the card design is finished, but the software guys need at least till January to have the driver ready. This driver is also going to support CrossfireX, so if you want to buy more than two 3870 or 3850, better save your breath until January.
_____________________________
Another R680 card pictured / OEM MAYBE ?
One seriously big card
Although Fudo got us some nice R680 pictures here, Chiphell has got their hands on a slightly different looking card which seems to have been made for OEMs and System Integrators. It has an extender that makes it possible to mount this card in a slot at the front of the case which holds in in place, something that isn't standard in most cases these days. However, it was fairly commonplace back in the days of full-length ISA and VLB cards, and Dell still uses in some of its cases today.
Thanks to the clear plastic shrouding over the heatsink, it's easier to see what's underneath it and it has a massive heatsink, indeed. Some parts look like they're made from some sort of alloy, while others are made from copper, just as with the Radeon HD 2900XT. There are two big copper heatsinks and this gives away the two-chip design, but there's also a smaller heatsink in between the two.
It's very possible that AMD will be offering this card to companies such as Dell or HP, to name a couple of the big boys in town, but at the moment it's too early to tell. The card design makes sense, especially as Dell got a similar design from Nvidia for the 8800 GTX and Ultra cards they use. The full-length cards are more secure during transit and this would reduce RMAs and engineer call-outs.
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