Register Reports R520 to launch with unified shaders Arch

Drayvn

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Jun 23, 2004
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Well it could be as the R500 for the Xbox360 was completed in November and was shipping the designs to MS by Feb? i think thats right.

The first tape out for the R520 and the rest of the GPUs were done in November so maybe they could have done something like that.

Someone else would be able to elaborate far more than me, but IMO its possible.
 

ddogg

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May 4, 2005
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hmm i didnt see anywhere in that article indicating the R520 will be unified.
 

Drayvn

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Jun 23, 2004
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"In addition to DirectX 9 Shader Model 3.0 support, the new GPUs are expected to support H.264 video decoding and feature a unified shader architecture. They are likely to clock "around 50 per cent higher than products manufactured on older processes", according to the joint statement with TSMC."
 

Turtle 1

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Sep 14, 2005
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No this cann't be right. I don't think XP supports it . I don't know but I think thats a misprint . ATI has gotten pretty good with drivers but I would think we would have heard more about this . If in fact this is true (very unlikely) Makes me wonder about the shader model it would have to be SM3+ Thats whats in Xbox 360
 

jasonja

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Feb 22, 2001
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Originally posted by: Turtle 1
No this cann't be right. I don't think XP supports it . I don't know but I think thats a misprint . ATI has gotten pretty good with drivers but I would think we would have heard more about this .


XP doesn't need to support "it" for a GPU to have unified shaders... how things are done internally in the hardware's architecture is of no importance to XP.

Nonetheless, this isn't true. It's well known that R520 doesn't have unified shaders.
 
Mar 19, 2003
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Originally posted by: Turtle 1
No this cann't be right. I don't think XP supports it . I don't know but I think thats a misprint . ATI has gotten pretty good with drivers but I would think we would have heard more about this . If in fact this is true (very unlikely) Makes me wonder about the shader model it would have to be SM3+

I think it's possible - it could be one of the things they're holding back info for the NDA lift and/or launch...would be quite interesting if true. :)

Edit: Then again, this is The Register...if we believed everything they said, we'd have Soundstorm 2 on Nforce 4 motherboards. :p
 

xtknight

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Oct 15, 2004
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Originally posted by: jasonja
Originally posted by: Turtle 1
No this cann't be right. I don't think XP supports it . I don't know but I think thats a misprint . ATI has gotten pretty good with drivers but I would think we would have heard more about this .


XP doesn't need to support "it" for a GPU to have unified shaders... how things are done internally in the hardware's architecture is of no importance to XP.

Nonetheless, this isn't true. It's well known that R520 doesn't have unified shaders.

But DirectX has to support it. AFAIK it's not getting released until DX9.L. Then again neither of us 'know' that until it's released either.
 

M0RPH

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2003
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Originally posted by: jasonja

Nonetheless, this isn't true. It's well known that R520 doesn't have unified shaders.

I have my doubts about this as well but really, nothing is "well known" about the internals of R520. You simply can't state as fact that this isn't true, unless you have some inside info, then I'd love to hear about it.
 

xtknight

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Oct 15, 2004
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Originally posted by: M0RPH
Originally posted by: jasonja

Nonetheless, this isn't true. It's well known that R520 doesn't have unified shaders.

I have my doubts about this as well but really, nothing is "well known" about the internals of R520. You simply can't state as fact that this isn't true, unless you have some inside info, then I'd love to hear about it.

It gets annoying when someone thinks they know all the facts when the product hasn't even been paper-launched yet.
 

Turtle 1

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Sep 14, 2005
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Originally posted by: jasonja
Originally posted by: Turtle 1
No this cann't be right. I don't think XP supports it . I don't know but I think thats a misprint . ATI has gotten pretty good with drivers but I would think we would have heard more about this .


XP doesn't need to support "it" for a GPU to have unified shaders... how things are done internally in the hardware's architecture is of no importance to XP.

Nonetheless, this isn't true. It's well known that R520 doesn't have unified shaders.

Yes I have to agree with you on that one. If its true it will have been 1 of the best kept secrets in the industry. It certainly would shed light on all the differant reports on the number of pipes. Microsoft is suppose to be releasing some sort of direct x as reported in the inquirer.

 

videogames101

Diamond Member
Aug 24, 2005
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This would be so perfect, if it's true me and the rest of us in the the ati camp will go nutz.
 

5150Joker

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Feb 6, 2002
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www.techinferno.com
If it turns out by some remote chance that R520 has unified shaders (DX 10 is done after all) then expect to hear nVidiots claim it's a useless feature being ready for DX10 because games won't utilize it until R600 & Vista rolls around. The same people that have preached about SM 3.0/Open EXR (despite mediocre game support) will do an about face, mark my words.
 

videogames101

Diamond Member
Aug 24, 2005
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dude, you know they will thinking in there heads...."OMG i want that unified shader card but i can't betray.... nvidia or can i....... nope i'm a nvidiot" *types it's useless*
 

ArchAngel777

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Dec 24, 2000
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Originally posted by: 5150Joker
If it turns out by some remote chance that R520 has unified shaders (DX 10 is done after all) then expect to hear nVidiots claim it's a useless feature being ready for DX10 because games won't utilize it until R600 & Vista rolls around. The same people that have preached about SM 3.0/Open EXR (despite mediocre game support) will do an about face, mark my words.

Way to generalize...
 

Turtle 1

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Sep 14, 2005
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There I was wondering about finding out the number of pipes . Now it well be Shader Pipelines(vec4+Scaler) OH crap. Settle down guys if its true it would be more like SM3+ thats whats in the Xbox. But SM4 makes better since than it will be fully vista complaint. Which would make everyone happy.
 

videogames101

Diamond Member
Aug 24, 2005
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i'm doing an upgrade of my vid card and i can't decide to save for about 2-3 months and buy a r520 or just get an x800, i'll have to look at the benchmarks
 

5150Joker

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Feb 6, 2002
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Originally posted by: ArchAngel777
Originally posted by: 5150Joker
If it turns out by some remote chance that R520 has unified shaders (DX 10 is done after all) then expect to hear nVidiots claim it's a useless feature being ready for DX10 because games won't utilize it until R600 & Vista rolls around. The same people that have preached about SM 3.0/Open EXR (despite mediocre game support) will do an about face, mark my words.

Way to generalize...

You know it's true - and I bet if it doesn't offer any immediate tangible performance gain nVidiots will point out, "see being dx10 ready is useless, there are no real performance benefits" despite having used different arguments for SM 3.0/OpenEXR about 1+ yr back. Of course this based on the assumption it will even have unified shaders which I highly doubt though it would be a really nice surprise.
 

Turtle 1

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Sep 14, 2005
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Guys if its true and by chance SM4 is supported . Lets turn this video card forum around . Rise above the fray and no flaming. Be mature and have civil chats.
 

M0RPH

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Dec 7, 2003
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Originally posted by: Turtle 1
Guys if its true and by chance SM4 is supported . Lets turn this video card forum around . Rise above the fray and no flaming. Be mature and have civil chats.

Nah, we'll rub it in their face just like they rubbed SM3 in the faces of ATI owners. :D