ATI GPU 2006 Roadmap

[DJ_PAPA]

More chipsets, more GPUs, more options

DailyTech today reported on ATI's announcement of just how it will offer physics processing in its lineup. Using the latest Xpress 3200 (RD600) chipset, ATI is enabling physics processing by using a 3rd add-in card. Using a X1000 family card, a user can enable dedicated physics processing card after they have installed a CrossFire setup.

Physics however, remains only one of ATI's major announcements at Computex. ATI has several new GPUs lined up for the second half of 2006:

* RV505CE lowest end, 64-bit, 350MHz core / 250MHz memory
* RV505LE low end, 128-bit 450MHz core
* RV505 Pro
* RV515 Pro

More details on the above GPUs as they come.

The last trick up ATI's sleeve for 2006 is integrated Crossfire. ATI RV560 and RV570 will use an on-chip Crossfire logic that will allow for any motherboard to use dual GPUs in Crossfire mode. The composite engine used in the core still does not move all of the data across the PCIe lanes, and manufacturers insist to us that some sort of dongle or bridge will be needed between each card.

ATI's upcoming RV560 is a 128-bit pipeline, 450MHz core, 650MHz memory, 16x32 6 layer PCB. Roadmaps indicate that ATI will introduce both AGP and PCIe versions in August of this year. ATI's RV570 is identical (as far as we know) to RV560 except that it will have a 256-bit pipeline instead of 128-bit. Core frequency will remain the same as well as memory frequency.

At the most high end of ATI's mid-range is the RV570XT ASIC. RV570XT will feature everything the same as RV570XL, but have significantly higher clock speeds. The core clock speed should reach more than 600MHz and the memory clock speeds should obtain speeds near 1.1GHz.

OEM partners did not have any details on R600. The ATI roadmap so far carries the company through November. We reported earlier today that ATI's RS600 chipset gets a positive showing at Computex with several board releases from ATI partners.

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=2722

ATI RV570XT launch postponed till autumn
Computex 2006 Fireworks promised

ATI'S RADEON 'X1950XT' will be making an official appearance not in July or August, as our sources were previously telling us.

The current projection of R570XT debut is sometimes in the first two weeks of September, making it pretty much a back-to-school thing. ATI currently targets full availability of the product at the day of the launch, and not just in the first wave.

If you thing nVIDIA has nothing to worry about, think again: ATI's target is to equal or outdo the performance of R580 with fewer Shader units, but staying around the same clock.

The line-up consists of three models: two Hellfires and a Gemini. Hellfire-1 will be probably marked as the X1950XT, although nothing is set in stone. The GPU will be clocked somewhere around 600 to 650MHz for the GPU, while the 512MB of GDDR-3 memory is scheduled to run at 700 or 750MHz DDR (1400-1500MHz).

Since the RV570 chip has nice 512-bit internal (256-bit external) memory controller, you can expect bandwidth figures of 48 GB/s.

It will end up churning out around 7.8 billion pixels. The XTX part is scheduled to shove pretty much the same amount of pixels, since the clock speed of the XT and XTX will be pretty much in the same line.

The difference between the two the 136-pin BGA chip: the memory ATI will use the fastest GDDR-3 memory to date, which is only 400MHz shy of theoretical maximum X1K marchitecture can support.

The memory clock is scheduled to run at 1100MHz DDR, (2.2GHz!) When combining the number of bytes (256 bit equals 32 bytes) and the memory clock, we end up with data rate of incredible 70 GB/s for a single board!

What is certainly going to leave nVIDIA in awe are the four DualLink-DVI connectors on the Gemini board.

ATI learned that laughing at Nvidians over their Blowdrier (NV30) is only funny if you don't follow up with a vacuum cleaner in the next generation.

I admit to having gone so far as to dry my hair on the X1800XT CrossFire Edition last autumn. And I have to admit it pretty much works. If you keep the copper fins clear of dust. µ

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=32226

ATI's RS600 Gets a Showing at Computex

ECS and ATI show off RS600 and RD600 boards

DailyTech previously reported ATI was set to introduce new Conroe supporting chipsets in the near future. Motherboards based on the upcoming RS600 and RD600 have been sighted at Computex 2006. ECS has a mATX RS600 board at its booth—the RS600T-M. The purple motherboard has one PCI Express x16, one PCI Express x1, two PCI slots, four SATA II ports and four 240-pin DIMM slots. It looks pretty standard except what’s hidden under the silver ATI heatsink—a Radeon X700 derived graphics core. Those expecting a home theater PC board will be thoroughly disappointed as the RS600T-M lacks a HDMI output.

ATI has been showing off the new RD600 at its booth running a pair of X1900 class graphics cards in CrossFire. The new chipset is expected to have a DDR2-1066 MHz supporting memory controller capable of locking asynchronously from the front-side bus to allow greater overclocking potential. It is expected the RD600 will receive the Radeon Xpress 3200 Intel Edition moniker with its two full speed PCI Express x16 slot capability. RD600 has what ATI calls XpressRoute which appears to be the ATI equivalent to LinkBoost.

Pricing and availability is unknown at the time but expect RS600 boards to be south of the $100 range and RD600 boards around the $150 range.

http://www.dailytech.com/Article.aspx?newsid=2723