ATI 4xxx Series Thread

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: dv8silencer
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=11842

I thought the 4800s were going to be either GDDR3 or GDDR5 ?

the reference designs are supposedly only GDDR3 and GDDR5... but the chip is supposed to support 3/4/5. So nothing keeps a company from using 4... except that no one makes good GDDR4 at reasonable prices.
But my bet is that it is a mistake in the article and that only DDR3 and 5 will be made. Heck it was my understanding that only GDDR5 will be sold at retailers... with GDDR3 being limited only to system builders (ie, you buy a cheap system from dell or HP or something it COULD be with a GDDR3 or GDDR5... depending on model).
GDDR3 makes no sense, it is only a little cheaper, but takes a LOT more electricity, and is slower, so overall, it will quickly become MORE expensive. But people will buy it to pay less up front and pay more in bills later.

 

[Rusin]

GDDR3 has one advantage more over GDDR5:
Availability.

HD4870 (which uses GDDR5) - Will PAPER launch June 18th, on markets at July
HD4850 GDDR5 cancelled
HD4870 X2 (which uses GDDR5) - launches late Q3 when there is more GDDR5 chips.

 

[teatime0315]

^ wtf haha spam?

 

[taltamir]

WTF ARE they advertising? "w78c32p-40" ? what is a "w78c32p-40"?

 

[Rusin]

Originally posted by: teatime0315
^ wtf haha spam?

Where's that "Report to moderator"-button?

 

[BFG10K]

Spam has been removed.

If you see any more examples please PM me and I will take care of it.

Video Mod BFG10K.

 

[bryanW1995]

dude, I love spam!!! someone should have told me about it sooner! I used to just eat the whole package with no bread or anything...yumyum

Bryan:
That 2nd Gen unified shaders on GT200 should be intresting; Nvidia claims 50% bigger performance with GT200 shader than with G80/g92 shader...

yeah, I saw that. This is looking more and more like a huge leap forward for both camps. I'm getting pretty excited, let me tell you. Now, if I could just find the time to game...

 

[Grinja]

Originally posted by: taltamir
the rumer is that it supposedly IMPROVES the hardware implementation... not full hardware implementation, but a step beyond the current... isnt the current model something like 5th gen CF already?

Every generation slightly improves the efficiency and capability of multi GPU setups. but it still has a way to go.

If ATI is committed that their future high end cards will be Multi GPU then I'm sure they'll put more resources in improving their CrossFireX drivers.

Developers will likely also improve multi GPU support in their future games.
The current trend already implicates that if you want the highest image quality i.e at least 24" with AA, you will be running Xfire/SLI.

 

[amheck]

I'm looking for a card for my low-profile HTPC. Was getting ready to order a 3450 and came across this. Is there any reason to wait for the new "4450" card?

 

[Martimus]

Originally posted by: amheck
I'm looking for a card for my low-profile HTPC. Was getting ready to order a 3450 and came across this. Is there any reason to wait for the new "4450" card?

I don't think that the HD 4450 cards will be released soon. It may be 2-3 months before we see the low end versions of their new card series. The new series has a new version of the Unified Video Decoder (UVD2), so it would probably be better. It also includes support for 7.1 channel audio via HDMI. Other than that, I don't think there are any reasons to wait. The 3450 has all of the other features the 4450 would likely have, and it even has a UVD; just the last generation version, and it supports Audio via HDMI except it only support 5.1 audio.

 

[amheck]

Thanks for the response. I don't need 7.1 and yeah, I didn't know they were to be released so far behind. 3450 it is.

 

[Grinja]

Originally posted by: amheck
I'm looking for a card for my low-profile HTPC. Was getting ready to order a 3450 and came across this. Is there any reason to wait for the new "4450" card?

I think HD4xxxx brings 7.1 sound over hdmi. ATI are suposedly putting more emphasis on Power Play.

 

[dv8silencer]

http://www.tomshardware.com/ne...D-GDDR5-4800,5440.html

 

[taltamir]

well, prices on the 3450 will probably go down when the 48xx series is released...

but that is the only reason i can think of to wait.

 

[dv8silencer]

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=11855

 

[taltamir]

the GDDR5 supposedly takes 33% less power then GDDR3... combined with the SOI process AMD might actually deliver cards that consume less then 100watt at FULL LOAD. (in fact, the rumers say that the 4870 does exactly that).

I guess if you waited for the 4850 for your HTPC you would get a much more power efficient card.

Actually, why in the blazes would you even use such a card? why not get a 780G / Geforce 8000 mobo with built in GPU AND built HD decode...

 

[Rusin]

And how big partof total power consumption is vram anyway? GDDR3 doesn't consume that much or why do you think that for example in some 9600 GT models they can have those mem chip without even a heatsink? Most cards in these performance levels have tiny heat sink on them, but GPU needs freakishly large cooling fan+heatsink. Yeah memory is just tiny part of power consumption

http://www.hardware-infos.com/...000_final_document.jpg
According to this HD4870's TDP would be 157W and HD4850's 114W

 

[nonameo]

With the power savings and high clockspeed potential of GDDR5, any chance we'll see ATI try for a cheaper(more mainstream) 128 bit card equipped with this ram, or will it be seen solely in higher end cards?

 

[teatime0315]

I'm pretty sure that we'll only see GDDR5 in the high end this generation. But once GDDR5 becomes readily available then we would probably see it in the lower end.

 

[Rusin]

nonameo:
1) Availability: There aren't many GDDR5-chips ready and cheaper cards would need much more of them since sales numbers are much larger
2) Price: I'd think that 256-bit + GDDR3 is cheaper than 128-bit + GDDR5

 

[taltamir]

actually its 512bit + GDDR3 (nvidia next gen) vs 256bit + GDDR5 (AMD next gen)

 

[Rusin]

Taltamir:
Yes those will be on performance and enthusiast level..but we were speculating about midrange possibilities..

 

[taltamir]

No need to speculate, those are already known...
Low end:
nvidia supposed will have a 448bit bus + GDDR3.
AMDs there will be 256bit + GDDR3...

And those are the really LOW END parts we are talking about... AMD says the 256bit + GDDR3 would not even be available in stores or etailers... only on the lowest end of preassembled machines.

 

[Martimus]

Originally posted by: taltamir
No need to speculate, those are already known...
Low end:
nvidia supposed will have a 448bit bus + GDDR3.
AMDs there will be 256bit + GDDR3...

And those are the really LOW END parts we are talking about... AMD says the 256bit + GDDR3 would not even be available in stores or etailers... only on the lowest end of preassembled machines.

He is talking about the HD 4450 and HD 4650, not the HD 4850. We don't even know when the low end will launch, since the high-end and Enthusiast are being launched first with both companies.

 

[allies]

I really hope the 4870 comes out and offers 75% of the performance of the GTX280... for less than half the price it'd be a steal.