Well ATI sure kept us waiting, but it will finally be introduced this month, the R520 architecture, the successor to the X800 family of graphics cards and a contender for the 3D graphics throne. But why wait for that introduction when you can have a sneak peak today? Normally we would?ve adhered to ATI?s NDA and published results the moment it expired. However this time around ATI decided to just not bother with us and go with pro-ATI media, or rather media that would paint a more favorable picture of its latest graphics architecture. They made it very clear that we did not make the cut, as we have written some articles about CrossFire, R520 and ATI?s financial situation that were not apparently not appreciated. Hence we?ve not been briefed by ATI, nor did we sign an NDA, or have been invited to the launch event, so basically they decided to cut us off.
Unfortunately for ATI we have other sources to get detailed information from, for example the board partners that will be manufacturing and selling the majority of these new graphics cards. Obviously because we?re not bound by any NDA or other agreement with ATI we?ve worked hard to get you some benchmark results prior to the launch which is scheduled for the end of this month. To ATI we?d like to comment that it is a two-way street really, we?d like to be briefed about your products and have early access to them, if that requirement is met we will have no issues with signing and adhering to NDAs. By cutting us off however we?ve just been given a new incentive to work harder to break the news when we get a chance, in our usual no holds barred fashion.
Originally posted by: MichaelD
I'm glad that I decided not to wait for "the next big thing" and purchased a 7800GTX. Awesome card.
Wow. I waited six months for less improvement than I expected on the ATi front. Oh well, I'll wait for the next gen from nVidia.
$150 more for the XT which is defeated by the GTX? No thanks.
Originally posted by: Novercalis
i'd still say wait till AT makes the benchies, not some reviewer who were cut off.
For all we know, disgruntle bias report. Than again even they said, they didnt physically do the benchies but sent them a script..
so we will never know how accurate those results are.
until the reviews comes out from those folks with the NDA, hold on to ur money.
Originally posted by: Oyeve
They pitted the ATI up against lot of SLI cards. I dont think this is a fair comparision.
Originally posted by: Novercalis
i'd still say wait till AT makes the benchies, not some reviewer who were cut off.
For all we know, disgruntle bias report. Than again even they said, they didnt physically do the benchies but sent them a script..
so we will never know how accurate those results are.
until the reviews comes out from those folks with the NDA, hold on to ur money.
Originally posted by: Greenman
Am I the only one who thinks this story has a few holes in it?
Quote: The numbers you see reflected in the next few pages are therefore provided AS IS, as we have no way to verify them as we don?t physically have a board, they are accurate as far as we can see and in line what we?ve been expecting. So without further ado, let?s take a look at what the R520 architecture is capable of.
So they got an ATI partner to break their NDA and run benchmarks for them? I doubt it. Sounds like sour grapes to me.