ATI RV530 & RV515 specs revealed

[orwell84]

So am I correct in assuming that I will actually be able to buy an XT version of the R520 in early October or is that the date of the paper launch?

Is the R520XL due in early September expected to be comparable in performance to the 7800GTX?


When does it look like these cards will be available.

I'm not all that imressed with this announcement. ATI is throwing us a bone, but it is a skinny, dry, splintery chicken bone.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: JBT
128 bit memory? weak....

I agree. That's so last gen. FOUR pipelines? What a major disappointment. Unless it has a high IPC or good optimizations, it's going to be hurting performance-wise. If neither of those is true, I can't help but think how they released the RV515 with a straight face (unless that card is running for <$150). The RV530 looks like a kick-ass mainstream card, but we'll wait and see.

 

[blckgrffn]

considering that 128 bit memory will have comparable bandwidth to a 9800 Pro, it isn't so bad for a mainstream part...


Nat

 

[ayabe]

Originally posted by: blckgrffn
Because mainstream cards are sub $200 and make up the vast majority of cards sold and are where all the profit is. Clear enough?

128 bit will be fine for resolutions of 1024*768, maybe 1280*1024. I think that many people play at those resolutions. Games are really shader bound at this point anyway, and 12 pipes @ 600 mhz should be a pretty awesome GPU for the mainstream market.

Yes that's true but the capabilities of high end are what grabs peoples attention, then they tune down their purchases based on what they can afford. I would be willing to be ATI will be selling fewer of their mid-low end cards if the 520 turns out to be crap.

 

[Banzai042]

Originally posted by: Creig

While it's true that ATI has lost sales to the 7800GTX, it's nowhere near "too late to the table". After the R520 is released, nobody who needs a high performance video card is going to care which one was released first, only which one fits their needs the best.

I would disagree with that one, last summer when i got my comp i ordered it after the 6800U was announced, but before it was released, because i had to have the most powerful card avalible at the time. From what i remember i didn't see anything about the ATi X series cards until after i had been playing with my 6800U for a few weeks, and the X850 wasn't avalible for months, leaving only the X800 cards, which the 6800U did beat. By not having the R520 Avalible soon after the 7800GTX ATi has lost a lot of business from customers like me who did their first substantial upgrade in years and don't plan on another one for years because they probably won't have the $ to upgrade their $550 videocard.

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Banzai042

Originally posted by: Creig

While it's true that ATI has lost sales to the 7800GTX, it's nowhere near "too late to the table". After the R520 is released, nobody who needs a high performance video card is going to care which one was released first, only which one fits their needs the best.

I would disagree with that one, last summer when i got my comp i ordered it after the 6800U was announced, but before it was released, because i had to have the most powerful card avalible at the time. From what i remember i didn't see anything about the ATi X series cards until after i had been playing with my 6800U for a few weeks, and the X850 wasn't avalible for months, leaving only the X800 cards, which the 6800U did beat. By not having the R520 Avalible soon after the 7800GTX ATi has lost a lot of business from customers like me who did their first substantial upgrade in years and don't plan on another one for years because they probably won't have the $ to upgrade their $550 videocard.

Exactly. I am currently looking to upgrade my vid card. I currently have an AGP 6800GTOC. I bought a DFI PCI-e mobo and a processor is soon coming. The only cards I have to choose from, are the 7800GT's and GTX's. If the R520 was here, and it was competitive, at least I could have considered it for a purchase. I have no choice at present, and NOW is the time for my upgrade while I can still get the most I can for my last gen hardware. Some people have no problem with waiting, I usually don't either. But I'm ready now.

 

[BigfootKevin]

So does crossfire HAVE to have a Radeon Xpress based board? or will that only give more performance compared to non xpress mobo?

 

[CU]

12 pipes on the the R530 is not bad when you consider at 600mhz that equals a fillrate of 7200. A 6800GT would have to run at 450mhz to reach that. Also gpu performance seems to be the next big think not more memory bandwith assuming your not running above 1280 that is. So for a main stream card this seems very good. Wish we knew the price of the R530. Also when do we get a real review with benchmarks?

 

[KeepItRed]

Yea, Crossfire needs Xpress mobo's, but as for single cards you can use N-force no problem.

 

[Avalon]

It would be neat if they gave their mainstream parts 192bit memory bandwidth like some of the new XGI cards were supposed to have. It would be cheaper than 256bit, but provide more bandwidth than a 128bit width setup.

 

[imported_X]

By the time these come out, the Nvidia will already have released their low-mid end cards (7600, etc.) which I'm guessing will be at least on par with these specs. ATI has really been disappointing me lately.

 

[KeepItRed]

*Off-topic* LOL Avalon I just noticed your sig, g3pro...LMAO how can it be possible to do tests with the R520 if:

A) It's not out.
B) Not even official specs are released.
C) How can you get your hands on a R520 in 3D05?

 

[blckgrffn]

What is better if you know when he posted that, about a month prior to the release of the 7800GTX

 

[BigfootKevin]

Originally posted by: KeepItRed
Yea, Crossfire needs Xpress mobo's, but as for single cards you can use N-force no problem.

Meh, I doubt i'll wanna afford 2 cards anyway

 

[hans030390]

I wonder how these will compare to the 7 series...they're clocked higher, but have less pipes...hm...perhaps the R520 will be 24 pipes?

 

[KeepItRed]

Originally posted by: BigfootKevin

Originally posted by: KeepItRed
Yea, Crossfire needs Xpress mobo's, but as for single cards you can use N-force no problem.

Meh, I doubt i'll wanna afford 2 cards anyway

lol I'm waiting for a Sapphire R520 mobo, and I'll be throwing one R520, then 10 years later when I get like 50 FPS I'll throw in a second.

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: Rollo
Wow.

Crossfire one year later than SLI.

High end, unknown spec "launch" four months after 7800GTX- and we don't know if cards will even be available at launch.

Looks like the rumors of another tape-out may well be true.

People have been posting all year, "It's taped out! Wait a month or two!" and now at the end of the year, ATI finally tells us to wait two months. Will be interesting to see if they can deliver by November.

Err, it'll be 3 months by the time they start releasing new cards, and under 3 months by the time they finish (3 months from 7800GTX is mid/late September, then 3 months after the 7800GT is early NOVERMBER) to release their entire line of new cards, not just the 2 top tier ones
From the affordable top end (7800GT to R520 XL) it will be 4~6 weeks only, which isn't a huge amount, and I would guess that a lot of people might be thinking more about that kind of price than the rediculous 7800GTX/R520XT cards (although you have sooo much money you don't seem to care about the rest of us who don't have quite so much we want to waste on PC's, or that fact that many people are limited to 1280x1024 or 1600x1200 resolutions where the difference between a 7800GT and 7800GTX isn't so huge so we don't need the extra power, but appreciate the extra features such as transparency AA etc), and 7800GT now and SLI (which you seem so fond of) to get 2 7800GT's down the line is a reasonable option compared to a 7800GTX or even two of them.

 

[Munky]

Originally posted by: hans030390
I wonder how these will compare to the 7 series...they're clocked higher, but have less pipes...hm...perhaps the R520 will be 24 pipes?

These are just the midrange and low end products. We have no official word on the r520 yet, but it sure as hell better have 24 pipes or more.

What bothers me is that Ati is taking the Nvidia approach - in order to save costs they use a narrower architecture and OC it within an inch of it's life. Sort of like the 128-bit 6600gt outperformed the 256-bit 9800p. While this approach worked pretty well of NV last gen, 128-bit seems kinda weak at this point in time. What would stop NV from releasing a 256-bit 12-pipe 7600gt to beat the crap out of a 128-bit midrange Ati card?

It seems pretty reasonable to expect 12-pipe 7-series card for $200-ish within the next month or two. In fact, if history were to repeat itself, we should see a $200 midrange card outperform the fastest card of last gen like the 6800U, but I doubt that's gonna happen.

 

[munchow2]

Lol well I suppose a 12 pipeline solution for a midrange card is just ok. The x800 and 6800 debut at higher prices for 12 pipes but I can't help but think it isn't very impressive on paper. They seem to have been extremely OCed (not good for enthusiasts) to be able to compete with Nvidia. It's like Intel releasing a 6ghz netburst processor to compete with FX-57/59 in gaming. Sure they could do it but you'd need some sort of extreme PSU and a nuclear power plant feeding it.

 

[Intelia]

Originally posted by: munky

Originally posted by: hans030390
I wonder how these will compare to the 7 series...they're clocked higher, but have less pipes...hm...perhaps the R520 will be 24 pipes?

These are just the midrange and low end products. We have no official word on the r520 yet, but it sure as hell better have 24 pipes or more.

What bothers me is that Ati is taking the Nvidia approach - in order to save costs they use a narrower architecture and OC it within an inch of it's life. Sort of like the 128-bit 6600gt outperformed the 256-bit 9800p. While this approach worked pretty well of NV last gen, 128-bit seems kinda weak at this point in time. What would stop NV from releasing a 256-bit 12-pipe 7600gt to beat the crap out of a 128-bit midrange Ati card?

It seems pretty reasonable to expect 12-pipe 7-series card for $200-ish within the next month or two. In fact, if history were to repeat itself, we should see a $200 midrange card outperform the fastest card of last gen like the 6800U, but I doubt that's gonna happen.

Munky here read this I think it should help you understand ATI'S thinking on this if you look at the performance boost it should put into light what ati is going for here . A good performing mid range card with cost constraints . I believe on the R530'S the performance boost will be much greater than the results posted on this link

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2498&p=2

By the time the cards are out the 59 drivers will be out and will know dought show even better results

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: Lonyo

Originally posted by: Rollo
Wow.

Crossfire one year later than SLI.

High end, unknown spec "launch" four months after 7800GTX- and we don't know if cards will even be available at launch.

Looks like the rumors of another tape-out may well be true.

People have been posting all year, "It's taped out! Wait a month or two!" and now at the end of the year, ATI finally tells us to wait two months. Will be interesting to see if they can deliver by November.

Err, it'll be 3 months by the time they start releasing new cards, and under 3 months by the time they finish (3 months from 7800GTX is mid/late September, then 3 months after the 7800GT is early NOVERMBER) to release their entire line of new cards, not just the 2 top tier ones
From the affordable top end (7800GT to R520 XL) it will be 4~6 weeks only, which isn't a huge amount, and I would guess that a lot of people might be thinking more about that kind of price than the rediculous 7800GTX/R520XT cards (although you have sooo much money you don't seem to care about the rest of us who don't have quite so much we want to waste on PC's, or that fact that many people are limited to 1280x1024 or 1600x1200 resolutions where the difference between a 7800GT and 7800GTX isn't so huge so we don't need the extra power, but appreciate the extra features such as transparency AA etc), and 7800GT now and SLI (which you seem so fond of) to get 2 7800GT's down the line is a reasonable option compared to a 7800GTX or even two of them.

I'm not sure I understand your reply.
I said it would be:

High end, unknown spec "launch" four months after 7800GTX- and we don't know if cards will even be available at launch.

there is nothing inaccurate about that.

1. We don't know the specs of the R520 from that article, so they are "unknown" like I said
2. We don't know that cards will be available at launch, so that is true as well
3. It says "Early October" for the "launch". I had two 7800GTXs in my hands 6/21/05. Four months from that is 10/21/05. If "launch" means you can buy a card "early October" is only a week or two less than four months. I don't call a week a difference worth your whole post, so what is it you find inaccurate about mine?


Even AT editor alludes to "launch" and "ship" being two different things here

Originally posted by: KristopherKubicki
rise4310: Youre correct. However, shipping and launching are definitely not the same (particularly for graphics companies). Keep in mind too the dates are just slightly fudged too - usually they launch 3 or 4 cards at a time; you'll have to read in between the lines there.

Kristopher

So my "four months" could be more like five. Or six- who knows? This card has taped out more times than any I can remember.

Question becomes "How long do I wait on the chance these will be good products?"

 

[KeepItRed]

Originally posted by: Rollo
I had two 7800GTXs in my hands

Wrong topic.

"ATI RV530 & RV515 specs revealed"

not

"7800GTX"

 

[coldpower27]

Nah pretty much unlikely, it would be very good if even the 7800 Standard outperformed the 6800 Ultra never mind the rumore "G72/7600GT"

 

[Intelia]

Rollo I have a question for you or I should say David does do you do gaming with your over the top system?

If so do you game online?

If so what games do you play online .

David wants to know because he would like to challenge you to play. Put up or shout up.

It shouldn't be much of a challenge for your over the top system. After all his system is a 3 year old INTEL P4C with an obsolite X800XT PE.

 

[blckgrffn]

Originally posted by: KeepItRed

Originally posted by: Rollo
I had two 7800GTXs in my hands

Wrong topic.

"ATI RV530 & RV515 specs revealed"

not

"7800GTX"

Thanks. This has nothing to do with nvidia. At all. Especially cards like 7800 GTX's.