ATI's Radeon X1000 series graphics processors

Vikingod · Oct 5, 2005, 06:44 PM

We've been waiting quite a while for ATI's new generation of graphics chips. It's no secret that the R500-series GPUs are arriving later than expected, and fans of the company have nervously speculated about the cause of the delay. ATI chose to build its new series of graphics chips using 90nm process technology, and going with new process tech has always been risky. Some folks fretted that ATI may have run into the same sort of problems at 90nm that made Intel's Pentium 4 "Prescott" processors famously hot, power hungry, and unable to hit their projected clock speeds. In a related vein, others fussed over rumors that ATI's new high-end R520 architecture was "only" 16 pipes wide, compounding the process technology risk. If the R520 couldn't hit its clock speed targets, it could have a difficult time keeping pace with its would-be rival, NVIDIA's GeForce 7800, whose wider 24-pipe design makes it less dependent on high clock frequencies. As the weeks dragged on with no sign of ATI's new GPUs, the rumor mill began circulating these concerns ever more urgently.
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Read More / Source: The Tech Report

Oct 5, 2005, 06:44 PM	#1
Vikingod Int'l Fish Liaison Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: By the light of lamp I sit and type... Posts: 16,197 Rep Power: 112 System Specs	ATI's Radeon X1000 series graphics processors We've been waiting quite a while for ATI's new generation of graphics chips. It's no secret that the R500-series GPUs are arriving later than expected, and fans of the company have nervously speculated about the cause of the delay. ATI chose to build its new series of graphics chips using 90nm process technology, and going with new process tech has always been risky. Some folks fretted that ATI may have run into the same sort of problems at 90nm that made Intel's Pentium 4 "Prescott" processors famously hot, power hungry, and unable to hit their projected clock speeds. In a related vein, others fussed over rumors that ATI's new high-end R520 architecture was "only" 16 pipes wide, compounding the process technology risk. If the R520 couldn't hit its clock speed targets, it could have a difficult time keeping pace with its would-be rival, NVIDIA's GeForce 7800, whose wider 24-pipe design makes it less dependent on high clock frequencies. As the weeks dragged on with no sign of ATI's new GPUs, the rumor mill began circulating these concerns ever more urgently. ___________ Read More / Source: The Tech Report Last edited by MIG-31; Oct 5, 2005 at 06:49 PM.