ATI to release Super-duper r580

[FarFarAway]

ATI are stepping up the HEAT in the Graphical kitchen it seems.

Reports are filtering across the web that they are really stepping up to the plate with a new chip to "show them greenies".

ATI has not disclosed specifications of R580, but we are under the impression that it will have significantly more shader power and higher clock speeds over R520. We're expecting to see 48 shader processors attached to the Ultra Threaded Dispatch Processor compared to the 16 shader processors in R520. However, there will be no increase in texture units or pixel output engines - there will still be 16 texture units and 16 pixel output engines.

R580 (Radeon X1900) is reported to be pin-compatible with the current Radeon X1800-series PCB, meaning that we are not expecting to see ATI move to GDDR4 with the first R580-based products. We could see that move later down the line, though.

Well that should be a sweet GPU. ATI are still behind nvidia at the moment (at least in speeds) with the GTX 512mb having blown the x1800xt out of the water. Unfortunately the total unavailability of the 512mb GTX has set-back enthusiasts scramble for the current King-of-the-Hill

We also understand that ATI will use the same cooling solution as found on the current flagship Radeon X1800XT on the new top end card that we're expecting to be called Radeon X1900XT. Yesterday, Wil let on that it might be known as Radeon X1850 series but - based on the differences between R520 and R580 - I suspect it justifies a bigger leap in nomenclature to X1900.

So that means that ATI can't beat nvidia with their current architecture and feel that maybe its time to start implementing some of the steps taken in the Xbox GPU.

About time I say - ATI need a bit of a step up after being whipped for a while with nvidia 78XX series

Meanwhile nvidia are readying their NV71 and also have a rumoured NV80 in the pipeline. Little is known about these cards but apparently they will be pretty special

More from Bit-Tech

 

[FragTek]

With any luck at all ATI will actually step up to the plate and compete!

 

[Trippledence]

With any luck at all ATI will actually step up to the plate and compete!

With even more luck, Nvida will just make something even better. Then we can all save ourselves the time of looking at ATI cards, and just assume Nvida's will be better. I do hope they keep there edge for once.

 

[Danni]

I can't wait to see NVidia's new cards (will probably be able to afford them in a year or two... so long as I can play my Sims 2). Recently they seem to be whipping the arses of ATI (I'm only using this 9600SE cos it's better than the FX 5200 I was using before )

 

[PV5150]

With any luck at all ATI will actually step up to the plate and compete

Yep I certainly hope so, ATI needs to do something drastic. First there were their average crossfire motherboards, and then the terrible delay leading up to their supposed 'Nvidia' killer. Although, I have been doing some research on the new ATI GPU architecture; their so called 'ring bus' looks like it'll be killer once they get it perfected.