Following the storming success of the recently introduced SAPPHIRE HD 5800 series, SAPPHIRE Technology now introduces the HD 5700 series, setting new standards for performance, value for money and features.

Only the second product line to fully support the forthcoming DirectX 11 from Microsoft, the new HD 5700 series brings many of the exciting architectural and performance features of the HD 5800 series to users on lower budgets. The HD 5700 series is based on a new GPU from the ATI division of AMD built in low power 40nm technology. This new series includes support for the new instruction set of DirectCompute 11, hardware tessellation, accelerated multi-threading capability, support for ATI Stream and the ability to display across up to three monitors simultaneously with ATI Eyefinity.The new SAPPHIRE HD 5770 has 800 Stream Processors - the same number as top of the range cards in the previous generation - and is fitted with 1GB of GDDR5 memory connected via a new high speed 128-bit memory interface. Clocks are 850MHz core and 1200MHz (4800MHz effective) for the memory delivering excellent performance. Designed to be installed in a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slot, the SAPPHIRE HD 5770 also has two CrossFire connectors on its upper edge, allowing up to four of these cards to be used together for enhanced performance in a suitable CrossFireX enabled mainboard. It has two Dual-link DVI, one HDMI and one DisplayPort connector on the bracket.

The SAPPHIRE HD 5750 is a SAPPHIRE original design bringing unrivalled performance, features and value for money. It has 720 Stream Processors and is fitted with 1GB of GDDR5 memory, again with the new high performance 128-bit memory interface. Clocks are 700MHz core and 1150MHZ (4600MHZ effective) for the memory, delivering the best performance in its class. Native CrossFire support again allows multiple cards to be used in a suitable CrossFireX enabled system. The SAPPHIRE HD 5750 is a low power graphics solution requiring only one 6-pin power connector (adapter supplied) and drawing only 86W under load and a very low 16W when in 2D or Windows desktop mode. The shorter PCB is easily installed in any PC case, and the speed controlled fan assisted cooler is very quiet in operation. Two Dual-link DVI, one HDMI and one DisplayPort connectors are provided.

Both of the cards in the SAPPHIRE HD 5700 series support the new ATI Eyefinity mode which allows up to three monitors to be used simultaneously from one GPU.

Both of these new SAPPHIRE models support accelerated rendering and video transcoding applications with ATI Stream. Both models also have the latest generation of built-in UVD (Universal Video Decoder) delivering smooth decoding of Blu-ray and HD DVD content for both VC-1 and H.264 codecs, as well as Mpeg files. In the SAPPHIRE HD 5700 series the UVD is able to decode two 1080p HD video streams simultaneously and is able to display HD video in high quality with Windows Aero mode enabled. HDMI capability has also been upgraded to HDMI 1.3a with Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio support.

SAPPHIRE HD 5700 series cards are available from 13th October 2009. Full retail versions of the cards will include a coupon for the exciting new driving game, Dirt2 - one of the first of a new generation of titles to fully utilise the capabilities of DirectX 11.