ATI HD 2950Pro (RV670) Cards - Specs Revealed

[malware]

The good people over at VR-Zone have learned some valuable information about AMD/ATI's new mainstream video cards. According to them, the upcoming RV670 GPU is projected to run as fast as the current R600, but with lower GPU temps and TDP. AMD calls RV670 a Gaming Applications Processor which bridges 3D HD gap. RV670 is 55nm based, has 320 stream processors and a 256-bit memory interface. There will be 2 versions of RV670: Gladiator and Revival. Gladiator is clocked at 825MHz core and 1.2GHz memory while Revival is clocked at 750MHz core and 900MHz memory. Gladiator has 512MB of GDDR4 memory and Revival comes with either 256MB or 512MB of GDDR3 memory. These cards will be single slot and fully DX10.1/SM4.1 compliant. Both video cards will support PCI Express 2.0, UVD as well as the next generation Crossfire technology. RV670 is scheduled for sampling in September, with expected mass production in December 2007 or early 2008. RV670 will be officially known as Radeon HD 2950 Pro when launch and will probably priced between $199 to $249. ATI Radeon HD 2950 Pro will officially replace the Radeon X1950 Pro when released.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Agility]

What the fuck? 10.1? I smell 2950XT coming out.......

 

[insider]

ATI Radeon HD 2950 Pro will officially replace the Radeon X1950 Pro when released.

Excellent news if it is a worthy successor card that performs well at an attractive price point.

 

[Xaser04]

Finally something worthy to replace the X1950pro.

The card does sound pretty sweet although I wonder if the pricing will be as nice for those of in the UK.

This reminds me actually that I am making my move back to ATI with the purchase of a X1900XT (8800gts wasn't getting used enough to warrent having it).

 

[OnBoard]

Sounds good, but what's the difference with Gladiator and hd2900xt?

edit:"Today we have in our hands a Radeon HD 2900XT board manufactured by ASUS, which is of course based on the R600 core using an 80nm design process. This version features just 512MB of onboard GDDR3 memory clocked at 1656MHz using a 512-bit wide memory bus. Combined with a core clock of 757MHz"

So buswidth smaller, memory slower, but GDDR4 and core faster compensating slower memory clocks. 55nm based opposed to 80nm so it's still cooler while core is higher. Interesting, pro sounds to me a better card than xt xD

 

[Xaser04]

Sounds good, but what's the difference with Gladiator and hx2900xt?

Judging by the news article the memory bus width (512bit vs 256bit) and the clock speeds.

What is interesting though is the statement that it should be roughly the same performance wise as the R600. If that is true then what is the 2900XT doing with its memory bandwidth?!

 

[selway89]

woot well i may just hold off my purchase of a HD 2900XT atm.

Now woo the fans and bring it out before that deadline.

 

[HAL7000]

That is good news, but as it stands news is news, lets hope the projected release date isn't backed up to the year 2010...

AMD owes the enthusiast population some real time hardware......paper is good when laying them on the floor for your pet to use.

 

[OnBoard]

"Both video cards will support PCI Express 2.0" <- does that mean it doesn't work on any mothearboard currently on market? Last I heard PCI Express 2.0 socket is backward compatible, so that you can use current GPUs there, but no where does it say what happens otherway around. If it doesn't work it's a useless card, as good as it sounds :/

 

[mdm-adph]

If that is true then what is the 2900XT doing with its memory bandwidth?!

Not much, apparently. At this point in time, the 512bit bus seems quite like overkill, though I don't doubt it'll come in handy down the road.

 

[Grimskull]

PCI 2.0 Motherboard

"Both video cards will support PCI Express 2.0" <- does that mean it doesn't work on any mothearboard currently on market? Last I heard PCI Express 2.0 socket is backward compatible, so that you can use current GPUs there, but no where does it say what happens otherway around. If it doesn't work it's a useless card, as good as it sounds :/

The new X38 Intel motherboards made by Gigabyte, MSI, Asus etc are PCI-E 2.0 X16 compatable. They have 2 PCI-E slots so they support ATI Crossfire. Yes PCI-E is backward compatable. The new X38 motherboard are due for launch in September 2007, along with the new X38 Intel CPU.

 

[Xolair]

What the... 2950 Pro is coming out along with a 2900 Pro? Or are they both the same..?

 

[Darknova]

Now as soon as abit brings out an X38 board I know what I'll be buying

 

[Grings]

Now as soon as abit brings out an X38 board I know what I'll be buying

pic's here:http://www.tomshardware.com/picturegalleries/gallery-200706053-1.html
odd that they're doing a MAX and a QuadGT, both should clock well

 

[suraswami]

Like the 1950pro, hopefully they have a AGP version

 

[cdawall]

2950PRo looks like it will be on hell of a card for a great price this out to send NV unlocking the 8600GTS so they can have some extras

 

[Weer]

So the 2950 Pro is a 2900 XT but built on the 55nm process instead of the 80nm?

Where do they dig this shit up? We won't see 55nm for years.

 

[cdawall]

So the 2950 Pro is a 2900 XT but built on the 55nm process instead of the 80nm?

Where do they dig this shit up? We won't see 55nm for years.

says who? cpus are at 65nm why cant GPUs do 55nm? it seems logical that AMD would shrink the die size as small as possible so they clock higher and use less juice..a LOT less juice

 

[Darknova]

So the 2950 Pro is a 2900 XT but built on the 55nm process instead of the 80nm?

Where do they dig this shit up? We won't see 55nm for years.

Erm...right, so Intel's new Penryn is what? a myth?

And no, the 2900XT has a 512bit memory bus.

 

[Weer]

Erm...right, so Intel's new Penryn is what? a myth?

And no, the 2900XT has a 512bit memory bus.

says who? cpus are at 65nm why cant GPUs do 55nm? it seems logical that AMD would shrink the die size as small as possible so they clock higher and use less juice..a LOT less juice

You can't compare CPUs to GPUs.

The fact is that GPUs have only recently gotten to 65nm. It will take at least another year until the high-end GPUs are 65nm. So 55nm is completely insane.

The 512-bit is horrible overkill. The 2950 Pro is a welcome adjustment if it's cheaper.

 

[Darknova]

The 512-bit is horrible overkill. The 2950 Pro is a welcome adjustment if it's cheaper.

Uh-huh, so I take it you never read any articles on the DX10 architecture? It uses a ludicrous amount of bandwidth, so 512bit is NOT overkill, for DX9 then yeah maybe, but they are (meant to be) DX10 GPUs....

 

[Grings]

i wouldnt be so sure, tsmc has had 55nm tech for a while now, and make chips for ati (and nvidia)
www.tsmc.com/download/english/a05_literature/3_65nm_55nm_Brochure_2007_Brochure_2007.pdf

TSMC's 55nm process is a 90% linear shrink process from the 65nm process. It provides cost savings while maintaining the same speed with similar or lower power. The 55nm logic family includes general purpose (GP) and consumer platform (GC) options. The GP process will be the first to go on-line in Q1 2007, followed by 55GC. And because 55nm is a direct shrink, designs can be ported easily from 65nm products with minimum risk and effort.

 

[WarEagleAU]

This makes me very happy. Lower temps, better oc, sure the bus bandwidth is smaller, but it makes up for it. I really want an HD 2900 or 2900XT but this 2950 Pro Gladiator looks too good to pass up.

 

[cdawall]

You can't compare CPUs to GPUs.

The fact is that GPUs have only recently gotten to 65nm. It will take at least another year until the high-end GPUs are 65nm. So 55nm is completely insane.

The 512-bit is horrible overkill. The 2950 Pro is a welcome adjustment if it's cheaper.

it tooks months not years to go from 90-80nm for NV why would 65-55nm be different for AMD?

 

[mandelore]

cool, but basically just a 2900xt with a Die shrink and smaller memory bus. Im happy with my watercooled 2900xt, so temps are not a factor. However, wish ATI would release software that would allow us to monkey around with voltages till our Mr Wizzard sorts ATItool out