On the technology and architecture fronts it was exactly what I was thinking; although, I'm kind'a going hum, I envisage more? I was hopeful for that 560Ti/6950 realm more often, but it may have to do with the settings. That said, I do say it performs and takes that first "Entry Level" to provide adept gamming on full-HD 1080p all from a cost effective 128 Bit. Give that’s the loin share of the market today it hit the Bull-eye.
Calibrate my expectations and what it does do is great against the GTX650Ti, it just doesn't feel like a card that's 10% off the a 7850 consistently. I'll have to dig around some other reviews to get how it scales when dialing back on settings. Given the performance, power and subsequent price… (I’d like to see folks paying $130 most often) it does everything skillfully.
Today I'm still saying a 7850 1Gb is where to ante-up, as long as you find them in that $160'ish position. Not to say this isn't a great buy, and hopefully Nvidia realizing they had been too greedy (to long) with GTX650Ti and absolutely now needs an actual price adjustment. That said, a 214mm2 GK106 vs. this Bonaire at 160mm2 (25% smaller) can they? If AMD couldn't move a 212mm2 Pitcairn chip lower, can Nvidia drop the GTX650Ti enough "consistently" and hold profit? There where good GTX650Ti cards for $120-130, while reference cards (where the lowest prices hit) more vied the 7770 so $110-120 is understandable.
Was there any hint that this was an LE chip and AMD is stock-piling the "XT" version for some time down the road? What other developments might we see in subsequent new ASIC chips?
