Official AMD Radeon 6000 Series Discussion Thread

[Tatty_Two]

Bah! Read that too quickly earlier and was thinking 6970 = 5970 replacement. Was thinking about something else when I read your earlier post. Makes sense now.

edit:
Looking at this slide from Anandtech from the 5870 launch
http://images.anandtech.com/reviews/video/ati/5870/CypressSS.jpg

and considering prices from this slide
http://www.hardware.fr/medias/photos_news/00/29/IMG0029738.jpg

I'm going to guess 6950 will be MSRP of $400 and 6970 will be $475.

6990 will be way over $500. I'd expect MSRP to be $600. Are we heading toward G80 prices again? It doesn't look good even if nVidia does bring a rebranded and fixed kitchen sink.

Can't help but think that sadly, I am not generally getting good feelings about any of this new stuff anymore, whether it be the 69XX or the 580, seems that even with smaller fabrication processes, bigger transistor counts etc etc, the only way both teams seem to be going with their solutions is to bump up voltages, increase thermals, increase power draws, don't people realise that you can actually increase efficiency without having to plug several 8 pin PCI-E connectors into a card, just look at the Diesel Engine, in the UK, 10 years ago a 2000cc diesel Engine would give you about 90 HP, today they will give you 180+ AND be more fuel efficient in the process, perhaps NVidia and AMD need to go on a factory tour of BMW

 

[buggalugs]

Is it true the 6970 will have 2GB of vram?

http://www.fudzilla.com/graphics/item/20743-cayman-hd6970-has-2gb-ram

 

[TheMailMan78]

Can't help but think that sadly, I am not generally getting good feelings about any of this new stuff anymore, whenther it be the 69XX or the 580, seems that even with smaller fabrication processes, bigger transistor counts etc etc, the only way both teams seem to be going with their solutions is to bump up voltages, increase thermals, increase power draws, don't people realise that you can actually increase efficiency without having to plug several 8 pin PCI-E connectors into a card, just look at the Diesel Engine, in the UK, 10 years ago a 2000cc diesel Engine would give you about 90 HP, today they will give you 180+ AND be more fuel efficient in the process, perhaps NVidia and AMD need to go on a factory tour of Ford or GM

I agree with you 99%. I just wanted to make one minor adjustment....

 

[Tatty_Two]

I agree with you 99%. I just wanted to make one minor adjustment....

Lol, them 30 year old 5.7 litre V8's are hardlly gonna fly any flags for efficiency! I used to drive one in Kuwait, had to stop every 15 minutes to fill her up think it was a Grand Marquis or something?

 

[TheMailMan78]

Lol, them 30 year old 5.7 liter V8's are hardly gonna fly any flags for efficiency! I used to drive one in Kuwait, had to stop every 15 minutes to fill her up think it was a Grand Marquis or something?

Times have changed man. I suggest you look up some of the modern V8's. Anyway this could quickly derail the thread. We better shut up!

 

[yogurt_21]

Times have changed man. I suggest you look up some of the modern V8's. Anyway this could quickly derail the thread. We better shut up!

totally could but I have to say that people need to look up efficiency, work done vs resources consumed. I'd like to see a prius tow a 6 ton trailer. not to mention ford is canning mercury anyways so the grand marquis is out.


on topic I'm rather hoping efficiency goes up despite the fab process being the same.

 

[mdsx1950]

Is it true the 6970 will have 2GB of vram?

http://www.fudzilla.com/graphics/item/20743-cayman-hd6970-has-2gb-ram

It's good if it has. Because it's going to be a pretty powerful card.

 

[bear jesus]

If it is 2gb and has the bandwidth to use it then that would defiantly be a good, I'm really hoping for the 6970 or 580 to happily play pretty much anything i play maxed out at 5040x1050, admittedly i don't play the most demanding games most of the time so a single 6870 can almost do it

 

[20mmrain]

Can't help but think that sadly, I am not generally getting good feelings about any of this new stuff anymore, whether it be the 69XX or the 580, seems that even with smaller fabrication processes, bigger transistor counts etc etc, the only way both teams seem to be going with their solutions is to bump up voltages, increase thermals, increase power draws, don't people realise that you can actually increase efficiency without having to plug several 8 pin PCI-E connectors into a card, just look at the Diesel Engine, in the UK, 10 years ago a 2000cc diesel Engine would give you about 90 HP, today they will give you 180+ AND be more fuel efficient in the process, perhaps NVidia and AMD need to go on a factory tour of BMW

+1 I have noticed this too.... I understand with evolving technology there will be some gained heat and some gained size.

But honestly it has gone way overboard. What happened to the days of parts manufacturers... actually trying something new and keeping things cool and the same size (In terms of PCB for example not having a video card that is not 11 inches long or another brand having to be water cooled even to sell it's overclocked cards.)

I really think allot of this is pure laziness!!! Same thing is happening with coding in video games.

This point was proven to me not too long ago (During speculation of the GTX 580 by Fudzilla) Saying something to the order that "Maybe we have finally come to the point where every enthusiast part will need to be water cooled" That statement there made me feel really discouraged.
The whole point at one time of making new tech was to make it use less power, Smaller, Run Cooler, Make it simpler, as well as make it more powerful.

It seems somewhere along the line we lost most of those goals with the exception of just making something more powerful.
Or it seems that companies are just putting out things right now just for the sake of putting out something.

Just My opinion....

Sadly though my opinion doesn't mean I won't buy these over heated, over powered, over sized, products when they release. That I can't stop myself from doing that.... I am already addicted.

 

[bear jesus]

I'm curious though how much power and heat would 3.2 billion or 2.15 billion transistors use/produce on a 130nm process?

surly the problem is we keep wanting more transistors each gen but in a smaller space each time?

 

[20mmrain]

I'm curious though how much power and heat would 3.2 billion or 2.15 billion transistors use/produce on a 130nm process?

Of course there are exceptions to the rule to what I am saying....I am not saying this is what is happening everytime. It just seems it is done more lately this way then not.

 

[wolf]

Can't help but think that sadly, I am not generally getting good feelings about any of this new stuff anymore, whether it be the 69XX or the 580, seems that even with smaller fabrication processes, bigger transistor counts etc etc, the only way both teams seem to be going with their solutions is to bump up voltages, increase thermals, increase power draws, don't people realise that you can actually increase efficiency without having to plug several 8 pin PCI-E connectors into a card, just look at the Diesel Engine, in the UK, 10 years ago a 2000cc diesel Engine would give you about 90 HP, today they will give you 180+ AND be more fuel efficient in the process, perhaps NVidia and AMD need to go on a factory tour of BMW

I'm not sure if you can quite compare cars to GFX cards... but you can't say we havent come a long way in 10 years, for instance take the Geforce 4 Ti series, released in 2002, today you could buy a low end card that consumes less power, has more grunt, and a shiteload more features, its not exactly like were moving backwards. but alas I do also see your point about high end cards, they could be a lot more efficient.

 

[boise49ers]

Oh dude. I'll actually have money this time around.

Me too, ordered my 6870 yesterday. Should be here by Monday.

 

[buggalugs]

It's good if it has. Because it's going to be a pretty powerful card.

Yep i hope it does have 2GB but hopefully its not too expensive.

Im looking at the 6970 as my next upgrade to replace my 5870. The 5870 still plays everything maxed but what the heck its only money.

 

[CDdude55]

Me too, ordered my 6870 yesterday. Should be here by Monday.

I totally hate you people who have jobs right now. lol

Luckily i have an interview today.

 

[wahdangun]

I totally hate you people who have jobs right now. lol

Luckily i have an interview today.

wow, thats good mate, i wish you goodluck,

and on the side note, i hope HD 6970 can compete with GTX 580, so nvdia will not price the price like no tomorrow

 

[bear jesus]

I totally hate you people who have jobs right now. lol

Luckily i have an interview today.

I'm sure we all know the feeling, seeing others on here upgrading when we have no spare money or no job, i know i have plenty of times in the past

Good luck with the interview.

 

[the54thvoid]

I totally hate you people who have jobs right now. lol

Luckily i have an interview today.

Yeah, like other folk said, good luck dude. But is Male Stripper really your thing?

 

[bear jesus]

Yeah, like other folk said, good luck dude. But is Male Stripper really your thing?

I guess people are willing to do almost anything to upgrade these days

 

[mdsx1950]

I guess people are willing to do almost anything to upgrade these days

LOL!

+1

 

[cadaveca]

Is it true the 6970 will have 2GB of vram?

http://www.fudzilla.com/graphics/item/20743-cayman-hd6970-has-2gb-ram

It should. My own personal reaasoning is that Eyefinity requires slightly more than 1GB of vram, and because of 256-bit memory bus, the only way they could accomodate Eyefinity is to increase buffer size on the high-end cards, by doubling up, and going 2GB.

Likewise, 6850/6870 only have one crossfire finger, and 1GB of ram, as they aren't intended to be real Eyefinity cards..they just lack the grunt to push Eyefinity resolutions, and would need three gpus..but at that point, scaling is so horrible that even three cards isn't enough...because truly, in the end, it's all about vram, when it comes to Eyefinity.

 

[CDdude55]

Yeah, like other folk said, good luck dude. But is Male Stripper really your thing?

 

[wolf]

Yeah, like other folk said, good luck dude. But is Male Stripper really your thing?

I guess people are willing to do almost anything to upgrade these days

good luck, that first paycheck better be on either a GTX580 or a 6970 or I will lose all respect for you and punch you.

 

[yogurt_21]

It should. My own personal reaasoning is that Eyefinity requires slightly more than 1GB of vram, and because of 256-bit memory bus, the only way they could accomodate Eyefinity is to increase buffer size on the high-end cards, by doubling up, and going 2GB.

Likewise, 6850/6870 only have one crossfire finger, and 1GB of ram, as they aren't intended to be real Eyefinity cards..they just lack the grunt to push Eyefinity resolutions, and would need three gpus..but at that point, scaling is so horrible that even three cards isn't enough...because truly, in the end, it's all about vram, when it comes to Eyefinity.

curious thing about eyefinity edition cards though is how much they mirrior their firegl/firepro counterparts. if the trend follows then caymen will have 2gb ram with a 4gb eyefinity edition released later.

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

Im looking at the 6970 as my next upgrade to replace my 5870. The 5870 still plays everything maxed but what the heck its only money.

haha an addict like me, im in denial at mo pretending im waiting for the7xxx series yet praying for something 69xx special lol

has anyone found there gfx to be limited by cpu mobo and mem yet because its starting to play on my mind that maybe i need new cpu (ive got a q6600 plus 1080ddr2) to increase my gfx performance