SAPPHIRE Technology, the largest manufacturer and supplier worldwide of graphics solutions based on AMD technology is announcing the first products in a second generation of video cards to support the advanced graphical features of Microsoft DirectX 11 and delivering spectacular video clarity, speed and visual effects, including over multiple monitors and 3D stereoscopic displays.

The SAPPHIRE HD 6800 series features the second generation of graphics technology from AMD designed to support all the features of Microsoft DirectX 11 and DirectCompute 11. The new GPU's are built in AMD's 40nm process to deliver high performance with low power consumption. Advanced hardware features include an enhanced Tesselation unit, dedicated HDR Texture compression, multi-threaded communication with system CPU cores, embedded support for many of the DirectCompute 11 instructions, 3D stereoscopic support and HDMI 1.4a.

AMD today introduced the next generation of PC gaming, the AMD Radeon HD 6800 series, designed to be "perfect graphics cards" for gamers by delivering unprecedented game performance starting at $179 SEP. The new AMD Radeon HD 6800 series graphics cards provide more than 30 percent greater game performance than competing products, harnessing AMD's second-generation Microsoft DirectX 11-capable architecture, best-in-class energy efficiency, and an unmatched feature set, including AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology. The AMD Radeon HD 6800 series is available immediately from etailers worldwide.

"AMD is the market share leader by a landslide in DirectX 11 graphics," said Matt Skynner, corporate vice president and general manager, GPU Division, AMD. "Through our sweet spot strategy and our open, industry standards approach, we've worked to deliver the best possible experience for gamers. Today, our laser focus on gamers continues with the introduction of what we think is far and away the best graphics card series today, the AMD Radeon HD 6800 series. With exceptional game performance, an unrivaled feature set including breathtaking DirectX 11 gaming, AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology, AMD Accelerated Parallel Processing, and more, the AMD Radeon HD 6800 series will have all gamers wanting to get Radeon in their systems."

Barely a couple of days ahead of its launch, the first picture of the Radeon HD 6850 taken apart made its way to the internet. We were treated to the pictures of the HD 6870 PCB last week. AMD's release-grade reference design PCB is not as long as that of the HD 6870, it keeps up with the black color, and is available as either a premium 8-layer version, or a cost-effective 6-layer one. This particular one makes use of a 4+1+1 phase VRM, a CHIL-made VRM controller that might support software voltage control, power input from a single 6-pin PCI-E power connector, one CrossFire connector, and display connectivity that includes two DVI, one HDMI, and two mini-DisplayPort connectors. From the information available to us from recent reports, the Radeon HD 6850 has 960 stream processors 32 ROPs, 48 TMUs, and a 256-bit wide GDDR5 memory interface holding 1 GB of memory. Its core is clocked at 775 MHz, and memory at 1000 MHz (4000 MHz GDDR5 effective).

After a recent exposé of the XFX Radeon HD 6870, DonanimHaber scored a few pictures of its next HD 6000 series card, the XFX Radeon HD 6850. Unlike the HD 6870 card, the HD 6850 from XFX makes use of XFX' own design for both PCB and cooler. The card is shorter than the HD 6870 by a fair bit, and makes use of typical XFX styling on the cooler shroud and rear panel. The cooler seems to be a circular fan-heatsink over the GPU, it's not known whether the memory and VRM have heatsinks too. Display connectivity includes two DVI, and one each of HDMI 1.4 and DisplayPort 1.2.

The card carries 960 stream cores, contradicting an older report, and 1 GB of GDDR5 memory over a 256-bit wide memory interface. The core is clocked at 775 MHz, and memory at 1000 MHz (4 GHz GDDR5 effective). Expect it to be out on the 22nd of this month, at a highly competitive price for its performance level.

XFX is ready with the first AIB-branded Radeon HD 6000 series graphics card to be caught on camera. Its Radeon HD 6870 graphics card bears a racy-looking AMD reference-design blower-type cooling solution, with its own company sticker. The company has opted for the AMD-branded Radeon logo. It draws power from two 6-pin power connectors, has no backplate on the PCB's reverse side, and sports a custom-design rear-panel on which the XFX logo is etched on the exhaust. Display connectors include two DVI, an HDMI, and two mini-DisplayPort. Radeon HD 6870 is intended to be a successor to the Radeon HD 5700 series, a performance segment product targeting a price sweet-spot. Radeon HD 5800 series successors are Radeon HD 6900 series.

AMD is close to unveiling its next-generation "Northern Islands" GPU family, which will be branded under the AMD Radeon HD 6000 series. These include two new performance-thru-extreme GPUs, namely Barts and Cayman. There's also a dual-Cayman implementation codenamed Antilles. While specifications are anyone's guess besides the little details we know about Barts and Cayman, the feature-set of the Northern Island family was communicated to AIB parts in a presentation which was leaked by the Chinese press.

To begin with, the key feature additions in Northern Islands includes a much more evolved display logic that can drive five displays simultaneously over physical outputs that include two dual-link DVI-I, one HDMI 1.4 (full-size), and two mini DisplayPort 1.2 connectors. The logic also provides you to install up to six monitors over the two DisplayPort connectors by daisy-chaining them, making use of the MultiStream feature of DP 1.2, which supports two times the data-rate of DP 1.1, and can provide very high-resolution display, or HD display with stereoscopic 3D (120 Hz). HDMI 1.4 lets you make use of Blu-ray 3D. A new video processing engine, UVD 3.0, provides GPU acceleration for MPEG-2, DivX, MVC (multi video coding), for Blu-ray 3D.

With the introduction of the EX series, a high performance, future-ready and ecological range of desktop displays, NEC Display Solutions is extending its portfolio in the corporate market. The new MultiSync EX series combines an innovative, ultra-slim design with high-quality features. The displays impress with their exceptionally low environmental impact thanks to LED backlight technology and other new features such as a human sensor. The EX series is equipped with a DisplayPort and provides outstanding connectivity and many ergonomic benefits that ensure productive work in even the most demanding office environment. NEC Display Solutions is introducing the first model in the new range called "Office Cool" to the market in the shape of its NEC MultiSync EX231W.

First-class quality, excellent performance and stunning design were the key factors guiding the design of the MultiSync EX series. The displays are light in weight and optically very exciting thanks to their slim form and extremely narrow stand. Modern and with minimum space requirements, they can be stylishly integrated into office surroundings. From a technological point of view the series sets new standards with outstanding picture quality in full HD wide format and excellent connectivity with two digital inputs, DisplayPort and DVI-I. Additionally the range also includes a USB interface which can be used to connect a USB camera, ideal for videoconferencing.

Here it is, the AMD Radeon HD 6870, all dressed up to go to work. There has been quite some speculation surrounding the naming scheme AMD is going to adopt with the HD 6000 series, but fresh information suggestively lays some of that to rest. Firstly, Radeon HD 6800 series is built around the "Barts" GPU, not "Cayman". Barts is a new performance GPU, though isn't the highest-end single GPU from AMD (which is reserved for Cayman). Barts "XT" is Radeon HD 6870, and Barts "Pro" is HD 6850. Pictured below is the HD 6870. At a purely subjective glance, the HD 6870 reference design card seems to be as long as the HD 5850 reference.

The new Radeon logo has been Photoshopped on to the fan, so the products in market will definitely do away with the older ATI logo. The rear panel resembles that of the Radeon HD 5800 series, except that the exhaust grille seems slightly wider, there are two DVI-I connectors, one standard HDMI, and two mini DisplayPort connectors for a change. The connector output sharing scheme isn't known right now, it could be 3 or 4 head Eyefinity, or all-out 5 head Eyefinity, a yet to be detailed "Eyespeed" feature is mentioned. We will definitely know more about this card in the weeks to come.

LaCie today announced the latest addition to its line of professional displays, the LaCie 324i - featuring a 10-bit P-IPS LCD panel. An ideal monitor for prepress, illustration, web design, and photographic workflows, the LaCie 324i delivers uniform and accurate colors thanks to its wide gamuts and backlight stabilization.

The LaCie 324i P-IPS panel offers a realistic presentation without discoloration or inconvenient pattern distortions. Distinguished by its impressive gamut spectrum, the LaCie 324i color is rated at 102% NTSC and 98% Adobe RGB. With wide gamuts that are not disturbed by irregular patterns, digital artists can rely on true colors that maintain the integrity of their work.

ZOTAC International, a leading innovator and the world's largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today unleashes the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 460 3DP - the world's first NVIDIA Fermi-powered graphics card capable of up to four native display outputs. The ZOTAC GeForce GTX 460 3DP enables multi-monitor computing with up to four simultaneous displays from a single graphics card for enhanced productivity, gaming and multimedia.

The ZOTAC GeForce GTX 460 3DP packs three DisplayPort and one dual-link DVI connectors that are capable of driving up to four independent displays simultaneously with a combined resolution up to 6400 x 1200. Three DisplayPort connectors enable the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 460 3DP to support resolutions up to 4800x1200 across three independent displays for true spanned triple-monitor computing. A dual-link DVI output enables connectivity to extreme high-definition displays with the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 460 3DP for connectivity to a single monitor at resolutions up to 2560x1600 for users without DisplayPort capable displays.

DisplayLink Corp., the market share leader with more than three million USB graphics users worldwide, today provided a glimpse at its new SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) chip platform for next generation displays, docking stations and other integrated devices to be showcased next week at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, California, in booth #948.

The new DisplayLink single-chip family, DL-3000 and DL-1000 series, includes integrated display and networking connectivity, high performance audio and HD video support, as well as third generation DisplayLink adaptive real-time compression technology that dynamically manages bandwidth, taking full advantage bi-directional throughput of SuperSpeed USB. This means multiple full HD videos, high resolution graphics and networking data can be processed simultaneously, while also substantially increasing today's HighSpeed USB (USB 2.0) graphics performance and enabling graphics delivery over gigabit Ethernet.

ZOTAC International, a leading innovator and the world's largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today takes NVIDIA Fermi architecture mainstream with the new GeForce GTS 450 series. The new ZOTAC GeForce GTS 450 series is the perfect companion for gamers looking to upgrade to Microsoft DirectX 11-class graphics while gaining performance in existing DirectX 10 titles.

The new ZOTAC GeForce GTS 450 series takes 192 unified shaders and pairs it with 1GB of high-speed GDDR5 memory for lightning-fast performance in the latest game titles. A 128-bit wide memory interface connects the memory to the graphics processor for high-quality textures and details in the latest games and applications.

After recent photo exposés of the Cayman XT (Radeon HD 5870 successor) and Caicos (Radeon HD 5400 series successor), the third, juicy set of pictures exposes the XT variant of Barts reference board (Radeon HD 5770 successor), which will likely go on to become Radeon HD 6770.

While the specifications of the GPU are not known, what we can tell from the pictures is that the card is powered by two 6-pin power connectors, uses 4+1 phase digital PWM circuitry, and looks to have a 256-bit wide memory interface for a near 80~100% increase in memory bandwidth compared to the previous generation. Display outputs include two DVI, one HDMI, and two mini-DisplayPort. There is one CrossFire connector for 2-way CrossFire support. AMD will kickstart its next-generation Radeon graphics series launches later this year. Don't mind the puny looking GPU-cooler, AMD uses it on prototypes. The actual cooler's outline is drawn on the PCB.

AMD released the FirePro V9800 professional graphics card. This is the company's top professional offering, based on the 40 nm Evergreen architecture. The GPU features 1600 stream processors, 256-bit GDDR5 memory interface connecting to 4 GB of memory, and display outputs that include six mini-DisplayPort connectors. The card supports the latest industry-standard 3D APIs including Microsoft DirectX 11, OpenGL 4, and includes support for OpenCL GPU-compute API. The card is meant for mission-critical environments such as oil and gas exploration, 3D medical imaging, design and engineering, and 3D content production. Apart from supporting the ATI Eyefinity6 technology, it also packs support for stereoscopic 3D technologies. The card will be sold directly under the AMD brand by board partners, it is priced at US $3,500.

Palit is ready with its own-design GeForce GTS 450-based graphics card. Palit's design looks nearly identical to that of its GeForce GTX 460. It uses a red-colored custom-design PCB, a fan heatsink with a shroud that spans along the length of the card, and display connectivity that includes two DVI, an HDMI, and a DisplayPort. Palit will release a base-model that sticks to the reference clock speeds of 783/1566/900(3600) MHz core/shader/memory, while Sonic, and Sonic+ factory-overclocked models could be in the works. The company is also said to be working on a SFF-friendly low-profile model based on the GTS 450. Palit's base model card is priced around the $136 mark.

Here is the first picture of a working prototype of the AMD Radeon HD 6000 series "Cayman" graphics card. This particular card is reportedly the "XT" variant, or what will go on to be the HD 6x70, which is the top single-GPU SKU based on AMD's next-generation "Cayman" performance GPU. The picture reveals a card that appears to be roughly the size of a Radeon HD 5870, with a slightly more complex-looking cooler. The PCB is red in color, and the display output is slightly different compared to the Radeon HD 5800 series: there are two DVI, one HDMI, and two mini-DisplayPort connectors. The specifications of the GPU remain largely unknown, except it's being reported that the GPU is built on the TSMC 40 nm process. The refreshed Radeon HD 6000 series GPU lineup, coupled with next-generation Bulldozer architecture CPUs and Fusion APUs are sure to make AMD's lineup for 2011 quite an interesting one.Update (9/9): A new picture of the reverse side of the PCB reveals 8 memory chips (256-bit wide memory bus), 6+2 phase VRM, and 6-pin + 8-pin power inputs.

Recognising the demand for a lower cost solution to using the DisplayPort output for a third monitor in ATI Eyefinity mode on its HD 5000 series cards, SAPPHIRE Technology has just introduced a DisplayPort to Single Link DVI adapter.

Eyefinity mode requires the third monitor to be either a DisplayPort (DP) monitor or a monitor connected with an active adapter to synchronise the signals for a DVI or HDMI monitor. Earlier active DP to Dual Link DVI adapters were considered to be too expensive by many users who did not need ultra high resolution.

AMD rolled out a reference-design DisplayPort to DVI active adapter today, that lets the masses create Eyefinity setups on existing monitors easier. The adapter plugs into full-sized and mini DisplayPort connectors on ATI Radeon graphics cards, and gives out a single-link DVI signal. The conversion between DP to DVI is active, and conserves video quality, as well as other features such as content protection. This is because when Eyefinity-ready graphics cards with DisplayPorts from AMD came to be, some manufacturers sold cheap $10 DP-DVI dongles that pass DVI signals from the DP directly (passive conversion). Such dongles more often don't work, because Radeon GPUs don't give out DVI signals from DP. Active adapters (those which actively convert DP signals to DVI) were sold at the time in upwards of $100.

AMD has managed to bring the price of such active adapters down to $30. There however, is a limitation. The output is a single-link DVI, meaning that it will support digital resolutions only up to 1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz (1080p is supported). It shouldn't matter for the target users, because the DisplayPort on ATI Radeon HD 5000 graphics cards conveys only one TMDS link, so even with a DVI dual-link capable adapter, it would only give out single-link output. At least a bulk of the users are covered, at a very affordable price point. AMD will market this adapter directly, and through its growing network of add-in board partners (in bundles with graphics cards, or directly). PowerColor beat AMD to today's announcement, and released PowerColor-branded AMD-reference DP-DVI adapter last week.

TUL Corporation, a leading manufacturer of AMD graphics cards, today announces an adaptor to make utilizing Eyefinity technology even easier. The PowerColor Active DisplayPort to Single-Link DVI-D adaptor, enables the multi-display ability through 3 DVI monitors.

The PowerColor Active DisplayPort to Single-Link DVI-D adaptor supports resolutions up to 1920x1200 (WUXGA) and 1080p HDTV, fully compliant to both DPCP and HDCP to ensure the full compatibility and successful transmission of video content. Furthermore, the adaptor supports up to 32-bit color depths which delivers the flexibility to meet the needs of most display applications.

Gigabyte is readying a new passively-cooled Radeon HD 5770 graphics card called the Gigabyte HD 5770 Silent Cell, carrying model number GV-R577SL-1GD. This 100% non-reference design card is built using Gigabyte's Ultra Durable VGA technology (comprising of 2 oz copper PCB, ferrite-core chokes, Low RDS (on) MOSFETs, and binned high-performance memory chips. What's more peculiar is its large GPU cooler that covers the length and height of the card, and extends a couple of inches over the length of the card. At its end, the heatsink also extends a good couple of inches over the height of the card, some of its fins even protrude out of the rear panel. The heatsink is a densely-packed aluminum fin array to which heat is conveyed by four 6 mm thick heat pipes.

Cooling assembly aside, the card sticks to AMD reference clock speeds - 850 MHz core, 1200 MHz (4800 MHz effective) memory, and uses 1 GB of GDDR5 memory across a 128-bit wide memory interface. The 40 nm Juniper GPU packs 800 stream processors, and supports the latest PC graphics technologies including DirectX 11. The card can pair with up to three more of its kind for CrossFireX. Display connectivity options include one each of DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort. Gigabyte did not give out a price.

SAPPHIRE Technology introduces the SAPPHIRE HD 5770 FleX, the latest graphics card in the highly successful SAPPHIRE HD 5000 series. This is the first graphics solution to support three screens in ATI Eyefinity mode, out of the box, without the need for DisplayPort monitors or active adapters. The SAPPHIRE HD 5770 FleX can also support four monitors in ATI Eyefinity mode with a single card.

The SAPPHIRE HD 5770 FleX is a SAPPHIRE original design based on the latest 40nm graphics architecture from the ATI division of AMD. It supports the advanced graphical features of DirectX 11, and delivers spectacular video clarity, speed and visual effects.

Matrox Graphics Inc., the leading manufacturer of specialized graphics solutions, today announced enhanced resolution compatibility for Matrox DualHead2Go and TripleHead2Go Graphics eXpansion Modules (GXMs) when using Intel HD Graphics and Intel 4 Series Express Chipset with Intel Graphics Media Accelerator. Maximum DualHead2Go resolutions have increased from 2x1280x1024 to support 2x1920x1080, and supported TripleHead2Go resolutions have expanded from 3x800x600 to 3x1280x1024 (standard) or 3x1360x768 (widescreen). This enlarged display real estate was previously only available to Matrox DualHead2Go and TripleHead2Go customers using graphics solutions from other manufacturers. Now Intel mobile and desktop graphics customers can benefit from higher resolution multi-display support via Matrox DualHead2Go and TripleHead2Go Digital or DisplayPort Editions.

"Intel HD Graphics provides everyday visual computing to millions of PC users, whether they are watching HD movies, playing 3D games, or videoconferencing at the office," said Steve Santamaria, Director of Visual Computing Developer Relations, Intel Corporation. "We are happy to be working with Matrox to enable their DualHead2Go and TripleHead2Go products to enhance the visual experience of our common customers."

Club 3D announced a special Radeon HD 5450 graphics card, which it claims, can support up to three displays working in an Eyefinity setup for productivity purposes. ATI Eyefinity technology lets you create a large display head using multiple physical displays, and is typically out of specs for the Radeon HD 5400 series GPUs. Based on the 40 nm Cedar die, the HD 5450 packs 80 stream processors, and supports DirectX 11. The Club 3D card packs 512 MB of DDR2 memory across a 64-bit wide memory interface.

To connect up to three displays, it provides one each of DVI, D-Sub, and DisplayPort connectors. The GPU is clocked at 650 MHz, with the memory at 800 MHz. The card is low-profile in design, and with its passive heatsink, occupies just one expansion slot. Low profile brackets are included in the box. Club 3D did not announce its price.

PowerColor's upcoming mid-range graphics card, the Vortex HD 5770, is said to feature a new feature that gives the user greater control of the fan's airflow, beyond fan-speed control. The cooler lets the user to fine-tune the direction and sweep of the fan air-flow, by allowing extension of the fan frame. With these adjustments, users can fine-tune the cooler's efficiency by directing airflow to specific parts of the aluminum heatsink underneath. Depending on how the fan is protruded or tilted, the card could occupy 2 to 3 expansion slots.

Apart from this cooling solution, the card reuses the PCB found on the PCS+ HD 5770, which is said to have factory-overclocked speeds, and 1 GB of GDDR5 memory. The Radeon HD 5770 is based on the 40 nm Juniper die. It is DirectX 11 compliant, and has 800 stream processors, a tessellation unit, and connects to 1 GB of memory over a 128-bit wide GDDR5 memory interface. Display outputs on this card include two DVI-D, HDMI and DisplayPort, with ATI Eyefinity support. The PowerColor Vortex HD 5770 will be released in a few weeks' time. Incidentally, two PowerColor Vortex HD 5770 is up for grabs on the PowerColor and TechPowerUp GPU-Z Giveaway, so you can try your luck there.

HIS designed a new silent Radeon HD 5570 graphics card. Having a silent design, the GPU is cooled by a large heatsink that takes up two expansion slots, and uses ridged aluminum fins to increase surface area. As with every other HD 5570, it is based on the 40 nm Redwood GPU, having 320 stream processors, DirectX 11 compliance, and 512-1024 MB of GDDR3 memory across a 128-bit wide memory interface. Display connectivity includes one each of DVI-D, HDMI and DisplayPort.