Why should ATI be proud? By name (I haven't been following the market lately (make that: since I got a Mac), so I don't know about the processor and all), this is a brand new generation, and it fails to outperform a last generation Nvidia card. :\
Wrong this is not a new generation, its a new revision just as the 8800GT is a new revision of an existing generation of nVidia chips.
TR: "RV670 graphics processor, which is basically a revised version of the R600 that's been converted to a smaller chip fabrication process and tweaked in numerous ways."
"This fall's new crop of GPUs looks to be something of a corrective to that trend, and the G92 is a case in point. This chip is essentially a die shrink of the G80 graphics processor that powers incumbent GeForce 8800 graphics cards. The G92 adds some nice new capabilities, but doesn't double up on shader power or anything quite that earth-shaking."
the 3850 kicks around an Nvidia 8600GTS and 8600GT pretty handily.
the 3870 comes close to 8800GT performance for less dorrah and expected good availability and pretty great price/performance (isn't bang for buck the real benchmark?).
The ATI parts will likely be fitted with fairly quiet fans and good on the power consumption (and probably better at HD decoding than Nvidia, quality-wise). While traditionally their drivers can/have been iffier than Nvidia, IMO, who knows how things will play out there (neither company is immune).
Overall, how can these two ATI cards be bad news? AMD/ATI are pricing them competitively given the competition and it seems like a good time to upgrade.
It's not a new generation...just a new size manufacturing process, which reduces power consumption and heat, and a nice little bump in speed. It is not a wholly new GPU architecture or anything like that, although it is numbered as if it were.
I think I'll stick with my 8800GTX. It's served me well for nearly a year now, even though Crysis just made it cry a little bit last night... (but only a little :-)
@AlexP Typical mac moron comment. These aren't meant to be high end new gen cards. They're mainstream offerings targeted at the best bang for buck market. While the 8800GT still maintains the performance crown for higher-end mainstream cards, these are priced a bit below it and so offer a little bit better value for money for people who are looking for something cheaper.
"is a brand new generation, and it fails to outperform a last generation Nvidia card"
yes well ATi's long from the dominance they had back in the days of the 9700 and the fact they are competing very well is one thing also these cards are actually affordable, the 8800GTX at launch was $700 making high-performance cards for a good price is much more important than treating only the rich enthusiasts
Remember those fine days of yesteryear when ATI/NVIDIA and AMD/Intel were neck-and-neck, each outdoing the other practically every other week as they blew through previous records? Ah, how the times change.
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Why should ATI be proud? By name (I haven't been following the market lately (make that: since I got a Mac), so I don't know about the processor and all), this is a brand new generation, and it fails to outperform a last generation Nvidia card. :\
amen... it still lags in performance...
besides... good luck to those who would like to look for these cards in retail and in volume...
Wrong this is not a new generation, its a new revision just as the 8800GT is a new revision of an existing generation of nVidia chips.
TR: "RV670 graphics processor, which is basically a revised version of the R600 that's been converted to a smaller chip fabrication process and tweaked in numerous ways."
"This fall's new crop of GPUs looks to be something of a corrective to that trend, and the G92 is a case in point. This chip is essentially a die shrink of the G80 graphics processor that powers incumbent GeForce 8800 graphics cards. The G92 adds some nice new capabilities, but doesn't double up on shader power or anything quite that earth-shaking."
Got any other bright ideas?
the 3850 kicks around an Nvidia 8600GTS and 8600GT pretty handily.
the 3870 comes close to 8800GT performance for less dorrah and expected good availability and pretty great price/performance (isn't bang for buck the real benchmark?).
The ATI parts will likely be fitted with fairly quiet fans and good on the power consumption (and probably better at HD decoding than Nvidia, quality-wise). While traditionally their drivers can/have been iffier than Nvidia, IMO, who knows how things will play out there (neither company is immune).
Overall, how can these two ATI cards be bad news? AMD/ATI are pricing them competitively given the competition and it seems like a good time to upgrade.
It's not a new generation...just a new size manufacturing process, which reduces power consumption and heat, and a nice little bump in speed. It is not a wholly new GPU architecture or anything like that, although it is numbered as if it were.
I think I'll stick with my 8800GTX. It's served me well for nearly a year now, even though Crysis just made it cry a little bit last night... (but only a little :-)
@AlexP Typical mac moron comment. These aren't meant to be high end new gen cards. They're mainstream offerings targeted at the best bang for buck market. While the 8800GT still maintains the performance crown for higher-end mainstream cards, these are priced a bit below it and so offer a little bit better value for money for people who are looking for something cheaper.
"is a brand new generation, and it fails to outperform a last generation Nvidia card"
yes well ATi's long from the dominance they had back in the days of the 9700
and the fact they are competing very well is one thing
also these cards are actually affordable, the 8800GTX at launch was $700
making high-performance cards for a good price is much more important than treating only the rich enthusiasts
Remember those fine days of yesteryear when ATI/NVIDIA and AMD/Intel were neck-and-neck, each outdoing the other practically every other week as they blew through previous records? Ah, how the times change.