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ATI Radeon HD 5870 blazes onto the scene, receives approving nods
Watch out now -- the evergreen revolution has arrived, right on schedule and with the promised DirectX 11 and Eyefinity in tow. AMD's new flagship graphics part, formerly known under the Cypress codename, is built on a 40nm process, sports an appropriately inflated 850MHz engine clock speed, 1600 stream processors, 153.6GBps memory bandwidth, over two billion transistors, and the freshly minted HD 5870 moniker. There'll be a HD 5850 as well, which makes do with a 725MHz core clock, 1440 stream processors and slightly slower (or is it just less fast?) GDDR5 memory, but only the headline device has been made available to reviewers, so let's see what they thought. HardOCP whipped out their special Gold Award for the ocassion, noting that it "doubles performance, yet remains within the same power envelope." The Tech Report crew agreed wholeheartedly, commending the "admirably low" power draw, noise levels and GPU temperatures. In fact, a pretty universal consensus shows that the new card spanks everything else out there in terms of performance, and makes a very compelling value proposition -- a significant feat for a card that's aimed at the usually less price-conscious enthusiast market. Hit up the read links below to revel in the full glorious details. Show full PR text AMD Changes the Game with ATI Radeon™ HD 5800 Series DirectX® 11-Compliant Graphics Cards, Harnessing the Most Powerful Processor Ever Created World's Most Advanced Graphics Processor Allows Consumers to Expand, Accelerate and Dominate Their PC Experience with First Full Support for Microsoft DirectX 11 SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AMD (NYSE: AMD) today launched the most powerful processor ever created1, found in its next-generation ATI Radeon™ HD 5800 series graphics cards, the world's first and only to fully support Microsoft DirectX® 11, the new gaming and compute standard shipping shortly with Microsoft Windows® 7 operating system. Boasting up to 2.72 TeraFLOPS of compute power, the ATI Radeon™ HD 5800 series effectively doubles the value consumers can expect of their graphics purchases, delivering twice the performance-per-dollar of previous generations of graphics products. AMD will initially release two cards: the ATI Radeon HD 5870 and the ATI Radeon HD 5850, each with 1GB GDDR5 memory. With the ATI Radeon™ HD 5800 series of graphics cards, PC users can expand their computing experience with ATI Eyefinity multi-display technology, accelerate their computing experience with ATI Stream technology, and dominate the competition with superior gaming performance and full support of Microsoft DirectX® 11, making it a "must-have" consumer purchase just in time for Microsoft Windows® 7 operating system. "With the ATI Radeon HD 5800 series of graphics cards driven by the most powerful processor on the planet, AMD is changing the game, both in terms of performance and the experience," said Rick Bergman, senior vice president and general manager, Products Group, AMD. "As the first to market with full DirectX 11 support, an unmatched experience made possible with ATI Eyefinity technology, and ATI Stream technology harnessing open standards designed to help make Windows 7 that much better, I can say with confidence that AMD is the undisputed leader in graphics once more." Dominate your competition with Microsoft DirectX® 11 support With the ATI Radeon™ HD 5800 series of graphics cards, gamers will enjoy gaming supremacy and the ultimate advantage, realizing incredible HD gaming performance and the most engaging experience possible with DirectX® 11 gaming done right: * Designed and built for purpose: Modeled on the full DirectX 11 specifications, the ATI Radeon HD 5800 series of graphics cards delivers up to 2.72 TeraFLOPS of compute power in a single card, translating to superior performance in the latest DirectX 11 games, as well as in DirectX 9, DirectX 10, DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL titles in single card configurations or multi-card configurations using ATI CrossFireX™ technology. When measured in terms of performance experienced in some of today's most popular games, the ATI Radeon HD 5800 series is up to twice as fast as the closest competing product in its class,5 allowing gamers to enjoy incredible new DirectX 11 games – including the forthcoming DiRT™2 from Codemasters, and Aliens vs. Predator™ from Rebellion, and updated version of The Lord of the Rings Online™ and Dungeons and Dragons Online® Eberron Unlimited™ from Turbine – all in stunning detail with incredible frame rates. * Generations ahead of the competition: Building on the success of the ATI Radeon™ HD 4000 series products, the ATI Radeon HD 5800 series of graphics cards is two generations ahead of DirectX 10.0 support, and features 6th generation evolved AMD tessellation technology, 3rd generation evolved GDDR5 support, 2nd generation evolved 40nm process technology, and a feature-rich compute shader, all geared towards delivering the best gaming experience money can buy. * The ultimate in game compatibility: The DirectX 11 API was developed on AMD graphics hardware and represents the cornerstone of DirectX 11 gaming. All initial DirectX 11 games were developed and/or continue to be developed on AMD DirectX 11 hardware. With more than 20 DirectX 11 games currently in development, this innate optimization for ATI Radeon graphics cards, in combination with monthly ATI Catalyst™ driver releases, help ensure a stable, reliable and high-performance experience for the latest games. Accelerate with ATI Stream technology With the ATI Radeon HD 5800 series of graphics card, PC users can unleash Windows 7 and realize the potential of a better computing experience to help do more with their PC: * Harness the home supercomputer: One ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics card would have been one of the top 10 supercomputers in the world just six years ago – today that same processing power can be found in your home PC, working with high-performance CPUs to deliver a superior experience. * Windows® 7 done right: Windows 7 is the first compute-capable operating system and the ATI Radeon HD 5800 series of graphics cards with ATI Stream technology accelerate it like nothing else, being the first and only card to support DirectCompute 11. * Create and do more, faster than ever before with ATI Stream technology: Enjoy new features, functionality and improved performance in top media, entertainment and productivity applications made possible by ATI Stream technology.6 * Most expansive support of industry standards: The ATI Radeon HD 5800 of graphics cards fully support both DirectX 11 and OpenCL, ensuring broad application support now and the future. Expand the PC experience with ATI Eyefinity multi-display technology Enjoy multi-monitor computing with seamless enablement of the biggest game environments ever seen: * The ultimate in seamless flexibility: Arrange one to three displays using the ATI Radeon™ HD 5870 and ATI Radeon™ HD 5850 graphics cards, or up to six displays using the forthcoming ATI Radeon™ HD 5870 Eyefinity6 graphics card, in a variety of configurations – any mix of portrait or landscape. * See them before they see you: Unlock the potential of multi-monitor gaming at up to 12 x full HD resolution, the largest game environments ever displayed.10 Experience more visual detail and expanded battlefields that your gaming competitors may lack. * Enjoy visual computing in eye-definition: Virtually obsolete scrolling by taking advantage of vast desktop real estate to put more information at your fingertips. Enjoy the best of today's latest visually-enhanced online applications – social networking, video conferencing, video entertainment, and satellite imagery – all in stunning detail. Ecosystem support * The ATI Radeon™ HD 5800 series of graphics cards is supported by a dozen add-in-board companies, including ASUS, Club 3D, Diamond Multimedia, Force3D, GIGABYTE, HIS (Hightech Information Systems), MSI, Multimedia, PowerColor, SAPPHIRE Technology, VisionTek and XFX. Supporting Quotes "By incorporating the ATI Radeon™ HD 5870 graphics processor's revolutionary DirectX 11 and ATI Eyefinity multi-monitor capabilities into the Alienware desktop gaming system, Dell Gaming continues to lead the industry in delivering performance, immersion and visual experience levels that shatter all previous limitations," said Arthur Lewis, head of Dell gaming group. "I had high expectations of AMD's new DirectX 11 GPUs, but nothing really prepared me for the breathtaking experience that I'm now enjoying," said Dirk Ringe, vice president, EA Phenomic. "Frame rates are so silky-smooth at ultra high-resolutions, even with all effects turned to max, that the new hardware makes previous hardware look like a quaint antique! The quality of the rendering in BattleForge is something that I used to dream about only a year ago – and the flexibility and power of DirectCompute 11 opens our eyes to a multitude of new possibilities. We applaud AMD's and Microsoft's vision in creating the DirectX 11 API and this amazing new hardware and we can say without hesitation that it represents the future of gaming." "We were simply astonished by the performance of the DirectCompute 11 hardware in AMD's DirectX 11 GPUs," said Ruslan Didenko, project lead, GSC Gameworld. "By meeting the full DirectX 11 hardware spec AMD has created a beast of a GPU that is light years ahead of its DirectX 10.1 and DirectX 10 predecessors. We strongly recommend a full-on DirectX 11 GPU from AMD as very simply the best way to experience our stunning new game, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat. A vision of loveliness, in every gut-wrenching detail!" "Trinigy remains committed to supporting the game development industry with top-notch game engine technology that combines efficiency, creative freedom and performance," said Dag Frommhold, managing director at Trinigy. "We're extremely excited to be working with AMD to support their DirectX 11 graphics processors. AMD's quality drivers and hardware complement our commitment to game developers perfectly by empowering them to produce higher-level in-game graphics than ever before." Read - Hot Hardware reviewRead - AnandTech review Read - Driver Heaven review Read - HardOCP review Read - Hexus review Read - PC Perspective review Read - Tech Report reviewRead - Legit Reviews
MSI slides out 14-inch Athlon Neo-equipped X410 laptop
MSI's X-Slim X400 made quite the splash alongside the X340 and X600 earlier this year, but now it's time for the slighted middle child to get an upgrade. Upstaging both of the aforementioned siblings, the refreshed X410 gets powered by AMD's Athlon Neo processor and also packs an ATI Radeon X1250 GPU, 14-inch LCD (1,366 x 768), up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a 1.3 megapixel camera, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, optional Bluetooth, an HDMI port, an SD card reader and a 320GB or 500GB hard drive. There's also a pair of USB 2.0 sockets, a VGA output, external DVD writer (or Blu-ray drive, if you'd prefer) and a 4- or 8-cell battery to boot. Per usual, MSI isn't doling out pricing or release details just yet, but we're betting a pre-holiday ship date is practically a lock.[Via HotHardware]
Video: ATI Radeon Eyefinity eyes-on, featuring Left 4 Dead on a 175-inch display
Vision rebranding wasn't AMD's only big unveil yesterday, as the company had on display a number of different stations for its ATI Radeon Eyefinity technology. Sure, there's three-monitor Google Earth and airbrushing, but the real kicker, in case you doubted earlier claims that playing Left 4 Dead on three 30-inch screens "absolutely changes the experience for the better," is footage of the game being playing on a 175-inch display, comprised of six HD projectors and boasting 5,500 x 2,000 pixel resolution. Sure, it's not the greatest gaming screen we've seen, but short of having access to your own football stadium, it's mighty impressive. See for yourself after the break.
ATI Radeon Eyefinity unveiled: up to six monitors on a single card
At a press event today the gang at AMD unleashed their newest graphics technology on the world. To be incorporated in the next generation of ATI Radeons, Eyefinity can rock up to six displays (DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, etc.) with a single card, thanks to a new 40-nm graphics chip that contains 2 billion transistors, capable of 2.5 trillion calculations every second. Monitors can be configured to make up either one contiguous display or six separate ones, and the card can create 268 megapixel images. That means, according to Venture Beat, that it will deliver games with "12 times the high-definition resolution." And the gang at Hot Hardware, who reports that the new graphic cards will come with either three or six display outs, put a prototype through its paces. We're pleased to report that playing Left 4 Dead on three 30-inch displays "absolutely changes the experience for the better." No word yet on a release date, but apparently Acer, Dell, HP, MSI and Toshiba already have Eyefinity notebooks in the works. We'll take two! More shots after the break.Read - AMD introduces a graphics chip that can power six computer displays at onceRead - AMD Eyefinity Multi-Display Technology In Action
CyberPower serves up water-cooled LAN Mini H2o SFF rig
If you're looking for an ultra compact, ultra quiet new machine to act as your resident HTPC, CyberPower might just have an option worth eying. The all new LAN Mini H2o is said to be one of the planet's tiniest water-cooled desktop gaming rigs, and while it's equipped with Intel Core 2 Duo / Core 2 Quad CPUs, NVIDIA or ATI graphics and more hard drive space than you'll initially know what to do with, there's absolutely nothing stopping you from repurposing this is a media center PC. The box checks in at 11.25- x 8.75- x 7-inches and weighs just ten pounds, and there's even room for a WiFi adapter, Blu-ray drive and HDMI socket. Feel free to customize yours now, with the Core 2 Quad Q9550-equipped base rig starting at $965.Update: Well, wouldn't you know it? Seems these guys got the idea from Vigor Gaming [.doc file].
Dell lets loose Vostro 10 series from bullet-time
We knew it was coming soon, and here it is, Dell's latest entry to the Vostro line of low-cost notes that won't break the bank -- but don't give off that netbook vibe, either. The three models are the 14.1-inch 1014 and 1088, and the 15.6-inch 1015. All feature Intel Core 2 processors, optical drives, 802.11n, two megapixel webcams, and maximum memory and storage allocations of 4GB and 320GB respectively. Other than screen size the only difference seems to be higher-end ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 graphics in the 1088, while the others make do with a rather more pedestrian Intel solution. Dell hasn't graced these with an official price in the US just yet, but that should change any minute now. [Via Pocket-lint]
Windows Media Center is set to thrill at CEDIA 2009 next month
Everyone likes to try and predict the future and with the Custom Electronic Design & Installation (CEDIA) show only a month away, the crew at Engadget HD threw all of their crazy ideas out there for your reading pleasure. For the most part all of the predictions are around Windows Media Center and how it will integrate with other products like the Zune HD, Digital Cable and HD satellite services, but there are some other fun things throw in. We really believe that this is going to be the year that Redmond brings everything together, so if you're the type who doesn't think it'll ever happen, then click through to find out why we think you're wrong. Either way, you can expect we'll be on the scene in Atlanta to check out what's new first hand.
CEDIA 2009 Windows Media Center predictions
With the Custom Electronic Design & Installation show in Atlanta only a month away, we thought it'd be fun to try and predict the future by laying out our expectations for Windows Media Center. The way we see it, CEDIA is the perfect launching pad for Windows 7 Media Center. For starters it is just over a month before the official release of the OS, but more so because Microsoft has used the venue in the past to announce new Media Center features. We really believe that this is going to be the year that Redmond brings everything together, so if you're the type who doesn't think it'll ever happen, then click through to find out why we think you're wrong.
ATI Stream goes fisticuffs with NVIDIA's CUDA in epic GPGPU tussle
It's a given that the GPGPU (or General-Purpose Graphics Processing Unit) has a long, long ways to go before it can make a dent in the mainstream market, but given that ATI was talking up Stream nearly three whole years ago, we'd say a battle royale between it and its biggest rival was definitely in order. As such, the benchmarking gurus over at PC Perspective saw fit to pit ATI's Stream and NVIDIA's CUDA technologies against one another in a knock-down-drag-out for the ages, essentially looking to see which system took the most strain away from the CPU during video encoding and which produced more visually appealing results. We won't bother getting into the nitty-gritty (that's what the read link is for), but we will say this: in testing, ATI's contraption managed to relieve the most stress from the CPU, though NVIDIA's alternative seemed to pump out the highest quality materials. In other words, you can't win for losin'.
AMD's integrated 785G graphics platform review roundup
It's mildly hard to believe that AMD's DirectX 10-compatible 780 Series motherboard GPU was introduced well over a year ago now, but the long awaited successor has finally landed. This fine morning, a gaggle of hardware sites around the web have taken a look at a number of AMD 785G-equipped mainboards, all of which boast integrated Radeon HD 4200 GPUs, support for AMD's AM3 processors and a price point that's downright delectable (most boards are sub-$100). Without getting into too much detail here in this space, the general consensus seems to be that the new platform is definitely appreciated, but hardly revolutionary. It fails to destroy marks set by the 780G, and it couldn't easily put NVIDIA's GeForce 9300 to shame. What it can do, however, is provide better-than-average HD playback, making it a prime candidate for basic desktop users and even HTPC builders. For the full gamut of opinions, grab your favorite cup of joe and get to clickin' below.Read - HotHardware reviewRead - The Tech Report reviewRead - Tom's Hardware reviewRead - PC Perpective reviewRead - Hardware Zone reviewRead - Hexus review
Dell adds high-powered ATI FirePro M7740 graphics to the Precision M6400
We've always lusted after Dell's high-zoot Precision M6400 mobile workstation, and now we've got yet another reason to save all these nickels and dimes in the sock drawer: the company's adding AMD's new ATI FirePro M7740 graphics processor to the mix. The new chip is due to be announced tomorrow at SIGGRAPH 2009, and like the rest of the FirePro line, it'll offer 1GB of DDR5 frame buffer memory, 30-bit DisplayPort and dual-link DVI output, and tons of CAD application certifications. We're looking for hard specs and prices now, we'll let you know as soon as we get 'em.
Engadget HD takes an in-depth look at Media Center in Windows 7 RTM
If you've ever thought about forcing your Xbox 360 to do double duty and in addition to all the games you require it to host for you, set it up to replace your TiVo or cable company DVR, then now might just be the time. The reason is simple, in Windows 7, Microsoft has really made some nice improvements to Windows Media Center. What improvements you might ask? Glad you did, because over at Engadget HD the team went over the changes with a fine-tooth comb. This includes a comprehensive list of improvements and shortfalls in regards to using Windows 7 Media Center as a full time HD DVR as well as a few videos to really help you appreciate what's new and what the experience is like on an Xbox 360.
Windows 7 Media Center review
We've been waiting a long time for this and it's finally here, the latest version of Windows Media Center. Well, we really stopped waiting a few months ago when the release candidate hit, but waited on composing our thoughts until after we had a chance to play with the RTM copy. For the most part, as you'd expect the RTM build is identical to the RC, sans the bugs, but there are plenty of upgrades over Vista Media Center. Many of these new features were also in the TV Pack, but in our book that doesn't count. For starters it was OEM only, and thus you could only get it (legitimately) by buying a new PC, but the real reason is because it was so buggy, it was beyond usable. In fact we still stand by the theory that the TV Pack was nothing more than an early preview for OEMs of the new guts of Windows 7 Media Center. Gladly that is all behind us now, so keep reading to find out what gets us excited about Windows 7 Media Center.
MSI takes the pain, fun out of overclocking with OC Genie
If you thought MSI's obsession with motherboard implants was over after it unveiled Winki to a nearly nonexistent amount of fanfare, think again. The company has just taken the wraps off its latest mobo addition, the OC Genie. In essence, this is the one-touch overclock button that laptop owners have long enjoyed, but for desktops. Right now, the OC Genie is custom built for the company's own P55 motherboard, though it insists that all sorts of mainboards will be supported in due time. If you're curious about the details, you'll have to remain that way for now; all we're told is that activating the module automatically pushes your system to a safe brink within a second, giving even the newbies in attendance the ability to squeeze more from their current rig. In related news, MSI also added yet another model to its growing Classic laptop series, the 17.3-inch CX700, which gets powered by a Core 2 Duo processor, ATI's Mobility Radeon HD4330 GPU and 4GB of RAM.[Via HotHardware]
AMD's RS880 integrated graphics chip could make netbooks usable
Tired of hearing that your next favorite netbook / nettop is hamstrung with one of those woefully underpowered GMA950 graphics chipsets? Eager to see what all AMD is going to do about it? If The Inquirer is to be believed, an up and coming integrated chipset should elevate the multimedia prowess of low-end machines, as the RS880 would actually be based around the new Radeon HD 4200 core. In theory, at least, this chip would be around 15 percent faster than similar alternatives out there now, giving future netbooks just enough power to churn through 720p video without st, st, stuttering. Needless to say, the suits are refusing to comment on the matter, but we're definitely holding out hope for this one.
ATI Theater 750 HD chip can bring OTA HD to PCs around the world
No matter what country one finds themselves in, a PC equipped with a TV tuner powered by one of ATI's new Theater HD 750 chips should be able to tune into any over the air TV broadcasts available. These give a step up over the hardware in the company's old TV Wonder 650 line by adding PAL, SECAM and DVB-T support to NTSC, ATSC and ClearQAM access. Of course Media Center PC owners can set up all manner of DVR features, and for that all-ATI feel combines with ATI Stream software and videocards to transcode video into a variety of formats. Expect the new tuners to come out in PCI Express, USB stick and other flavors later this year, if you can't wait, try a glimpse of the preview trailer embedded after the break.
AMD's ATI Radeon E4690 brings HD, DirectX 10.1 support to embedded GPU arena
AMD's newfangled ATI Radeon E4690 may not be the next Crysis killer, but it should do just fine in next-gen arcade and slot machines. All kidding aside (sort of...), this new embedded graphics set is said to triple the performance of AMD's prior offerings in the field, bringing with it 512MB of GDDR3 RAM, DirectX 10.1 / OpenGL 3.0 support and hardware acceleration of H.264 and VC-1 high-definition video. The 35mm chip also differentiates itself by integrating directly onto motherboards and taking on many of the tasks that are currently assigned to the CPU, but alas, it doesn't sound as if we'll be seeing this in any nettops / netbooks anytime soon ever. Video after the break.
iBUYPOWER launches 15.6-inch Battalion 101 CZ-10 gaming laptop
iBUYPOWER may not yet be a household name when it comes to gaming laptops, but its sure doing its darnedest to take on the likes of HP, Dell, Acer and ASUS with its totally respectable Battalion 101 CZ-10. This 15.6-inch lappie arrives with a 2.66GHz T9550 Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of DDR3 RAM, ATI's 512MB Radeon HD 4650 GPU, a 500GB 5400RPM hard drive, 8x dual-layer DVD burner, a 6-cell battery and a WXGA (1,366 x 768) panel. You'll also find an HDMI output, three USB 2.0 sockets, a 2 megapixel webcam, inbuilt microphone, 3-in-1 card reader and a fingerprint scanner. Best of all, the outfit throws in its accidental damage protection plan, all for the completely reasonable asking price of $1,235. It's available to order now for those who can't resist, and the full release is after the break.
AMD busts out world's first air-cooled 1GHz GPU
The last time a GPU milestone this significant was passed, it was June of 2007, and we remember it well. We were kicked back, soaking in the rays from Wall Street and firmly believing that nothing could ever go awry -- anywhere, to anyone -- due to a certain graphics card receiving 1GB of onboard RAM. Fast forward a few dozen months, and now we've got AMD dishing out the planet's first factory-clocked card to hit the 1GHz mark. Granted, overclockers have been running their cards well above that point for awhile now, but hey, at least this bugger comes with a warranty. The device doing the honors is the ATI Radeon HD 4890, and it's doing it with air cooling alone and just a wee bit of factory overclocking. Take a bow, AMD -- today's turning out to be quite a good one for you.
How to install a CableCARD tuner in your DIY Media Center
Access to premium HD on computers has eluded most for way to long, so as soon as we heard that it was finally possible for anyone to add a CableCARD tuner to just about any Media Center, we just knew we had to try it for ourselves, and more importantly, share with you exactly how to do it. This doesn't really require any hacking, or anything illegal for that matter -- we're not lawyers -- but it isn't cheap. The internal version of the ATI Digital Cable Tuner pictured above can be found new on eBay for about $195, or new from PC vendors like Cannon PC for just under $300. If that doesn't seem like a bad deal to you and you already have an HTPC up to the challenge, then you should join us on our journey to HD bliss by clicking through.
