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AMD's FireStream 9250: first processor to top 1 Teraflop
AMD's second generation FireStream 9250 just broke the single-precision teraflop barrier at the International Supercomputing Conference in Germany. The proc takes advantage of AMD's GPU expertise to augment the processing power of your rig's CPU with an additional 8-gigaflops per watt of processing from this 150 watt processor. A 55x performance bump, say developers, when compared to crunching financial analysis code, for example, on a CPU alone. The 9250 Stream fits into a single PCI slot and includes double-precision floating point hardware performing at more than 200 gigaflops. The processor and supporting SDK are due for release in Q3 for $999.Update: According to TGDaily, the 9250 features ATI's upcoming RV770 GPU at its core -- the foundation of future 4800-series graphics cards. So 4x cards setup in Crossfire X should be capable of offering your next gaming rig an additional 5 Teraflops or power. You know, in theory.Read -- press releaseRead -- TGDaily
AMD announces FireStream 9170, first dedicated stream processor
The true computing geeks in the house are about to need adult diapers: AMD's launching a dedicated stream processor, the FireStream 9170, and an accompanying SDK today, which will be available in Q108. Granted, this 55nm "world's first Stream GPU with double-precision floating point technology" will run you two grand, but you'll be getting 500 GFLOPS at under 150 watts power draw, but you'll get all the insane math-crunching benefits of stream processing that your current number-crunching rig isn't seeing, despite the eight 8800s you've got jury-rigged into the thing. Press release after the break. Read more about stream processing here (because we're reall in no position to lecture on its benefits).
