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Analyst blames Xbox RRoD on MS-designed graphics chip
With Microsoft remaining officially mum on the reasons behind the wave of Xbox 360-killing red rings of death, owners and experts have speculated on causes ranging from cheap heat sinks to bad soldering to power surges. Now, Gartner Research Vice President and Chief Analyst Bryan Lewis thinks he's honed in on the real reason behind the system failures: cheap, Microsoft-designed graphics processors.Speaking at the Design Automation Conference, Lewis said Microsoft tried to save a few million dollars by designing the Xbox 360's GPU in-house, rather than farming the design out to an experienced, approved application-specific integrated circuit vendor. Lewis chalked the high failure rate to Microsoft's inexperience designing such chips. "How many ASICs per year does Microsoft design? Not many.," Lewis said. "The ASIC vendor could have been able to design a graphics processor that dissipates much less power."The irony is that Microsoft is widely believed to have gone to experienced ASIC-designer ATI for a redesigned Xbox 360 graphics chip in the middle of 2007. So, in addition to spending over a billion dollars on a warranty extension, Microsoft probably still ended up having to spend the few million dollars they were trying to avoid in the first place. Smooth move, ex-lax.[Thanks copa.]
AMD gets official with ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3800 and PowerXpress
AMD's on a roll at Computex, and it's keeping the stream alive with two more decently important announcements. First off, the company is making the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3800 official, which is said to "triple top-of-the-line graphics performance in comparison to the previous generation ATI Mobility Radeon GPUs." The unit also enables laptop makers to include CrossFireX technology for the first time, so yeah, there's that. Moving on, we've got the low down on its PowerXpress technology, which enables users to "double or triple the performance of the integrated graphics processor when plugged into a wall socket or extend their battery life by over an hour while on the go." In actuality, it's a variant of ATI Hybrid Graphics Technology for lappies, giving folks the option to switch between a Mobility Radeon HD 3400 series GPU and an integrated AMD M780G without the need for a reboot. If your eyebrows just perked up, you can snag said tech on select Fujitsu-Siemens machines right now. All the gory details are linked below -- enjoy!Read - ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3800 gets officialRead - ATI PowerXpress shipping on select Fujitsu-Siemens laptops
High-end graphics features planned for Second Life
Linden Lab is tinkering with a set of Second Life graphical improvements for high-end graphics hardware. Dave Parks, software engineer at Linden Lab has been working on a set of features tailored to the Geforce 8 set of GPUs. Users without the required hardware would not suffer any performance reductions as a result of the new features. The featureset (which is available as an experimental branch called shadow-draft in the viewer source repository, for the curious), includes hard Sun-shadows, per-pixel lighting, support for an uncapped number of point-lights, and lighting costs based on screen coverage.
Photoshop CS4 to include GPU acceleration?
One of the nicest features of the latest round of OS X image editors like Pixelmator and Acorn is their use of GPU acceleration. They use your Mac's graphics processor to radically speed up various image tools like filters and transformations, etc. Now it appears that the big boys are finally getting ready to play.TG Daily is reporting that Adobe recently previewed the next version of Photoshop (CS Next / CS4) with GPU acceleration. And as expected it made for an enormous improvement in speed. They they observed "the presenter playing with a 2 GB, 442 megapixel image like it was a 5 megapixel image on an 8-core [Intel] Skulltrail system." There was no specific mention of the Mac version (the demo seems to have been done on a Windows machine) and also no discussion of if and how the 32-bit limitation of CS4 on the Mac might affect this GPU assisted performance boost. Nonetheless, the addition of GPU acceleration is a big deal, and perhaps will push Apple into getting more high performance graphics cards into its systems.[via Gizmodo]
Open-source OGD1 graphics card up for pre-order
Heads-up, open-source gurus -- your next play toy is officially ready to be pre-ordered. The OGD1 is a self-proclaimed "high-end FPGA prototyping kit and hardware engineering platform, equipped with the peripherals needed to develop and test computer graphics architectures." Essentially, it's designed to be used by students of FPGA programming, engineers hunting down a dev platform or hobbyists who just can't stop hacking stuff up. The board itself features twin dual-link DVI outputs, 256MB of RAM, PCI / PCI-X compatibility, a passive cooling system and a 128-bit memory bus. Of course, such a niche product doesn't come without a premium, so don't yell too loudly when reading that this one will cost you $1,500 to take home. Heck, it's only $1,400 if you're one of the first hundred to commit.[Via Hack-A-Day]
Next-generation ATI Radeon cards to pack GDDR5 memory
A full six months after Samsung took the wraps off of GDDR5 memory, along comes word from AMD that the next-generation ATI Radeon graphics cards will boast said technology. Apparently AMD will be tapping Qimonda for its supply of GDDR5 modules, which should boost gaming performance as well as benefit stream processing, "where GPUs are applied to address complex, massively parallel calculations." As Hot Hardware points out, the release comes just weeks away from the rumored debut of the Radeon 4000 series, so if our deductive reasoning is sound, we'd surmise that the looming Radeon 4800 will indeed feature GDDR5.[Via Hot Hardware]
Current crop of graphics cards compared, ranked by price
Although NVIDIA's pledged to simplify its lineup for consumers and ATI's been getting better, the current state of the graphics card market is still a pretty wild alphabet soup of model numbers and specs lists, so the crew over at The Tech Report decided to break things down using the only stat that matters: price. While the results aren't exactly shocking (surprise: more dollars equals more FPS), what's interesting is that multi-GPU rigs are really quite cost-effective, delivering performance on par with higher-end cards at significantly lower prices. For example, two Radeon HD 3850s run nearly as fast as a single Radeon HD 3870 X2, even though they cost a fair bit less, and two GeForce 9600 GTs can potentially outgun a GeForce 8800 Ultra. That's always been the promise of SLI and CrossFire, and it looks like it's paying off -- any system-builders out there care to share their experiences?
ATI's CrossFireX now offered on Alienware Area-51 gaming PC
Alienware's AMD-powered Aurora ALX picked up CrossFireX support just as soon as it went live from ATI, but it has taken a few weeks for the technology to make its way over to the iconic Area-51. Said gaming rig is now available with ATI CrossFireX, meaning that you can take advantage of all four GPUs across a pair of Radeon HD 3870 X2s. Full release posted after the jump.
NVIDIA VP joins the smack-talk fun, says the Intel CPU is "dead"
Alright, we're loving this new hyper-aggressive, sorta-nasty version of NVIDIA. Not only has CEO Jen Hsun-Huang promised to "open a can of whoop-ass" on Intel, the company has been touting its new sub-$45 integrated platform as far superior to Celeron-based systems, and now we've got VP of Content Relations Roy Taylor sending out emails saying that "a war has started" and pronouncing the Intel CPU "dead." Roy says Intel is "panicking" because CPUs have "run out of steam," and that they "no longer make anything run faster." According to Roy -- whose nickname is "Big Pipe," no joke -- the only thing that needs to get faster is the GPU, and NVIDIA's going to make it happen. That's some brash talk, all around -- let's hope NVIDIA's ready when Intel brings Nehalem out to play. Check out the whole email at the read link.[Via TGDaily]
MBP vs. MBA benchmarking showdown
Bare Feats continues to pit Macs against each other in a no-holds-barred, up-against-the-wall benchmarking breakdown, and this time around it's the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air in the octagon together. And things go about as planned -- while the solid state drive in the MBA has its advantages, the processor and GPU (what little there is of it) in the MBA don't even really compare to the MBP. Sure, it's a small, super thin, super portable computer, but not only are you paying in cash for the portability, you're paying in performance, too.This doesn't mean the MBA is a bad computer at all -- for most tasks, it'll work just fine. But complicated 3D graphics (both Halo and Unreal Tournament 2004 were tested) will be almost unplayable in games, and there will be a substantial wait, sometimes up to minutes more, for certain processor intensive tasks. If speed is a high priority (at least higher than portability), the MBA isn't for you.I would like to see how the MacBook compares, though. It's not surprising that the MBP is a fast machine, but where does the MBA line up compared to the cheaper model?[Via IMG]
NVIDIA's GeForce 9800 GX2 officially ready to shred your wallet
Not like we needed NVIDIA (of all companies) to tell us that the GeForce 9800 GX2 was more than a figment of our imagination, but nevertheless, one of the worst kept secrets in GPU history is finally "official." Reportedly, this beast of a card is available today from a number of retailers for upwards of $600 (MSRP), and just in case you're not absolutely sure such graphical prowess is really worth that kind of change, feel free to take a glance at early tests and the full review listed below before digging into that 401(k).[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Read - NVIDIA's official GeForce 9800 GX2 pageRead - GeForce 9800 GX2 gets reviewedRead - GeForce 9800 GX2 gets reviewed (again)Read - Quad SLI testRead - GeForce 9800 GX2 gets taken apart on video
CrossFireX reviewed: it's a start
Quick note to the graphics enthusiasts in the house, HardOCP took a long look at CrossFireX using dual Radeon HD 3870 X2s. As you might expect, some games benefit from the raw power, some games require driver tweaks and knob-fiddling to get going right, and some games were just about the same without (read: your mileage my vary -- for now). Check out their full review for the details.[Thanks, Risk]
NVIDIA's GeForce 9800 GX2 gets official courtesy of Albatron
Okay, so it's not like we were oblivious to the fact that NVIDIA's 8800-smashing GeForce 9800 GX2 was just around the bend, but we're getting that much closer to seeing it on store shelves judging by a finished product shown off at CeBIT. The Albatron card you see pictured above is most certainly proof that the mythical GPU is indeed a reality, and while no one in Germany will spill the beans on this thing's specifications, price or release date, feel free to check out a few more snapshots in the links below while clutching any spare change you can.[Via PC Perspective]
AMD unveils DirectX 10-compatible 780 Series motherboard GPU
AMD's deliverance of two 45-nanometer CPUs wasn't the only thing new from the company today, as now we're getting wind of an all new motherboard GPU that's DirectX10 compatible. The AMD 780 Series is hailed as "the industry's most advanced" mobo GPU, and is slated to be "widely available" in a variety of boards in Q2. Essentially, AMD's hoping the chip will enable casual gamers to join in on the fun without having to fork out big bucks for pricey discrete graphics cards, but for those that eventually do pick up such a device, the ATI Hybrid Graphics technology ensures that the power from both will be harnessed in order to boost overall performance. Check out the read link for all the nitty-gritty, and head on past the break if you're scouting a couple of educational videos.
ATI's mix-n-match CrossFire X technology gets official, tested
Sure, SLI technology is fine and dandy, but ATI's hoping to remove some of the restrictions found on current multi-GPU setups with its forthcoming CrossFire X technology. As we've seen before, the idea here is to "take two, three or four GPUs and use their power to render one game faster than you otherwise would be able." Over at PC Perspective, those kind folks were able to pick AMD's brain on the topic, and aside from getting confirmation that CrossFire X "supports multi-GPU configurations of any combination of RV670- and R680-based products," we also found that a public release was just weeks away. Better still, there's a full report detailing the results of putting the technology to the test, and yes, initial impressions do seem quite positive. Hit the read link for the full spill, cool?[Thanks, sizewise]
Nvidia to acquire Ageia Technologies
Graphics whiz buys physics boffin news now, with the announcement of graphics card designer Nvidia's "definitive agreement" to purchase Ageia, developer of the PhysX middleware and corresponding PPU (physics processing unit) hardware accelerators. Ageia's PhysX solution is reportedly in use by over 140 shipping or in-development games across a range of platforms, including the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and PC. The purchase reflects both companies' shared goal of "creating the most amazing and captivating game experiences," said Jen-Hsun Huang, president and CEO of Nvidia. "By combining the teams that created the world's most pervasive GPU and physics engine brands, we can now bring GeForce-accelerated PhysX to hundreds of millions of gamers around the world."The press release makes no mention of the acquisition cost nor specific products those millions of gamers around the world can expect in the future, but the first benefits of the agreement are sure to be seen in precariously stacked, stunningly rendered crates.[Via Engadget]
AMD's Radeon HD 3870 X2, 3650 and 3450 GPUs get reviewed
AMD / ATI is bustin' out with some new graphics cards for your gaming (or casual use) pleasure, and we've got details to share with you. The company has recently issued its Radeon HD 3870 X2 for review, and FPSLabs has the breakdown of the company's new high-end gamer, pushing it to the limit with Hell-ride tests utilizing Bioshock, Oblivion, and F.E.A.R., amongst others. The card performed like a monster in most arenas, though when it went up against EA's monster Crysis, even the dual-GPU card buckled under the intense pressure of the game, getting a surprise beating from the supposedly-less-powerful NVIDIA 8800GTS 512. We won't give you the nine-page rundown, but you can get the idea. The company also recently released a more consumer-oriented set of cards, the Radeon HD 3650 and 3450, meant for a kinder, gentler user -- you can check all the info on those dudes in the read link. Enjoy![Thanks, Robert C]Read - AMD Radeon HD 3870 X2 ReviewRead - ATI Radeon HD Refresh: The 3650 and 3450 Arrive
Jingle Bells played with graphics card, Santa wonders why
As if an office full of guitar-controlled lights weren't enough to get you in the holiday spirit, along comes a self-proclaimed geek to play Jingle Bells on his graphics card. We know, it's hard to really grasp what we mean, so jump on past the break to catch a video that will undoubtedly do our explaining for us.[Via TheInquirer]
NVIDIA reveals GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB
Not even two months after NVIDIA tempted gamers on a budget with the GeForce 8800 GT, the outfit has loosed a new beast just in time for those eleventh hour holiday shoppers. Based on 65-nanometer fabrication, the 8800 GTS 512MB boasts 128 stream processors, twin dual-link DVI ports, PureVideo HD technology, DirectX 10 support, a 650MHz core clock / 970MHz memory clock and hardware decode acceleration for smooth playback of "H.264, VC-1, WMV and MPEG-2 HD and SD movies." According to the company, this card provides some 25-percent more processing power than NVIDIA products previously offered at the same price point, which, if you're wondering, is around $299 to $349.[Via HotHardware]
Samsung announces world's fastest memory: GDDR5
Gadzooks gamers, Samsung just announced what they are calling the world's fastest memory: GDDR5. The new series five, double-data rate memory chip transfers data at a lickity quick 6Gbps -- about 4x faster while using 20% less power than the GDDR3 memory found in modern GPUs and the PS3. Compare that to their 4Gbps GDDR4 chips and you'll understand the fuss. The chips have already been delivered in samples to the likes of NVIDIA and ATI. Samsung expects the series five chips to capture more than 50 percent of the high-end PC graphics market by 2010.[via DigiTimes]
