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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 set up in 3-way SLI, tested against Radeon HD 5870 and 5970
Not many mortals will ever have to worry about choosing between a three-way GeForce GTX 480 SLI setup, an equally numerous Radeon HD 5870 array, or a dual-card HD 5970 monstrosity, but we know plenty of people would care about who the winner might be. Preliminary notes here include the fun facts that a 1 Kilowatt PSU provided insufficient power for NVIDIA's hardware, while the mighty Core i7-965 test bench CPU proved to be a bottleneck in some situations. Appropriately upgraded to a six-core Core i7-980X and a 1,200W power supply, the testers proceeded to carry out the sacred act of benchmarking the snot out of these superpowered rigs. We won't spoil the final results of the bar chart warfare here, but rest assured both camps score clear wins in particular games and circumstances. The source link shall reveal all.
ATI Radeon HD 5870 Eyefinity 6 Edition review roundup: novel, but not for everyone
We've been fortunate enough to spend a bit of time with an Eyefinity setup before, but up until now, it's been somewhat of a hassle to get a fully functional six-screen setup into a consumer's home. Today, AMD is taking the legwork out of the equation with the introduction of the Radeon HD 5870 Eyefinity 6 Edition, a standalone GPU with 2GB of GDDR5 memory and innate support for pushing a half-dozen panels at once. Outside of that, it's essentially the same card that we saw last September, and based on the cadre of reviews that we rounded up, the doubled memory bank doesn't do much to boost frame rates. What it does do, however, is enable six-screen gaming. Unfortunately (though understandably), this type of gaming scenario is only meant for a select segment of users, and many critics found the novelty wearing off exceptionally quick. In fact, it wasn't long before NeoSeeker became fed up with the bezels ruining the experience, and just about everyone agreed that you needed to sit a good half-mile away to really enjoy it. Either way, we'd encourage you to hit up Hot Hardware's collection of videos before biting the bullet, buying up an extra five LCDs and then regretting it for the rest of your Earthly life. Read - Hot Hardware Read - AnandTech Read - NeoSeeker Read - Rage3D Read - PC Perspective Read - TweakTown Read - FiringSquad Read - Tom's Hardware Read - ExtremeTech Read - Hexus
Acer launches Aspire Ethos line with swanky 5943G and 8943G models
Acer's aspirational laptops have a new Ethos to them now, and it clearly has something to do with entertainment. The newly revealed 18.4-inch 8943G sports a 1920 x 1080 resolution and a true 5.1 surround sound setup, meaning that somewhere within its shell reside five miniature speakers and a sub. Processor options range all the way up to the quad-core Core i7-820QM, which offers 8MB of built-in cache and a 1.73GHz clock speed that cranks all the way to 3.06GHz when required. ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 graphics and up to 1.28TB of storage (2x 640GB) complete the overkill recipe. The 5943G is basically a scaled down version, offering as it does 1366 x 768 resolution across a 15.6-inch display, a 2.1 internal speaker arrangement, and a merely adequate 640GB storage maximum. The rest of the specs are shared, including a 4,800mAh battery, which should perish quicker than you can say "desktop replacement." Pricing and availability have not yet been announced.%Gallery-88995%
MSI announces GE700 gaming laptop for those who like to be entertained
You can't go more than a few days without MSI dropping another new laptop, and today's is the GE700. It's not only 100 more than the GE600 from a few weeks ago, but a little bit bigger, sporting a 17.3-inch LCD with an unspecified resolution, up to a nine cell battery, and room for dual hard disks of up to 500GB apiece. Graphics are again handled by an ATI Radeon HD5730, processing again done by an Intel Core i5 chip, and there's a 720p webcam for live-streaming your every blemish. No word on price for this 3.2kg (7lb) machine, but MSI doesn't tend to waste much time in getting these things to retail.
ATI's six-screen Eyefinity madness reviewed, fatal flaw found
Along with its introduction of the HD 5830, ATI announced the HD 5870 Eyefinity 6 card yesterday, which predictably comes with six DisplayPort outputs and enables that hallowed six-screen gaming overload that the Eyefinity branding has been about since the beginning. Some lucky scribes over at PC Pro have been treated to a live demonstration of what gaming at 5,760 x 2,160 feels like, and their understated response was to describe it as "far more immersive." No kidding. They did raise the spectral figure of those monitor bezels, however, pointing out that bezel correction -- where the image "behind the bezel" is rendered but hidden making the overall display look like a window unto the game world -- habitually obscured text and game HUD elements. In their view, the sweet spot remains a triple-screen setup, and we're inclined to agree (particularly if they look like this). For those interested in getting their multi-monitor gaming up and running, we've linked an invaluable guide from HardOCP below, which breaks down how much you can expect from ATI's current HD 5000 series of cards, and also provides a video guide to setting your rig up.
ATI busts out Radeon HD 5830, covers all bases
Whether you wanna call it the affordable high end or the really supercharged midrange, ATI has decided that there is a space to be filled between its scorching 5850/70 cards and the only somewhat slower 5770 SKU. So let's all meet the $239 HD 5830, shall we? As is par for the Evergreen course, it's a 40nm DirectX 11 card, and while it matches the 2.15 billion transistor count of the 5850, the new contender makes do with only 16 ROPs and 1,120 stream processors. To compensate for that processing loss, the core clock is raised to 800MHz while maintaining the 1GHz memory speed of the elder 5850. If this sounds like the 5830 will basically be composed of 5850 chips that didn't quite make the high grade, good, because that's exactly what's happening. Internet reviewers have already had some time to play around with ATI's latest card, and if we can draw a consensus, it would be that while the performance is pretty much spot on between its nearest siblings, the price is that little bit too steep to make the HD 5830 an easy recommendation. Read - AnandTech Read - HotHardware Read - HardOCP Read - PC Perspective Read - Legit Reviews Read - ExtremeTech
AnandTech goes behind the scenes of ATI's RV870 / Evergreen GPU development
Anyone familiar with the constantly shifting release dates and delays that characterize GPU refresh cycles will have been impressed by ATI's execution of the Evergreen series release. Starting out at the top with its uber-performance parts, the company kept to an aggressive schedule over the winter and can now boast a fully fleshed out family of DirectX 11 graphics processors built under a 40nm process. The fact that NVIDIA has yet to give us even one DX11 product is testament to the enormity of this feat. But as dedicated geeks we want more than just the achievements, we want to know the ins and outs of ATI's resurgence and the decisions that led to its present position of being the market leader in features and mindshare, if not sales. To sate that curiosity, we have our good friend Anand Shimpi with a frankly unmissable retrospective on the development of the RV870 GPU that was to become the Evergreen chips we know today. He delves into the internal planning changes that took place after the delay of the R5xx series, the balancing of marketing and engineering ambitions, and even a bit of info on features that didn't quite make it into the HD 5xxx range. Hit the source link for all that precious knowledge.
Lenovo's AMD-based G455 and G555 make thrifty Stateside debut
China may have gotten its hands on the G455A model a touch earlier, but Lenovo hasn't kept its US-based loyalists waiting too long, as today it's announcing the forthcoming availability of a pair of new additions to its G series. Sadly, the Chinese vendor hasn't furnished us with spec sheets as yet, though we can be safe in assuming the G455 and G555 will differ primarily in their screen sizes (14 versus 15 inches), and with 16:9 screen ratios advertised, they're also likely to share the 1366 x 768 resolution of the Chinese G455A. Athlon II and dual-core Turion II processor options will be available for both, with ATI Radeon HD Mobility graphics also noted, though the DirectX 10 reference means they'll be from the older 4xxx series. Still, these machines are clearly intended for the value segment -- with both becoming available in March for $449 -- and look likely to be Lenovo's answer to those looking for the basic functionality of a netbook married to a more generously proportioned screen.
ATI Radeon HD 5570 fills the last remaining gap in DirectX 11 empire
ATI seems to be so enamored with its 40nm DirectX 11 Evergreen chips that at this point it's bringing out new graphics cards just to remind us of how awesome its technology is. Slotting in between the $100 HD 5670 and $50 HD 5450, the new Radeon HD 5570 will predictably retail at around $75 to $80, with up to 1GB of onboard GDDR3, a 650MHz core clock speed, and a thrifty 43W power budget under full load. Reviewers were big fans of its performance relative to the HD 5450 -- nearly doubling it in some cases -- but still struggled to recommend this as a better value for gamers than the only marginally more expensive HD 5670. Then again, the low profile card, single-slot cooler, and minimal power requirements make the 5570 an absolute gem for HTPC or SFF setups, so whether you're in that particular market or just curious, we recommend you check out the full reviews below. Read - HotHardware Read - AnandTech Read - HardOCP Read - Legit Reviews
ATI Radeon HD 5450 focuses on multimedia features, neglects gaming
It's rare to see a rumor -- hell, even a roadmap -- pinpoint the timing of new releases quite so accurately, but our earlier report of ATI refreshing the middle and lower parts of its lineup turned out to be bang on. Following in the footsteps of the HD 5670, we have the Radeon HD 5450, which drags the entry price for DirectX 11 and Eyefinity multi-monitor support all the way down to $50. Course, the processing power inside isn't going to be on par with its elder siblings, but that also means the 5450 will run cool enough to be offered with half-height, passive cooling solutions as seen above. ATI's focus here is on media PCs, with a DisplayPort, um... port, alongside HDMI 1.3a, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio bitstreaming support. For the money, you really can't argue with all this extra multimedia juice, but if you must have benchmarks to sate your soul, check out the early reviews below -- they're full of bar charts and performance comparisons, don't you know.
ATI Radeon HD 5670 brings DirectX 11 and Eyefinity to the budget-minded market
AMD and ATI have got yet another GPU contender under their sleeve, and this one's got quite a one-two punch. The Radeon HD 5670 can boast DirectX 11 and Eyefinity support are for a suggested price less than one Benjamin Franklin. The usual suspects have weighed in on the card, and the consensus is that this is a "solid value" that outperforms its analogous NVIDIA GeForce GT 240. That's not exactly an A+ grade, but we weren't expecting it to go toe-to-toe with its older brothers costing hundreds of dollars apiece. AnandTech also points out that some DX11-compliant games (e.g. Battleforge, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.) couldn't pull off manageable framerates. Hit up the source links for more thorough analysis, and join us after the break for the official presser. One last word of advice, as noted by TweakTown: make sure the model you pick up uses GDDR5 (instead of GDDR3), as it could make a world of difference. %Gallery-83101%
ATI serves up DirectX 11-compatible Mobility Radeon GPUs, helps nerds fall in love
DirectX 11 has been chewed up and spit out by desktop GPUs over the past few months, but until CES 2010, laptops at large were left out of the raving. This week, AMD has introduced what it's calling the world's first mobile graphics with DX11 compatibility, and the Mobility Radeon HD 5870 -- which just so happens to be featured in ASUS' recently revealed G73jh -- is leading the way. The HD 5800, HD 5700, HD 5600 and HD 5400 series are all new at the show, and each one comes with baked in support for ATI Eyefinity multi-display technology and helping tech-adoring geeks find their soulmates (as is clearly shown above). Hit the source link for more details on each, and figure on seeing these filter out to new ultraportables, mainstream rigs and gaming lappies in the seconds, days and weeks ahead.
Dell, Toshiba and Gateway Core i3 laptops get revealed early, joined by Pine Trail netbooks
And just like that, the CES 2010 on-switch has been well and truly pressed. After HP, Sony and Lenovo all exposed their hardware to the world prematurely, it was inevitable that other companies would "accidentally" follow suit. Thanks to CNET's snooping, we're now staring at a trio of new Core i3 models from Dell, Toshiba and Gateway -- highlighted by an unannounced ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 powering a 1600 x 900 15-inch display on the Gateway, which also squeezes 500GB of storage under a shockingly low $692 price tag. On the Atom front, the Mini 210 is joined by a Toshiba NB305 -- sporting the N450, 250GB HDD, up to 11 hours' claimed battery life, and a $438 sticker -- as well as Gateway's effort with a smaller 160GB HDD but also suitably reduced $285 asking price. Hit the links below to get freshened up on all the juicy details. Read - FutureShop.ca (Gateway NV5905H) Read - FutureShop.ca (Toshiba Satellite L500-00F) Read - Costco (Dell Inspiron 15) Read - FutureShop.ca (Gateway LT2102H) Read - FutureShop.ca (Toshiba NB305-00F)
NVIDIA Fermi pushed back to March, ATI prepping midrange refresh for early Q1?
Considering the present date, it's no longer a mystery that Fermi won't be seeing the glaring lights of store shelves this year, but now DigiTimes reports that the delay might be even longer than feared. Sources from within board manufacturers have been informed by NVIDIA that the launch of the 40nm GPU will be pushed back to March 2010. Though NVIDIA's flagship DirectX 11 card has yet to get out of the starting blocks, ATI -- already the proud papa of a litter of DX 11 parts -- is said to be preparing a renewed onslaught on the mainstream market with two new releases slated for late January or early February. The HD 5670 (Redwood) and HD 5450 (Cedar) will slot in alongside the unannounced HD 5570 and HD 5350 to flesh out the lower and middle portions of ATI's Evergreen refresh. So that's one whole family of DirectX 11 parts from ATI, and one long wait from NVIDIA.
HP leaks forthcoming Radeon GPUs, Core i3 CPUs, Hulu and Netflix software integration
We've come across a bonanza of information about HP's Spring 2010 plans for North America. Kicking off the new year in style will be Pavilion desktops featuring a choice between ATI's Radeon HD 5350 (code named Evora Cedar), which will have HDMI, DVI and VGA ports along with 1GB of onboard memory, or the juicier Radeon HD 5570 (aka Jaguar), which bids adieu to VGA in favor of DisplayPort and bumps up the memory allowance to 2GB. Core i3-5xx and Core i5-6xx machines are also slated for the early part of 2010, based on that energy-conscious Clarkdale core we've already seen, with the difference being that Turbo Boost and higher L3 cache (4MB versus 3MB) will be available on the higher numbered chips. Arrandale fans need not despair either, as HP's TouchSmart 600 all-in-ones will be getting upgrades to Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs based on that architecture. Finally, on the software side, HP is introducing native Hulu and Netflix to its MediaSmart software suite. Check out the gallery below for more, and let the waiting begin! %Gallery-79908%
Kohjinsha's dual-screen DZ Series laptop now for sale
Remember IBM's ThinkPad 701 with the butterfly keyboard? This isn't it, it's better... conceptually anyway. Instead of two halves of a keyboard magically jigsawing themselves together, Kohjinsha achieves a similar result with its DZ-series using a pair of 10.1-inch TFT displays with 1,024 x 600 pixel resolution (each) packed into an otherwise svelte 1.02 x 8.26 x 0.74~1.65 inches / 4.09 pounds (1.84 kg) portable. Best of all it's on sale now for ¥95,800 (about $1,110) with a Linux pre-load -- add another ¥5,000 (about $58) for 32-bit Windows 7 Home Premium. For that you get a 1.6GHz AMD Athlon Neo with RS780MN chipset and ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, 3x USB, a 3-in-1 card reader, 1.3 megapixel webcam, 1GB memory (expandable to 4GB), and 160GB 5,400RPM hard disk with claimed 4.5-hours "max" of battery power (1.1V, 5200mAh) -- likely far less in real-world usage. Ships worldwide ($60ish for US or €50ish for European delivery) in 3 weeks if you order today. Video of the sliding action after the break from our hands-on session back at the CEATEC show in Japan.
Apple's Core i5 / i7 27-inch iMacs now shipping to expectant owners
Lovers of Snow Leopard, oversized IPS display panels, and Intel's very latest processors, your time for rejoicing has come. Apple has begun sending off shipping confirmations to customers who ordered up their slab of quad-core all-in-one nirvana in October, and the biggest and baddest iMacs should be arriving at their new homes imminently. To remind you, the reason for waiting on these units was the 2.66GHz Core i5 750 inside, which comes along with 4GB of RAM, a Radeon HD 4850, and a cool terabyte of storage. We're sure some of the eager new owners couldn't resist upgrading that spec to a 2.8GHz Core i7 860, which we can kind of see the sense in -- after all, an iMac is for life, not just for Christmas. That's how that saying goes, right?
Borderlands Glitch Watch 2009: Radeon-powered PC crashes
Oh, poor little Borderlands -- Gearbox just can't catch a break! On top of the ongoing list of things that need to get fixed and the still unresolved character-nuking glitch on consoles, now PC players are starting to experience some serious issues. Specifically, the game is crashing for those who have certain ATI Radeon graphics cards. Reader Bryan tipped us off to three different forums on Steam, AMD and Gearbox, where numerous users haven't even been able to get past the game's first mission. We've reached out to Gearbox for comment and will be sure to update the post when we hear back. [Thanks, Bryan!] Source - Steam forums Source - AMD forums Source - Gearbox forums
Maingear unveils Core i7-packin' SHIFT, your own 'personal supercomputer'
We'll be straight with ya -- we're betting these "personal supercomputer" claims are just a bit out of line with reality, but even still, there's no denying that Maingear has shoved an insane amount of horsepower beneath the (admittedly large) hood of its newest rig. The beastly SHIFT does away with copious LED lighting and blinging accents found on many modern gaming PCs and instead opts for a classier, more ominous tower. Within, you'll find a vertical airflow system, a Core i7 processor, your choice of ATI or NVIDIA graphics, 8GB (and up) of DDR3-1600 RAM, up to 6 HDDs or 12 SSDs, DVD and Blu-ray options, an Asetek liquid-cooling solution, Razer peripherals, an optional Killer NIC Xeno Pro and Windows 7 running the show. The Intel P55 rig gets going at $2,199, while the X58 model starts $400 higher; for those in creative design fields, Maingear's expected to unveil a SHIFT just for you in the near future. Head on past the break for the full release. %Gallery-77033%
ATI's dual-GPU Radeon HD 5970 pictured in the wilderness
And now... fighting out of the red corner, weighing in with two Evergreen GPUs, and wearing black trunks and red trim, it's the Radeon HD 5970. ATI's latest challenger for the title of undisputed graphics champion has been snared in the wild, and its photo shoot reveals a suitably oversized beast. Measuring in at 13.5 inches and requiring both an eight- and six-pin power connector, the pre-production sample can fit inside only the roomiest and best-powered rigs around. It's named somewhat confusingly, with AMD dropping its X2 nomenclature for dual GPU setups, but it features two HD 5870 chips running in onboard Crossfire on the same PCB, and foreshadows a HD 5950, which will combine a pair of the more affordable HD 5850s. Performance figures available earlier have been pulled, at the behest of AMD, but we've got plenty of eye candy to admire, and there's also no price tag in sight to spoil our daydreaming pleasure. [Via PC Perspective] %Gallery-76900%