ATI Develops HyperMemory Technology to Reduce PC Costs

[Sabastian]

ATI Develops HyperMemory Technology to Reduce PC Costs
Friday September 17, 7:00 am ET
HyperMemory uses PCI Express to enable maximum graphics processing performance while lowering overall PC cost


MARKHAM, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 2004-- ATI Technologies (NASDAQ:ATYT - News; TSX:ATY - News) today announced HyperMemory, an innovative technology that reduces PC system costs by allowing its visual processors to use system memory for graphics processing. HyperMemory uses the high-speed bi-directional data transfer capabilities of PCI Express to store and access graphics data in system memory, leading to less of a dependence on graphics memory and ultimately a lower overall system cost.
Under previous interconnect standards, the data transfer between the visual processor and the CPU was not fast enough for real-time graphics applications, so graphics cards have shipped with up to 256 MB of dedicated graphics memory to store textures and rendering data required by the graphics processor. HyperMemory gives ATI and its board partners the option to deliver cards with less on-board memory and instead use system memory to handle the graphics storage requirements. The result is a lower overall PC cost for the same great graphics performance.

HyperMemory uses intelligent memory allocation algorithms to optimize the use of available local memory and ensure critical components are placed in fast local memory when required. Optimal assignment of data to local or system storage is determined dynamically to ensure the best user experience. HyperMemory also increases the performance of system bus data transfers, making accessing system memory faster than ever before.

Graphics cards featuring HyperMemory technology will be announced later this year. For more information about ATI's current products and technologies, please visit www.ATI.com.

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040917/175101_1.html

Does this suggest that possibly after PCI-E is in full effect graphics cards will need less on board memory?

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

Does this suggest that possibly after PCI-E is in full effect graphics cards will need less on board memory?

Possibly in the value and low end markets, but in the high end gaming market, it's never going to be fast enough for those that are willing to pay for top gaming performance.

 

[PatrickL]

Article talks also about new graphic cards released later this year. Wonder if it is X700 series or the refresh cards.

 

[Sabastian]

Does this suggest that possibly after PCI-E is in full effect graphics cards will need less on board memory?

Possibly in the value and low end markets, but in the high end gaming market, it's never going to be fast enough for those that are willing to pay for top gaming performance.

Ok so maybe it would suggest that instead of running off too higher levels of onboard memory so quickly that 256 megs of onboard memory will be adequate for some time?

 

[AlNom]

so much for Sweeney's 1GB cards

 

[tEd]

HyperMemory uses intelligent memory allocation algorithms to optimize the use of available local memory and ensure critical components are placed in fast local memory when required.

sounds alittle bit like the virtual memory thing 3dlabs does

 

[chavvdarrr]

I still remember days when S3 began promoting UMA chips (trio32?) ....

 

[RingWraith]

so much for Sweeney's 1GB cards

Be nice to see another one of my predictions come to fruition.

 

[Sxotty]

I dont really understand why this is considered a big deal. I mean IGP's use system memory so are they the best ever My point is that I don't see how this is some huge revolution, but I do see how it can be useful.

 

[jvd]

so much for Sweeney's 1GB cards

Be nice to see another one of my predictions come to fruition.

Hmm i dunno about u but we are still limited to 3-4 dimm slots on your mobo and 1 gb dimms are rare , slower than smaller dimms and very expensive.

So i don't see more than a max of 1.5 gigs of ram till 1gig dimms become cheap.

I don't want my graphics card having to go to my system ram that is already beeing stressed by game developers loading the levels into it .

I hope that we get 1 gigabyte graphics cards asap actually . In the high end that system ram should only be used as a last resort .

 

[Tim]

Hmm i dunno about u but we are still limited to 3-4 dimm slots on your mobo and 1 gb dimms are rare , slower than smaller dimms and very expensive.

A 1 GB dimm are not much more expensive than two 512MB dimms anymore . Ok 1GB PC3200 dimms are still limeted to Cas 3, but that will change inside the next few months (and faster than PC3200 will turn up too). Expect that the price per MB will be lower with 1GB dimms than with 512MB dimms early next year.

1GB dimms are in no way rare, Newegg has 20 different PC3200 1 GB dimms to chose from - all in stock.

 

[jvd]

and what good does 3200 speeds do me when i run my fsb at 250mhz ?

Like i said , they are rarer , more expensive and slower .

Even with 1 gig dimms its still going to be limited to 3-4 gigs of ram .

Which to me is just not enough moving foward. Not when any serious gamer already has 1 gig of system ram and 256 megs of video ram.

The end of the year should bring system ram up to 1.5 gigs (ddr 450 ram should drop by about 20$ soon) and video ram will go up to 512 megs of video ram.

So going foward that 4 gigs of ram is going to be nothing

 

[tEd]

I dont really understand why this is considered a big deal. I mean IGP's use system memory so are they the best ever My point is that I don't see how this is some huge revolution, but I do see how it can be useful.

why would you assume it's considered a big deal? We don't even know how it exactly works so i would not consider anything right now

 

[Sabastian]

I dont really understand why this is considered a big deal. I mean IGP's use system memory so are they the best ever My point is that I don't see how this is some huge revolution, but I do see how it can be useful.

why would you assume it's considered a big deal? We don't even know how it exactly works so i would not consider anything right now

By the tone of the PR it suggest that it might be something that can be taken advantage of on the high end. Of course it is PR. But if the high end is the solution with never ending memory matters then it makes sense that this solution will be used to help keep card makers dependency on graphics memory at a realistic level. Board makers will love this I figure. If the transfer is fast enough then it could be a great boon for gamers by keeping the price of high end cards more practical. Anyhow it will be interesting to see just how this sort of memory solution actually performs.

 

[anaqer]

Does this suggest that possibly after PCI-E is in full effect graphics cards will need less on board memory?

The bandwith offered by PCI-E x16 may be borderline acceptable, but what about latency?
Do we have any kind of info how much of a step forward it is in this regard (compared to AGP) ?

 

[Sabastian]

heh, is this Mr. Harris talking out his ass or is this actually a potential possibility?

Game programmers will be starting to use PCIe as a way to get the graphics to do calculations the CPU is too busy to do. GPUs will be able to use idle time to calculate things like physics operations, interacting with both the CPU and the main memory, and resulting in a lift of load off the CPU.

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=18538

 

[trinibwoy]

For those who are living on cloud 9 and think 250Mhz FSB's and 1.5GB of ram are going to be the norm in the near future please realize that their own very specialized needs are insignificant with regard to the average pc user who is responsible for the vast majority of the profits in the industry.

Last time I checked Dell wasn't running their PC3200 at 4000 speeds or offering SLI capable rigs

This is a good move by ATI and will probably result in reduced cost for low end parts. On the flip-side this approach isn't really applicable to high end systems. But this does not mean that we will suddenly require 512MB+ of video ram and 1.5GB of system ram to qualify for the high end.

 

[jvd]

For those who are living on cloud 9 and think 250Mhz FSB's and 1.5GB of ram are going to be the norm in the near future please realize that their own very specialized needs are insignificant with regard to the average pc user who is responsible for the vast majority of the profits in the industry.

No your right in a few months both major platforms will be moving to ddr 2 ram. Do you want to see the prices of a 1 gig dimm for that ?


All my statments have been for the highend gaming. Now oem lowend deals. For that i think its great , for highend gaming no I don't think its great.

 

[karlotta]

... the average pc user who is responsible for the vast majority of the profits in the industry.

No they are not. They dont upgrade and thats why the"industry" is in a long long slump.

Last time I checked Dell wasn't running their PC3200 at 4000 speeds or offering SLI capable rigs

Last time i chked they just started to go to highend systems. They will have uber rigs in 2005.

...But this does not mean that we will suddenly require 512MB+ of video ram and 1.5GB of system ram to qualify for the high end.

Just what would qualify for high end (high end being enthusiast)? Doom3 on ultra runs best on 512mb cards. For the highest IQ you will need 512mbs starting now.

 

[Inane_Dork]

I would hope this is more like adding another level to the video cache system than getting rid of video memory.

Also, this seems to be in preparation for WGF (or whatever they're calling it these days).