ATI w/ .11 micron soon

[Joe DeFuria]

wouldn't going to .11u allow them the possibility to use slightly lower voltages for the same clock

No.

0.11u should have the same power requirements per transistor. As mentioned above by someone, (simplifying) it's actually manufactured using 0.13 "rules", but they are just packed a bit closer together, allowing for a smaller die size all else being equal.

If anything 0.11 chips will be more difficult to clock higher than 0.13 chips, because you will have less surface area per transistor to dissipate heat. This is why 0.11 is mostly for cost reasons, not performance. If you have a chip that has very little power / heat issues (like RV350), this is an ideal candidate to "shrink" down to 0.11. You take advantage of the cost savings, will having little risk of running into significant heat issues. Still, it wouldn't surprise me to see at least some RV370 variants to be clocked lower than RV350.

 

[Geo]

"Phoenix Precision Technology"?? How/where does a "substrate provider" fit in between foundry and fabless semi company?

Packaging.
http://www.dayshine.com.tw/product/product_1.asp?SwitchFunctionID=3

ThankS!

 

[Kaizer]

So in a quick summary I would know from this that there will be acceptably performing DX9-parts to be had for less than $100 in very little time?

Way to go for pushing DX9 into the definitive mainstream markets!

Kjetil

 

[Bjorn]

So in a quick summary I would know from this that there will be acceptably performing DX9-parts to be had for less than $100 in very little time?

Way to go for pushing DX9 into the definitive mainstream markets!

Kjetil

I only hope that we won't see any 64 bit mem bus versions. That goes for all IHV's.

 

[Joe DeFuria]

So in a quick summary I would know from this that there will be acceptably performing DX9-parts to be had for less than $100 in very little time?

That should be the case....assuming core clock speeds and memory bandwidth are at least "respectable."

It's likely that memory bandwidth will be significantly reduced from what we see with today's RV350 / RV360 parts to maintain the sub $100 pricepoints. However, this should not impact the shading performance of the cards too much. So, for example, there's a good chance that these sub $100 cards will be capable of running Half-Life2, for example, with all eye candy turned on. It will just be at a lower resolution and AA settings compared to say a 9600 or 9600 XT.

 

[Joe DeFuria]

So in a quick summary I would know from this that there will be acceptably performing DX9-parts to be had for less than $100 in very little time?

Way to go for pushing DX9 into the definitive mainstream markets!

Kjetil

I only hope that we won't see any 64 bit mem bus versions. That goes for all IHV's.

Unfortunately, I'd have to guess that the 64 bit mem bus will be around for quite a while...from all IHVs. But there should certainly be 128 bit cards for sub $100.

 

[DrumDub]

I only hope that we won't see any 64 bit mem bus versions. That goes for all IHV's.

well, thats's wishful thinking and has nothing to do with reality.

actually i'm sure we will see those parts. :?

 

[karlotta]

.11 is FSG and not Low-k. Cheap and small sm2.0 part. bet it runs circles around 5600s and below.

 

[digitalwanderer]

Unfortunately, I'd have to guess that the 64 bit mem bus will be around for quite a while...from all IHVs. But there should certainly be 128 bit cards for sub $100.

So y'all think I'm just dreaming a good dream hoping for a sub $100 .11 w/256 bit card from ATi?

 

[anaqer]

So y'all think I'm just dreaming a good dream hoping for a sub $100 .11 w/256 bit card from ATi?

I absolutely, positively do.

 

[digitalwanderer]

Meh, I'll stay blindly optimistic and enjoy it until me spirits are bitch-slapped around by reality.

 

[Fodder]

Still, it wouldn't surprise me to see at least some RV370 variants to be clocked lower than RV350.

RV350 is already available as low as 250/200/64-bit with the R9550, I can't see board makers clocking a card much lower than that.

 

[kemosabe]

Still, it wouldn't surprise me to see at least some RV370 variants to be clocked lower than RV350.

RV350 is already available as low as 250/200/64-bit with the R9550, I can't see board makers clocking a card much lower than that.

That Gigabyte card is the 9550SE, since the 9550 is just a downclocked 9600 on a 128-bit bus: http://www.sapphiretech.com/vga/9550.asp

Since RV370 will likely have very similar specs to the 9550 and is being built on a cheaper process, the only usefulness I can see for the 9550 is that it will satisfy the AGP market (what took them so long?) while RV370 is allegedly PCI-E only. The 9550SE seems like a total waste, however, considering the 9600SE is already crippled enough.