HD 2900pro launch

[betasub]

After various Fudzilla rumours about R600pro and RV670: etailer taking pre-orders for a 2900pro launch on September 30th.

HD 2900 series cards incl PRO versions

Spec seems to be an R600 core at 600MHz, with 512/1024MB GDDR3 at 1600MHz (256bit?).

Edit: date corrected.
Edit2: title sub updated to reflect HIS weblaunch

 

[cmdrdredd]

or here's one... 1GB GDDR4

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/...01&catid=56&subcat=922

It sounds possible that it is 256Bit memory bus running lower clock speeds (cooler running, 1 slot, lower power req.), and maybe less stream processors or something. We will have to see, but to guess I'd say it's the little brother of the HD2900XT.

 

[betasub]

320 stream processors. That's same as 2900XT, right?

Lower clocks (core and vRAM), cheaper memory, cheaper cooling - all points to hitting the sizeable price gap between NVidia's 8600 and 8800.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: betasub
320 stream processors. That's same as 2900XT, right?

Lower clocks (core and vRAM), cheaper memory, cheaper cooling - all points to hitting the sizeable price gap between NVidia's 8600 and 8800.

well, you're 100% sure it has the same amount of stream processors what whatnot? Nobody is certain yet. If everything remains the same vs the clock speed then it may be a very good performer. Actually it could be what the market needs, a card under $300 that can play DX10 titles and I wouldn't consider the HD2600 or Geforce8600 to be well suited for that.

 

[nonameo]

???? What's the point in a 1024mb 2900 pro?

edit: and howcome no 512mb GDDR4 cards?

 

[cmdrdredd]

I have no idea why GDDR4 on the 1GB and GDDR3 on the 512. No idea...

It's the same thing on the HD2900xt. 1GB cards have GDDR4 and do not perform better than the GDDR3 512MB versions. What's up with that?

 

[ronnn]

Not very appealing.

 

[tuteja1986]

Originally posted by: ronnn
Not very appealing.

nothing is appealing to you that relates to ATI. You have down played every ATI product launch since i have been a member in ATF.

Discuss the topic, not the poster.

Anandtech Moderator - KP

 

[postmortemIA]

If it is just clocked down version of regular 2900HD, then it is overclocker's dream..

 

[Sylvanas]

I guess it will be competing for the gap between 8600 and 8800GTS 320mb.

 

[aiya24]

*prays that it will be enough for 1920x1200 w/ 2x/4x AA

really hope it is

 

[TroubleM]

That card looks like a winner to me. The only problem is that is going to consume a lot of power being based on the R600 core.

I will guess around 120 Watt max, and the cooling solution will be a determining factor also. If ATI retains the two slot cooler from the 2900xt, this card will be great.

Edit: Ops, didn't see the "silent" part in the name. That will be simply amazing if true.

 

[ronnn]

Originally posted by: tuteja1986

Originally posted by: ronnn
Not very appealing.

nothing is appealing to you that relates to ATI. You have down played every ATI product launch since i have been a member in ATF.

That is certainly not accurate. :beer: But I do think the reported 2950 pro may be the card this one should be. Current r600 just has too many problems with major power usage.

 

[Sylvanas]

Originally posted by: ronnn

Originally posted by: tuteja1986

Originally posted by: ronnn
Not very appealing.

nothing is appealing to you that relates to ATI. You have down played every ATI product launch since i have been a member in ATF.

That is certainly not accurate. :beer: But I do think the reported 2950 pro may be the card this one should be. Current r600 just has too many problems with major power usage.

2x6pin PCI-E (75watt each) connectors and 75w from the PCI-E slot means my 2900 uses the same 225watts that my 8800GTX does, so isn't that the same power usage to which I wouldn't class as 'major'.

 

[betasub]

Originally posted by: TroubleM
If ATI retains the two slot cooler from the 2900xt, this card will be great.

Edit: Ops, didn't see the "silent" part in the name. That will be simply amazing if true.

"SILENT heatpipe" in the spec is also used to refer to the stock XT 2-slot cooler. Agree that this would help it be a great OCer from stock 600MHz.

 

[Creig]

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd
I have no idea why GDDR4 on the 1GB and GDDR3 on the 512. No idea...

It's the same thing on the HD2900xt. 1GB cards have GDDR4 and do not perform better than the GDDR3 512MB versions. What's up with that?

One reason is that GDDR4 has lower power requirements than GDDR3. So the additional draw of the extra 512MB VRAM will be partially offset by the lower power consuming properties of GDDR4.

 

[betasub]

Etailers have been listing mostly Sapphire cards for pre-order, but HIS seems to be the first offical partner to have an official listing on their website:

HIS HD 2900Pro 512MB GDDR3 VIVO PCIe
Box image shows HalfLife graphic (Steam pack?).

Hardware spec
320 stream units @600MHz.
512MB GDDR3 @800/1600MHz, 512bit memory interface(!) - need to confirm this is not just the ringbus.

 

[Cookie Monster]

So its a downclocked 2900XT? going for a price tag of $299? looks like a pretty good deal if these can hit R600XT speeds.

Would bring quite abit of pressure to the 8800GTS 320mb. Quite a nice move, since it gets rid of R600 inventory, attack the current $299 market with force and gain back some market share since the G92s (8700GTS unless im wrong) wont be out til november.

 

[aiya24]

if these oc close to XT speeds i would certainly purchase one at that price. i was hoping more along the lines of $249-279 but we'll see.

the pic on the HIS site looks like a normal 2900XT so its using the same pcb (guessing since no pic of actual card yet), the potential is there for reaching XT speeds.

 

[AVP]

Is this really $299? That would be nice, though I doubt my earthwatts 430 could handle it. The manual states 550w with 2x3pin requirement. Wonder what they want for amperage? My psu has 34, and testimony shows it can handle a 8800gts. :\

 

[CrystalBay]

I think it will be 249 or 199 (US) for a Sapphire type 512MB 256bit bus card...

 

[Cookie Monster]

Originally posted by: CrystalBay
I think it will be 249 or 199 (US) for a Sapphire type 512MB 256bit bus card...

That would result in the complete killings of margins.

 

[betasub]

Pre-orders in the UK being taken ~160 UKP (including taxes), which would hit the 300 USD mark. Taking account of UK taxes and typical UK mark-ups (cf. rip-off Britain), 249 USD seems quite possible. As for margins, this is a clearance of R600 cores before the release of RV670(?), so to help shift stock margins are likely to be razor-thin.

 

[gtsing]

oh, i hope these are awesome..i was planning to build my new pc at the end of september so it works out perfectly.

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

I really want to upgrade my GPU (so that I can actually play my newest games!), so this could bode well for bringing down prices. Or maybe G92 will just kill it.