AMD names names: R600 now the ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT

AMD is losing the "X" prefix of its ATI graphics lineup, and slapping on "HD" to denote the changes and advancements in its R600-based DirectX 10 cards. Up top is the Radeon HD 2900 XT (the rumors were close), with 320 stream processors, double that of the GeForce 8800 GTX from NVIDIA. The lower-end RV630- and RV610-based cards will go as the HD 2600 Pro / XT and the HD 2400 Pro / XT. HD on all these cards denotes the Avivo HD technology on board for decoding H.264 and VC-1 video off of Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. The 2900 series also has full HDMI outs, with integrated 5.1 surround sound. No exact launch date or pricing yet, but we shouldn't have too much longer to wait.

[Kev50027 @ Apr 13th 2007 1:38PM]

Damn, I just got a 8800 GTX a few months ago. Oh well.. it's still fast as hell.

[Sean @ Apr 13th 2007 3:11PM]

Dont't worry too much Kev50027. Although this sucka will be a scorcher, Nvidia pipes (stream procs, whatever) tend to perform slightly better each. See the 7900 vs. X1950 benches. Thats not to say it won't blow the doors of a G80, just not by the %120 that 320 pipes would indicate. They did miss the obscene memory bandwidth this thing has though. That's going to be a killer. Also it would appear that the first cards out the door are going to be DVI-D, not HDMI. (look at the pic......yep DVI's and a TV output)

[Silverfrog @ Apr 13th 2007 1:46PM]

Just wait till AMD gets on the ball with its integrated CPU/GPU combination. And, when are they going to get so big that they don't fit inside your computer case anymore? They just need to come up with a solution that works outside the case. (think: SB Extigy soundcard) That way, you can use an external power supply, and not have to worry about all that extra heat inside your case. Is it just me, or does that make sense?

[MasterCKO @ Apr 13th 2007 2:09PM]

There would have to be ONE HELL of a fast connection between an external vidcard of this magnitude and the mobo/CPU. There's a LOT of info that would need to travel in between the two. You probably shouldn't hold your breath on that one.

I'm personally waiting for these companies to start focusing on increasing efficiency. Make these super fast GPUs, but make them a REASONABLE SIZE again. Seriously, this is getting ridiculous. I mean, in my current case (which is huge, btw) I can fit 2 8800's or 2 of these and a sound card and that's it. What the hell, dude.

I'm glad to finally see the R600 based GPU card in existence. Now to wait for an 8800 price drop. 8^D

[Kev50027 @ Apr 13th 2007 4:59PM]

That would be a nightmare. It would take up space, be loud, and use even more cables that wear over time, and deteriorate signal. Please, please please never make external graphics cards, that idea is so horrid that it's just pathetic.

[Kamokazi @ Apr 13th 2007 2:04PM]

This is just an excuse to post video card pr0n. Someone should get a heatsink on that card or mark this entry NSFW...sheesh.

[Silverfrog @ Apr 13th 2007 2:25PM]

I agree, there would be engineering challenges, but with a simple ribbon cable, or SCSI-like adapter, it could be done. And yes, I want the 8800 GTX to drop its price too. I remember when the fastest video card on the market was less than $200 in 1997. It's crazy to think about paying $800 for an OC edition 8800 GTX, or *gulp*, two of them!

[Whatsizface @ Apr 13th 2007 2:38PM]

Is it me or does that thing look like an old 80286 montherboard?

[Tim @ Apr 13th 2007 2:45PM]

@Whatsizface

286 mobos wouldn't have almost everything surface mounted. :P

[Andune @ Apr 13th 2007 2:48PM]

Ahh, i really liked the X2900XTX name ;(

Doesnt matter hopefully we will be able to buy them soon.

[DaMaDo @ Apr 13th 2007 2:54PM]

I just hope they come out with a version that I can throw into my Mac Pro!

[idfk @ Apr 13th 2007 3:05PM]

I hope that it's not TOO much bigger than my X1950XT, which is already MASSIVE as it is! Otherwise I'll have to get a new case! There's about a one inch clearence in my tower for my x1950xt. I do really like that it has a PCI-e power slot, and a regular 6 pin instead of just two PCI-e 8 pin ones. That way I won't have to go out and buy a new SLI PSU.

[Rick (the original Rick) @ Apr 13th 2007 3:28PM]

Whoever chases the latest and greatest is a tard. You will never have the latest for more than a few weeks, and for that "honor" you get reamed. In 2 months this card will be half price, at Walmart.

[JohnTitor @ Apr 13th 2007 6:06PM]

who the hell buys video cards at retail stores?

[CEO1 @ Apr 15th 2007 5:13PM]

People seem to miss that external graphics cards are already on the market -- with none of the problems you refer to.

Check Nvidia's pages for the QuadroPlex.

[idfk @ Apr 13th 2007 5:08PM]

Rick (the original Rick,....


Not true! Alot of people still use 6800GTs', and can still run newer games! GPUs usually take about 2 years until something completely new comes out, like an updated shader version. Also, you must know absolutly nothing about GPUs to think that you can buy them at walmart. I've never seen anything better than an FX 5500 at walmart, which if i can remember correctly is VERY OLD! and very overpriced!

[Christian Martin @ Apr 13th 2007 5:45PM]

Yep, still running a 6800 Ultra here. Other than DX10 I see no need to spend two car payments on a new card anytime soon.

Given that I have had two ATI cards actually CATCH FIRE in the case in two different systems, and have a friend that had the same happen to him once, it won't be to one of these when I decide to go that route.

[mowler @ Apr 13th 2007 7:11PM]

AMD=bitchin' engineers ;
AMD*ATI=Intel's smarter younger brother.Just have some patience people...

[idk @ Apr 13th 2007 7:11PM]

JohnTitor,

If you don't shop newegg.com or better i hate you! lol

[chadow @ Apr 13th 2007 7:23PM]

So ATI is finally making something that could bring me back. I havent bought from ATI since my old Rage 128...packing 16MB onboard video ram. They better get this out quick as I am sure Nvidia has something waiting to trump it as usual.

I dont sit and wait for tech. I buy what has what I want when I need it. Im about to build a new PC and HDMI out would be, in the wise words of Borat..."very nice". If Nvidia has HDMI available on a 8800 before this comes out, well....sorry ATI.

Im happy to see this news from ATI. I just hope they are done playing catch-up to Nvidia and get this this on the market.

[statc @ Apr 14th 2007 1:30AM]

I really hope they start making external videocards. That way, people like me who have given up desktops in favor of notebooks can get the added performance(can anyone say 2 24inch LCDs on each side) when needed, and still be mobile otherwise. I don't think it would be that hard to connect. Either make a cardbus card or make use of the PCI-e expansion slots on some laptops.

[R2P2 @ Apr 13th 2007 7:35PM]

I'd bet one meeeeeeellllion dollars that the hardware H.264 and VC-1 decoding won't be fully usable when these cards ship. Probably not even within 6 months of shipping. ATI and nVidia love to say their chips can do that stuff, but they SUCK at writing the software to actually use it.

[gxti @ Apr 13th 2007 11:42PM]

@R2P2

Or even worse, when will it have Linux support? nvidia's linux drivers are excellent (better than the Windows ones, certainly) but they always have feature-lag :(

[erufiku @ Apr 13th 2007 9:55PM]

I think we're all missing the most important issue at hand... WILL IT BLEND?!

[Ben @ Apr 13th 2007 11:41PM]

Very interesting................

[Alistair Roe @ Apr 18th 2007 7:18AM]

If the card has integrated sound through HDMI, where is the sound port from the motherboard or sound card? Busted.