Cayman to have enhanced rendering scalability and off-chip buffering for DX11 applications.

An Exception · 24 Oct 2010 at 13:04

I thought the following was pretty interesting...

Sounds like Cayman will have processors off the main chip for buffering and scalability!

I'm guessing the buffering is for either Tessellation, with the scalability part maybe being used in the dual chip 6990?

"November will see the release of the Cayman XT-based HD 6970 and Cayman Pro-based HD 6950 which have all of the features seen in Barts plus enhanced rendering scalability and off-chip buffering for DX11 applications. These will be the spiritual successors to the HD 5870 and HD 5850 and should go head to head with the higher end Fermi cards.

December will see the introduction of Antilles which is meant to be the lynchpin of AMD’s renewed assault on the DX11 market. The HD 6990 will bring untold performance to the table through the use of a pair of Cayman GPU cores and additional features we can’t divulge at this time."

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/37286-amd-radeon-hd-6870-hd-6850-review-3.html

el Kuarlos · 24 Oct 2010 at 13:18

This could well be utterly immense. Better crossfire scalability should mean 2 gpus on a board work better together, and there is no sign that power or heat is going to be a limiting factor like the 5970, going of what the latest cards are showing.

GJ02 · 24 Oct 2010 at 13:19

So if the 6990 is using a pair of cayman chips, im guessing they will be 6950's, otherwise xfired 6970's would be pointless

RavenXXX2 · 24 Oct 2010 at 13:20

GJ02 said:
So if the 6990 is using a pair of cayman chips, im guessing they will be 6950's, otherwise xfired 6970's would be pointless

What like xfire 5870's were pointless with the 5970 doing the rounds... :confused:

JediFragger · 24 Oct 2010 at 13:21

Really looking forward to Cayman/Antillies myself, and if they are really great card/s I might well treat myself

An Exception · 24 Oct 2010 at 13:22

RavenXXX2 said:
What like xfire 5870's were pointless with the 5970 doing the rounds...

5970 didn't have off chip processing etc etc

RavenXXX2 · 24 Oct 2010 at 13:25

Ejizz said:
5970 didn't have off chip processing etc etc

Whats that got to do with his post.

jorzeh · 24 Oct 2010 at 13:30

I bet ATI will know how to charge for them tho as well..

kedge · 24 Oct 2010 at 13:35

jorzeh said:
I bet ATI will know how to charge for them tho as well..

Yep, you will be looking at £500+ for the king of the 6xxx series, for a guess.

Final8y · 24 Oct 2010 at 13:40

GJ02 said:
So if the 6990 is using a pair of cayman chips, im guessing they will be 6950's, otherwise xfired 6970's would be pointless

Why ?

GJ02 · 24 Oct 2010 at 13:44

It's says on the op that it will be a pair of cayman chips
So I'm asking, is it likely to not be 6970 chips

RavenXXX2 · 24 Oct 2010 at 13:46

6950 and 6970 are both cayman chips.

otherwise xfired 6970's would be pointless

Why would it be pointless, as I have already point out the 5970 is two underclocked 5870 cores, why not the same thing with the 6990 and two underclocked 6970 cores. Was xfire 5870 pointless?

GJ02 · 24 Oct 2010 at 13:51

because would it not be easier to buy a 6990 ?
as appose to 2 6970's

RavenXXX2 · 24 Oct 2010 at 13:53

GJ02 said:
because would it not be easier to buy a 6990 ?
as appose to 2 6970's

as I have already point out the 5970 is two underclocked 5870 cores, why not the same thing with the 6990 and two underclocked 6970 cores. Was xfire 5870 pointless?

GJ02 · 24 Oct 2010 at 13:56

ok maybe im a tad confused

WingZero30 · 24 Oct 2010 at 14:18

Oh boy I am delighted that 6990 will be based on caymen and not barts. Hmm will be very interesting to see it's performance against 5970

.

arc@css · 24 Oct 2010 at 14:25

JediFragger said:
Really looking forward to Cayman/Antillies myself, and if they are really great card/s I might well treat myself

I was thinking the same. I would probably only consider the highest end card in the series but then again my cpu (albeit my mobo) would more than likely hold it back.

Big.Wayne · 24 Oct 2010 at 14:27

I'm looking forward to round #2 of the ATI cards also . . . it's interesting that they have released their most affordable cards first to be followed up by their more expensive cards some time later . . . it's normally the other way around!

If enough peeps resist the urge to buy either a HD 6850/6870 and wait for the next round of cards then the prices should drop all round . . . i.e if you fairly sure you want a HD 6850/6870 then do you best to hold out if you fancy a discount!

Also hoping nVidia have got something waiting in the wings!

An Exception · 24 Oct 2010 at 14:36

Big.Wayne said:
I'm looking forward to round #2 of the ATI cards also . . . it's interesting that they have released their most affordable cards first to be followed up by their more expensive cards some time later . . . it's normally the other way around!

If enough peeps resist the urge to buy either a HD 6850/6870 and wait for the next round of cards then the prices should drop all round . . . i.e if you fairly sure you want a HD 6850/6870 then do you best to hold out if you fancy a discount!

Also hoping nVidia have got something waiting in the wings!

Apparently they have, and according to 'rumours' at semi accurate they have improved the leakage of GF100 and that the GTX570 is faster than the GTX480.

http://www.semiaccurate.com/forums/showpost.php?p=78460&postcount=116
http://www.semiaccurate.com/forums/showpost.php?p=78459&postcount=125

Rhys-M · 24 Oct 2010 at 14:50

These cayman cards look immense. Hope this translates to price cuts for us. The 2nd round of DX11 cards will be hard to resist