bit-tech.net

Rumour: ATI RV870 to use 384-bit memory bus

Published on 17th August 2009 by Clive Webster

ATI might widen the memory interface for its forthcoming RV870 GPU, from 256-bit to 384-bit.

Hardware Infos has an interesting story regarding ATI's forthcoming RV870 GPU, set to be the first DX11 GPU on sale. The story claims that rumours in Asia indicate that 'AMD's DirectX 11 chip for the performance segment, awaited in the next weeks, bets on a 384 Bit memory interface, just as the G80 did.'

A 384-bit memory interface would be an improvement on the 256-bit of the current RV770 and RV790 design, which are better known as the Radeons HD 4870 and 4890 respectively. If both GPUs were to use identically fast memory, this upgrade alone would give the FV870 50 per cent more memory bandwidth than the RV7xx design.

The story also reveals some details regarding the size of the new GPU, which is said to over 300mm². This is a significant increase from the 260mm² of RV770, even more so if ATI uses the 40nm manufacturing process used to make the Radeon HD 4770 rather than the larger 55nm process of RV770.

Hardware Infos claims that RV870 is due to launch on 10 September 2009 and is expected to cost between US$249 and US$399 at retail, and speculates that as the GDDR5 used on RV790 can run at 1.25GHz (5GHz effective), a new card based on RV870 could have a memory bandwidth of 240GB/sec - twice as much bandwidth as the HD 4870 has.

Does the bigger memory busy sound likely? And what money on the retail name of RV870 being Radeon HD 5870? Let us know in the Forums!

39 Comments

Discuss in the forums Reply

frontline 17th August 2009, 17:02

Crikey! Better save some pennies when i get paid at the end of the month :)

mjm25 17th August 2009, 17:18

it seems like the biggest wait in years we've all had for finding out about the next gen of graphics cards. it's a little bit exciting wondering how powerful they are gonna be... i hope we're not disappointed

p3n 17th August 2009, 17:25

Only costs you £100 per month in electricity? hoho

UncertainGod 17th August 2009, 17:49

I don't buy the 300mm² bit, that just seems against ATi's whole focus these days.

Evildead666 17th August 2009, 18:03

Yaaaaaaaaaaaay.
not exactly ATi Fanboi but have had good times with both.
Back on the ATi trail now, fondly remembering my good ole 9500pro and its mighty 275->400MHz Overclock....

Will be looking to replace the 4870 methinks.....

SASKing 17th August 2009, 18:07

Anyone know if they will release duel GPU straight away or just single GPU for now?

alwayssts 17th August 2009, 18:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjm25
it seems like the biggest wait in years we've all had for finding out about the next gen of graphics cards. it's a little bit exciting wondering how powerful they are gonna be... i hope we're not disappointed

Until the second we we find out, and then the speculation begins on if AMD will use TSMC's 28/32nm or GloFo's 32nm tech (more than likely the latter) for the half-step, what it will be, and then WTF they were talking about that we should be so excited about in "a year from now"...Assuming of course they were talking about the R900 series, which is supposedly supposed to be the last of this architecture, but what if they're changing it up sooner to compete with Nvidia and Intel's more-flexible architecture?

IOW, it's the biggest wait until the next biggest wait. Personally, I think G80/R520/R600 were more torturous, especially if you remember all the FUD that circulated about them, which is stuff of legend. This might be up there though, with the dueling rumors of 192-384/128-256bit and 800/1600 versus all the other theories, but really, when you come out with 6 different codenames, especially two at the mid-range level with one in theory being half of the performance part, and that half of the X2 part, it's just asking widespread conspiracies and confusion.

AshT 17th August 2009, 19:17

Exciting times are here again .. I hope!

Can't imagine I'll be convinced to upgrade though, at least not until the x2 version comes out.

stewis 17th August 2009, 20:59

if anyone is getting rid of there "old" 4xxx series AMD cards i have a whole 27p on my desk :)

Burnout21 17th August 2009, 21:12

no wait the 5870 is actually nvidia sneaking in with yet another name change on there G92 series of cards!

ROFL!!!

l3v1ck 17th August 2009, 21:42

Not a bad price if the performance is as good as these specifications suggest. I'm sure G80 cost more when it first came out.

wafflesomd 17th August 2009, 21:55

But will poor ATI drivers bring it down?

wiak 17th August 2009, 22:09

wafflesomd, poor what?, last time i checked nvidia has CRAPPY drivers
http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2008/03/vista-capable-lawsuit-paints-picture-of-buggy-nvidia-drivers.ars

Skiddywinks 17th August 2009, 22:25

While impressive, don't forget that the core is what does the rendering. Let's just hope ATI manage to match the performances of the seperate parts.

l3v1ck 17th August 2009, 22:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by wafflesomd
But will poor ATI drivers bring it down?

I hope not. DX11 has been a long time coming and it's been a long time since ATi released a truly new high end GPU. They should have ample time to design and test this card. There should be no lack of motivation either. They'll really want to get one over Nvidia who have been top dog when it comes to performance (but not value or price) for the last few years.

l3v1ck 17th August 2009, 23:46

I wonder if, for their next GPU, Nvidia will keep their existing 512 bit memory bus and use GDDR5 with it. If so (on paper) it'll trump this offering from ATi.

Skiddywinks 18th August 2009, 00:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by l3v1ck
I wonder if, for their next GPU, Nvidia will keep their existing 512 bit memory bus and use GDDR5 with it. If so (on paper) it'll trump this offering from ATi.

Only if nVidia make the move to GDDR5.

Farting Bob 18th August 2009, 00:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by l3v1ck
I wonder if, for their next GPU, Nvidia will keep their existing 512 bit memory bus and use GDDR5 with it. If so (on paper) it'll trump this offering from ATi.

It'll trump ATI in memory bandwidth. It doesnt really prove much beyond that. Besides, larger bus's increase costs so ATI would still be in a good shape to offer better value at the same pricepoint.

Richh999 18th August 2009, 01:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiak
wafflesomd, poor what?, last time i checked nvidia has CRAPPY drivers
http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2008/03/vista-capable-lawsuit-paints-picture-of-buggy-nvidia-drivers.ars

Well as metioned in a comment on there that will include Nvidia motherboard drivers plus if I remember correctly there were alot more Nvidia GPU's around than ATI as Nvidia had the upper hand then (although ATI have really closed the gap and even overtook Nvidia at one point plus are probably better value for performance) and so percentage of errors per GPU may of been less then. We had no way of telling but also look at the dates, 2007, that was pretty much 2 years ago.

wuyanxu 18th August 2009, 01:26

hope OpenCL brings up their folding game

thehippoz 18th August 2009, 03:07

after we've all bought ati cards.. there will always be one nvidia fanboy left!

zUCECryUCVI

H2O 18th August 2009, 04:06

I really wanted to get a Nvidia card this time around, but if they ridiculously overprice them like they did with the GT200s I'll stick with ATi.

SNiiPE_DoGG 18th August 2009, 04:22

This card will be 50% faster than all other cards out today and it will be at the very least 5 months ahead of nvidias gt300.... can anyone say epic ATI win? these cards will be priced aggressively in order for Ati to win back a lot of much needed market share.

sure its speculation now, but you just wait :D

also to Ati driver haters, new dev team on the drivers since 9.7 and the recently rleased 9.8 drivers are showing huge gains in minimum FPS - Ati drivers are only going to get better as I see it.

Joeymac 18th August 2009, 04:27

But can it run Crysis? :P Seriously though, would it be able to run it with 4xAA at 1920x1200 with all the bells and whistles?

H2O 18th August 2009, 04:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNiiPE_DoGG
This card will be 50% faster than all other cards out today and it will be at the very least 5 months ahead of nvidias gt300.... can anyone say epic ATI win? these cards will be priced aggressively in order for Ati to win back a lot of much needed market share.

sure its speculation now, but you just wait :D

also to Ati driver haters, new dev team on the drivers since 9.7 and the recently rleased 9.8 drivers are showing huge gains in minimum FPS - Ati drivers are only going to get better as I see it.

Yeah the newer drivers have been much better.

HourBeforeDawn 18th August 2009, 04:39

this looks very promising indeed ^__^ be nice to swap out my two 4870 DKs for a single dual gpu solution with DX11 :)

Horizon 18th August 2009, 04:53

porn?

http://www.dvhardware.net/news/ati_rv870_card_chiphell.jpg

http://www.dvhardware.net/article36954.html

wuyanxu 18th August 2009, 08:07

that card's fan seems a bit small. hope it's not noisy.

Denis_iii 18th August 2009, 08:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNiiPE_DoGG
This card will be 50% faster than all other cards out today and it will be at the very least 5 months ahead of nvidias gt300.... can anyone say epic ATI win? these cards will be priced aggressively in order for Ati to win back a lot of much needed market share.

sure its speculation now, but you just wait :D

also to Ati driver haters, new dev team on the drivers since 9.7 and the recently rleased 9.8 drivers are showing huge gains in minimum FPS - Ati drivers are only going to get better as I see it.

I think they will be priced expensively being the new high end and allowing AMD to get much needed capital though I hope you are correct
fingers crossed for 200quid rrp with a better cooling solution the reference 4700 cooler else out of my reach

AshT 18th August 2009, 08:59

Denis you'll easily be able to afford the lower spec'd version.

Higher spec (guessing with expedia currency converter + usual extra) around £250-300 ... ?

l3v1ck 18th August 2009, 09:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denis_iii
...fingers crossed for 200quid rrp with a better cooling solution the reference 4700 cooler else out of my reach

Yeah. A few extra pounds for a effective and quiet HSF would be well worth it. If not, we'll just have to rely on Akasa to produce a version of their Vortexx Neo to fit this new GPU.

Ending Credits 18th August 2009, 09:26

Hwo much was the original 4870 when it came out? I remember the 1GB version being about £250 on release

karx11erx 18th August 2009, 10:18

Well, I hope they put a good cooler (Toxic/Atomic style) on some of these right from the beginning, and not 9 month after release of that hardware generation. As far as the "new AMD ATI driver team" goes: Since Catalyst 9.4 TV playback stutters badly with Catalyst drivers - no problems with NVidia. And my HD 4870 1 GB broke after less than 9 months of usage (you could have cooked a meal on it, so hot did it get). I hope I get a refund. I have been exclusively using ATI hardware since the days of the Radeon 9700, but right now I am not too happy about it.

SNiiPE_DoGG 18th August 2009, 13:23

the 4870/4890 stock cooler is good.... its the stock fan profile that is bad. Set that fan manually to 30-40%, it stays quiet, and you'll drop 10-15C off of your load temps. Better yet, a properly modded bios can give you a nice fan speed ramp that moves the fan adequately to keep the GPU under 60c load

karx11erx 18th August 2009, 14:30

The 4870 stock cooler is a small jet turbine.

Ending Credits 18th August 2009, 15:10

Quote:

the 4870/4890 stock cooler is good.... its the stock fan profile that is bad. Set that fan manually to 30-40%, it stays quiet, and you'll drop 10-15C off of your load temps. Better yet, a properly modded bios can give you a nice fan speed ramp that moves the fan adequately to keep the GPU under 60c load

Personally I'd lessen off the fan since I don't care about my GPU reaching 100 degrees as long as it's stable. I guess some people have hot CPUs as well so a toasty GPU isn't helping.

Anyway in response to all the cooler comments; an Akasa Vortexxis only £10 and is pretty damn good.

Farting Bob 18th August 2009, 16:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeymac
But can it run Crysis? :P Seriously though, would it be able to run it with 4xAA at 1920x1200 with all the bells and whistles?

Seriuosly though, Crysis is an average game at best.

AshT 18th August 2009, 16:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farting Bob
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joeymac
But can it run Crysis? :P Seriously though, would it be able to run it with 4xAA at 1920x1200 with all the bells and whistles?
Seriuosly though, Crysis is an average game at best.

Anyway ... like Joeymac said, will it run Crysis at decent frame rates being the bitch it is for beautiful graphics

H2O 18th August 2009, 17:03

Quote: