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A novel! This is how we could describe the history of the launch of R600, forgiveness, the Radeon HD 2900 XT, as the genesis of the first DirectX 10 graphics card AMD has been an eventful one. A difficult, since intervening seven months after the launch of Nvidia’s GeForce 8800. This is also the first big product graph launched under the brand since its ATI acquisition by AMD. If the manufacturer of processors has not really had much influence on the outline design of the chip, they have had an impact on the launch itself and the different SKUs, the models proposed in the shops.
This thick delay from its rival AMD is particularly surprising since the launch of DirectX are real events for manufacturers of graphics cards. They see an opportunity to replace the existing fleet of cards with players eager for strong sensations graphics, on the (same) promise of new photo-realistic games (one marketing pro would tell you that this time it is, we ‘have never been so close …).
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3000
DirectX 10 should arouse all interests because after all, the reign of DirectX 9 will have lasted more than four years! Especially since it is not without making major changes. Microsoft has handed over all flat for the occasion, until the graphics drivers whose architecture has changed. Smarter drivers who do not constantly check that the card has not disappeared (magically?) And a huge simplification for the programmers who can do things which they were previously allowed as consoles (the possibility, among others, to use a very small batch “of triangles, which is destroying the performance in DirectX 9). What more? A new OS from Microsoft?
And yes, this is another key point of DirectX 10: it is only available on Windows Vista. Microsoft cites the impossibility of “wear” the new model of its former pilots under OS. A task that would have been on them, almost daunting. This does not mean that a DirectX 10 graphics card is required to take advantage of the new OS: it includes within it a version of DirectX 9 (9.0Ex) which allows to run all the old games on the new OS, and with all existing maps (if they have a driver). But then, the arrival of Windows Vista will cause “Wow” as Flavie Flament. Indeed, the audience of graphics cards, the players, many waiting for a good reason to pass under the new OS from Microsoft, hoping that a service pack (for the fall, even if Microsoft continues to deny) will arrive between time to correct the many small bugs that feed into the new creation from Microsoft.
For it is the paradox of the launch from AMD, if the R600 is definitely lagging behind its competitors green, have now in its machine a DirectX 10 card is a bit of a luxury than anything else . No games using this new version of DirectX is available. Even the DirectX 10 version of Flight Simulator, spearheaded by Microsoft, has been postponed. Headlines are being planned as Crysis (following Far Cry, which will also have a DX9 rendering engine) or Alan Wake. Others are less exciting program as Halo 2, carrying a set of the first Xbox. This could be one of the first, if not the first, game available to the general public.
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3000
The paradox deepens when a DirectX 10 card in Windows Vista is not necessarily an advantage. Because if the new Microsoft operating system uses the 3D map to display Aero, its new graphical interface, it is only through a record DirectX 9. Nvidia has struggled a bit to offer drivers a satisfactory level. A number of bugs due to the difficulty of moving to a brand new model drivers. Even today, some features still missing (unable to engage in “dual screen” with a 30-inch and 24 inch under Vista without imposing the same resolution, for example).
The HD 3650 has 378 million transistors and 120 units dedicated to calculations shaders. Its 128-bit memory interface supports DDR2, the GDDR3 and GDDR4, while the HD 3450 is limited to DDR2 and GDDR3 in 64 bits. Note also that the HD 3450 is composed of only 181 million transistors and 40 units for shaders. The operating frequencies are not specified yet.
Both chips will be engraved in 55 nanometers are compatible with the Model Shaders 4.1. They also benefit from a technology to save energy. AMD has also stated that its next mobile platform known under the code name “Puma”, to counter the recent evolution of Intel Centrino will have a graphics chip Mobility HD 3000, a Processor AMD Turion Ultra “(certainly a Phenom) and an AMD RS780 chipset. The brand is expected for the second quarter of 2008. Asus will be the first manufacturer to incorporate these new graphics chips in its laptops linked to M50 and F8 series.
Attention, however, far from us to try to justify the delay, real, the Radeon HD 2900 XT competitive. This does not stop us to regret the lack of responsiveness of Nvidia in terms of its pilots who no longer have the quality to which we had previously used the manufacturer (what may work well their engineers). But truce blabla, and before our introduction really turns into a novel, it is high time to see what the new offering from AMD.
