7800 Question

[ir_cow]

Simple one, is the 7800 a new core or just a 6800 with 24pipe? of course bigger pipeline may change the outline of the chip but it has the same..well eveything?

[Blue_cow]

I think i recall it having a different core. Might be wrong. Probably am.

 

Edit: woah. Our names are similar.... :/

Edited August 3, 2005 by Blue_cow

[sykocus]

as far as i know it's a revised design based on the 6800.

[Blue_cow]

heh see what i know?

[ir_cow]

thanks sykocus, thats what i thought but i wasnt sure. when i move to PCI-Express i'll wait for the "Real" next core.

 

yes bluecow we have close names, BUT MINES FIRST HAHAHA!

Edited August 3, 2005 by hornybluecow

[Ste]

Actual alphabetically blow cow comes first

 

Wow, i musta missed something 24 pipelines, last time i checked max was 12.

 

I need to surf web later into the night I guess.

[confuzzedintelguy]

the max pipes used to be 16 untill the 7800gtx came out in which it has 24 the 7800ultra if i'm right is supose to have 28. ATI cards top out with 16 pipes as of right now but more will come when the R520 is released.

[oralpain]

There is not 7800Ultra, the 7800GTX is the flagship card, there is a 7800GT coming in under it.

 

The core has 24 pipelines, it would need a significant revision to have 28+.

 

The core is basically an NV40 with more pipelines and various tweaks/improvements in many areas. The same design will probably be used in the next generation, it will just have a process shrink and a few more minor tweaks.

 

If you are going to wait for the "real" new core, you could be waiting quite a while. There are no reall features that have to be added at this point. The next truly major feature changes probably won't be made untill just before the final longhorn/vista release (WGF 2.0).

 

Realistically all these cards are heavily based on their forebearers. The 7800GTX has ALOT in common with the NV30 (FX), and the R520 has alot in common with the R300 (9700).

[Guest Flashstar]

Part of that is true, but the r520 is a completely new core. It has had a huge process shrink, support for the new shader things (3.0 revision), 32 pipes, and a much faster clock and memory speed. I guess they had to tape it out several times to have a sufficient number of cards pass their quality tests. That is why it has taken ATI so long for them to come out with it.

 

 

I just can't wait to put it in my old Dell!

[The_Goonie]

Ati based cards have the highest RMA % of any video card.....with the R520 pushing this much alleged horsepower....I can't wait to see the number of RMA's when it is launched. They better be testing the crap out of it, unless they want a plethora of return requests.

[danyo64]

lmao .. i can see the article now

 

"thousands of computer geeks charge ATI headquarters"

 

and im pretty sure that they are testing the hell out of it .. i heard they were having some problems with getting all the pipes to work tho ... but when they do.. 32 pipes will be freakin amazing .. WOW!!