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gddr5

AMD: 'Huge, monolithic' chips not our style

Advanced Micro Devices' ATI graphics chip unit doesn't want to build "huge" chips like rival Nvidia, an executive says.

But an Nvidia exec says smaller isn't always better or more efficient.

Such statements will help define how the two chip giants do battle at the high end of the graphics chip market in the coming years.

One of the largest graphics chips yet will be Nvidia's upcoming high-end GTX 280. This is the kind of chip that high-end gaming enthusiasts crave. But great performance often means a large transistor count. And the GTX 280 is … Read more

Nvidia, AMD stances differ on new memory technology

While AMD is touting next-generation memory for its upcoming graphics products, Nvidia is being more circumspect.

AMD announced Tuesday that it will adopt the first commercial implementation of Graphics Double Data Rate, version 5 (GDDR5) memory in its forthcoming next generation of ATI Radeon graphics board products. (See: AMD: We're first with GDDR5 memory)

The new AMD boards will be based on AMD HD 4850 and 4870 graphics chips, as widely reported.

"The higher data rates supported by GDDR5--up to 5x that of GDDR3 and 4x that of GDDR4--enable more bandwidth over a narrower memory interface, which can … Read more

AMD: We're first with GDDR5 memory

AMD announced today that its next-generation ATI Radeon graphics cards will be the first commercial implementation of GDDR5 memory. According to the company, the new memory will allow for faster, smaller, and cheaper graphics cards:

"The higher data rates supported by GDDR5--up to 5x that of GDDR3 and 4x that of GDDR4--enable more bandwidth over a narrower memory interface, which can translate into superior performance delivered from smaller, more cost-effective chips."

The benefits of GDDR5 memory also include increased accuracy in calculations by way of new error detection mechanisms and more power-efficient graphics cards, according to AMD.

This … Read more