AMD Lasso; External 2900XT Crossfire Pictured

[Baron]

http://www.vr-zone.com/index.php?i=5037#

While we thought this Computex is the most uninteresting year for graphics cards where there are no very interesting stuffs being showcased but luckily Lasso save the day. Lasso is a codename for AMD external graphics technology and the latest revision is able to support Crossfire on the Radeon HD 2000 series. In the current revision, there are 2 PCIe x16 slots on the Lasso board with a chipset onboard that offers 48 PCIe lanes so theoretical you can have 3 PCIe x16 slots running at full 16x bandwidth for Crossfire + Physics setup or 4 PCIe x16 slots running at 8x bandwidth in Quad Crossfire setup. For the current setup, there is a pair 2900XT 1GB GDDR4 cards linked up by 2 long Crossfire bridges inside a case with 500W PSU made specially for Lasso. However, there is no guidance from AMD yet to which when Lasso will be announced.


http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/Frollkiller/IMG_7605.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/Frollkiller/IMG_7606.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/Frollkiller/IMG_7603.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/Frollkiller/IMG_7604.jpg

[FragTek]

Call me a dumbass or what you will... But I don't understand this?

What's it do? How does it connect to the computer? Does it offer a performance increase over having the cards actually on the motherboard?

I'm a little lost I suppose.

[lowfat]

I'd like to see some benches or something, as well as more info how it is connected.

[leomax]

I thought it was meant to be something like Xgstation ,now im confused..

[deathman20]

Its external so its not adding heat to the case, besides probably easier to cool it then having it in a computer case with different ways of air flow. I can see why they are doing this besides the fact this can be used for Laptops as well! Need more performance connect it into the laptop but need mobility, ah detach it. Think its more of a laptop thing but it can be very nice for desktop computers as well.

If not mistaken theres a card that plugs into the PCI-E slot for flow as well I swear I saw a picture of some connector on the back plate.

[FragTek]

If this is designed for lappies then I can totally see where it comes in to play like the proposed XGStation. I would assume theyre using a full size ExpressCard as the interface. It's hard to imagine that a single PCI-E connection to this device would be able to harness the full output of dual 16x PCI-E vid cards however.

[JB87]

Something like this could be great for people like me, who just bought a p5k-dlx and don't want to upgrade to PCI-E 2.0 :P

[vengance_01]

But how is this connecting to the computer?

[FragTek]

But how is this connecting to the computer?

That is by far my biggest question as I don't see any feasible means of connectivity to the computer through any common interface that wouldn't seriously hamper the performance of a Crossfire setup such as this.

[Rovtar]

lame..

don't need this sht

[FragTek]

lame..

don't need this sht

Very constructive... :down: :shakes:

[cadaveca]

I think internal pci-e 16x card in system with external connector to Lasso box would quell any fears for bandwidth using such devices in the Lasso...

Think a bit here...dual gpu cards work fine, hd2600XT, X1950pro duals...

Take the same interface, but instead of linking directly to seperate gpus through pci-e chip, you then send signal across proprietary interface to Lasso box.

PCI-E 2.0 should then allow for enough bandwidth for four cards on one pci-e 16x slot...hopefully...

On the internal card, you have pci-e chip, or maybe you have equivalent of thread arbiter inside gpu, but on it's own, beefed up quite a bit...

:lol2:

[DeathReborn]

But how is this connecting to the computer?

Problem solved: http://www.pcisig.com/specifications/pciexpress/pcie_cabling1.0/

[Mad1723]

The AMD Lasso technology uses the new external PCI-Express cable, that is yet to be fully approved by PCI-SIG. It's still in development and we're not ready to see some benches now, trust me on that :up:

Link to the External Cable on PCI-SIG (http://www.pcisig.com/specifications/pciexpress/pcie_cabling1.0/)

Damn, DeathReborn grilled me to the explanation :(

[Solarfall]

could this amd lasso crossfire setup work in a laptop.. ???

[Richie P]

Theoretically yes, if the laptop provided an external PCIe cable port - worth keep an eye out for that if and when the specification is finalised.

I'm really interested in how this will develop.

As for the HD 2900 XT's in the picture there, 1Gb cards, back GDDR chips don't need any kind of cooling? Heatspreader? Nothing? Also - look at the rear of the 8 pin power connector - obvoiusly it's to unlock overclocking via overdrive, but where do those wire's go?

[cadaveca]

Also - look at the rear of the 8 pin power connector - obvoiusly it's to unlock overclocking via overdrive, but where do those wire's go?

They go from one card to the next, or to psu.:shrug: ;)


:D

[eXceededgoku]

it connects through the parallel port (which is still present on all mobos thank god!)

[perkam]

Removed. ExceededGoku...consider yourself soft-warned.

Perkam

[cadaveca]

um, perkam, edit his post again pls, does not use parrallel port ...he was doing what his link said...:lol2:

[xlink]

so basically you move the videocards outdoors so they don't raise the ambient temps in your room and PC...

[deathman20]

so basically you move the videocards outdoors so they don't raise the ambient temps in your room and PC...

Why not Or put them in a freezer or fridge :)

[[XC] Lead Head]

Why not Or put them in a freezer or fridge :)

Fridges can't handle 200+ watt heatloads ;)

[halo112358]

anyone else notice the ground lead soldered to the backside of the 8 pin power connector?

[jonnyGURU]

You have the video cards in their own box so they don't introduce heat to the rest of the PC AND the "box" has it's own power supply so you don't need a big power supply in your main box.

This is already done by nVidia. They house Quadra cards in a similar box. They don't use gaming cards because of bandwidth problems (dropped frames between box and main PC) but the Lasso is more elaborate and has the necessary technology to compensate for the external cable.

[xsbb]

I think this would be better use for laptops and mobile gaming. *thinks about battery life*

[deathman20]

Lead Head;2236428']Fridges can't handle 200+ watt heatloads ;)

Surely a modified one could.

anyone else notice the ground lead soldered to the backside of the 8 pin power connector?

They only have a 6-Pin connector in the slot so they modified it for 8 by adding 2 grounds. Theres no real big deal abou tthe 8-Pin connector, its just 2 grounds and it could care less where its coming from right now.

[dinos22]

If this is designed for lappies then I can totally see where it comes in to play like the proposed XGStation. I would assume theyre using a full size ExpressCard as the interface. It's hard to imagine that a single PCI-E connection to this device would be able to harness the full output of dual 16x PCI-E vid cards however.

PCI Express slots on laptops are only 1x :(

we've already seen 7900 series in external solutions for laptops but it's just not good if you are going to have a 1x link

[erwinz]

interesting product.. hope to see how it works.. :)

[MaxxxRacer]

anyone else notice the ground lead soldered to the backside of the 8 pin power connector?

Actually one is the 12v line and the other is ground. Im gonna take a guess and say these are sense lines for the cards.

[STEvil]

PCI Express slots on laptops are only 1x :(

we've already seen 7900 series in external solutions for laptops but it's just not good if you are going to have a 1x link

16x internal.

Just need to build a card that lets you use an onboard while external is disconnected.... and can allow a video signal input from dvi/hdmi.

[dinos22]

16x internal.

Just need to build a card that lets you use an onboard while external is disconnected.... and can allow a video signal input from dvi/hdmi.

sound simple but all these idiots now are shipping them in that config

try getting them to change :rolleyes: it will take time

[Trouffman]

This was made to compete with nvidia "quadro cluster" for graphical (imaging) society..
Pixar and co work a lot with this type of product...

[largon]

That's one tight & hot little box right there.
:hrhr:

edit:
On a side note, that's not the regular HD2900XT circuit board (109-B00631-00) we're looking at.
This one is the sub 8.5" version (109-B00131-00)...