Final Specs for ATI HD 4870 and HD 4850 Leaked

[AliG]

why not somethink like a 4830 with the disabled functionallity you describe?
4870 RV770 gpu, high clocks
4850 RV770 gpu, medium clocks
4830 RV770gpu, low clocks and some tiny bits disabled (like for exemple 16 rops)

i think this would able them to get higher yields, get an enthusast part, get an high end card and a high midrange card

Exactly, the problem is with the start of the r600 cards, ati hasn't really had a true high end gpu. So that's why nvidia could disable parts of its high end and still sell them very well. Where as the 2900xtx failed to perform better than the 2900xt and that could barely compete with the g80 8800gts, so ati would have got no where selling a partially disabled r600 as a second high end and the die was too big to be a performance chip.

And since ati isn't planning on ever again creating a monster monolythic die, chances of them having the option they used to with the x1950xtx to do what nvidia will with gt 200 is very slim. But if nvidia screws up like intel did with netburst, then they well have that window open again to broaden their line up and make more profits off the same chips

[zerazax]

GDDR5 will also save power versus GDDR3 also

[TheKarmakazi]

cause

gddr5 with 256bit -> cheaper pcb, cheaper chip, more expensive ram

gddr3 with 512bit -> expensive pcb, expensive chip, cheap ram.

DDR5 also has some sort of timing compensation built in (someone clarify this) so you don't have to worry so much about trace lengths.

GDDR5 will also save power versus GDDR3 also

Thanks for the answers, they all make sense

[Kej]

Another thing to keep in mind is that the size of the core will also be a part of if it's possible to implement a 512-bit interface to the memory.
Small core --> not enough space for all the pins on a 512-bit interface.

[LordEC911]

I'm confused as to why everyone thinks more than 16ROPs is needed...
G92 "only" had 16ROPs.
If RV770 has 16ROPs but tweaked Z, then it will be perfectly fine.
Remember the high-end, meant for high resolutions +20", will be dual GPUs, R700/CF.

[Sparky]

I'm confused as to why everyone thinks more than 16ROPs is needed...
G92 "only" had 16ROPs.
If RV770 has 16ROPs but tweaked Z, then it will be perfectly fine.
Remember the high-end, meant for high resolutions +20", will be dual GPUs, R700/CF.

could be architecture differences too maybe, like how AMD has always had less L2 cache than intel but smacked the larger cache P4s around Don't really know, just saying it could be different implementation perhaps and could be an apples to oranges comparison.

[cky2k6]

as far as i understand, ati does aa in their shaders, which is also why i think it was pusing dx10.1 so much, and why nvidia has not been since it uses the rops. what crippled r600 was the tmus, not rop.

[largon]

If the 4ghz ddr5 w/ 256mbit bus = ddr3 with 512mb bus, why pay more for the ddr5? Am I missing something?

You're missing the fact that there is no such HD48_0 card that has 512bit GDDR3. Only 256bit GDDR3 for HD4850 and 256bit GDDR5 for HD4870.
Btw, bus width is measured in "bits" (128bit/256bit/512bit), not "mbit" or "mb".

[tiro_uspsss]

here we go again, sigh.

the couch i'm sitting on is reeeeeal comfy - lets sit back together & watch these clowns turn this thread to the crappers

[Jakko]

the couch i'm sitting on is reeeeeal comfy - lets sit back together & watch these clowns turn this thread to the crappers

I think without posts like this, most are allready aware of you enjoying seeing a thread "turned to the crappers", your contribution in doing just that has been unsurpassed.

On topic, unless NH is plain lying, the specs are known at this point.
Not confirmed though, there still is the possibility that NH is not telling the truth.

[Macadamia]

why not somethink like a 4830 with the disabled functionallity you describe?
4870 RV770 gpu, high clocks
4850 RV770 gpu, medium clocks
4830 RV770gpu, low clocks and some tiny bits disabled (like for exemple 16 rops)

i think this would able them to get higher yields, get an enthusast part, get an high end card and a high midrange card

Big die, small margins, dead ATI.

People who keep asking for a fast ATI chip (probably so that they can get their GT200s cheap, nothing else ), but apparently forgot the R580 situation. The chip was fast, in shader stuff blown the G71 out of the water, but ATI still netted loss on the GPU/line itself. The GX2 with horrible SLI support barely kept up too, especially when you used the card for more than 6 months.

ATI might be aiming for a shorter upgrade cycle with more cards, a strong midrange and hopefully a competent highend. A very nice upside is that RV770/870/etc will be hard/virtually impossible to screw up in execution/ stuff after tape-out.

[tiro_uspsss]

I think without posts like this, most are allready aware of you enjoying seeing a thread "turned to the crappers", your contribution in doing just that has been unsurpassed.

On topic, unless NH is plain lying, the specs are known at this point.
Not confirmed though, there still is the possibility that NH is not telling the truth.

actually - i cant wait for R770 launch, i hope it kicks the crap out of whatever nv has, & even if it doesnt, & at least comes close, i will probably buy, it'll make a nice replacement to my x1950pro .. btw, i was 'talking' to biohead - seeing as ur trolling, i'm reporting u

[Der_KHAN]

well, looks like the 4870 will have the GDDR5 memory clocked at just 900MHz. but it seems to be more like qdr instead of ddr memory

ASUS published the specs of it's 4870 with a memclock of 3.6GHz (900MHz DDR5). so 900x4 it is.

Specifications Model EAH4870/G/HTDI/512M

PowerColor Introduces HD 4870/4850 boards
Asus jumps the gun, announces HD 4870
Sapphire and PowerColor announce HD 4870

[Hornet331]

well, looks like the 4870 will have the GDDR5 memory clocked at just 900MHz. but somehow it seems to be more like qdr instead of ddr memory

ASUS published the specs of it's 4870 with a memclock of 3.6GHz (900MHz DDR5) ... weird stuff.

Specifications Model EAH4870/G/HTDI/512M

PowerColor Introduces HD 4870/4850 boards
Asus jumps the gun, announces HD 4870
Sapphire and PowerColor announce HD 4870

thats becaus gddr5 has 2 clock domains, 900mhz command clock and 1800mhz write clock. If you double the write clock (ddr) you have your 3600mhz.

[Der_KHAN]

i see. thx for clearing that up