RV870 single-core, R870 dual-core, R800 quad-core?

[Olivon]

From the well-informed site from North : Nordic Hardware

The story of a dual-die GPU from AMD/ATI has been circulating since way before the launch of R700, Radeon HD 4870X2. While it did allow many to dream, it turned out to be just a rumor, or maybe it was just to soon? Either way a source has hinted that the new card R870 will be two GPU dies glued together sharing a memory bus. This is pretty much the exact same that was said before the R700 launch, and while we can't confirm this, similar information has been posted over at Chiphell.

Both are basically saying that AMD has glued two RV870 GPUs together to build world's first dual-die GPU, which is kind of amusing considering AMD's bashing of Intel's dual-die solutions. Anyhow, this means that AMD would then be able to build what many would come to call quad-fire on a stick. Four GPU dies on the same card, R800. It also means that for the first time we will have a middle between the RVx70 and Rx00.

Specification wise this would land us on something like 1000-1200 shaders and 50-60 TMUs with RV870, 2000-2400 shaders and 100-120 TMUs with R870, and 4000-4800 shaders and 200-240 TMUs with R800. In theory (IN THEORY!), AMD could launch them as Radeon HD 5870, Radeon HD 5870 X2 and Radeon HD 5870 X4.

There isn't a salt mine big enough take with this, but we just wanted to notify you that the rumor has resurfaced. Beware.

Source

Good newz,

W&S

[Bobsama]

If it's true, I'd like to see how CrossFireX scales, and if it'll support 8 GPUs (such as dual-HD5870X2, quad-HD4870X2). Other than that, I'm curious to the packaging, and I assume there'll still be a secondary chip to handle GPU-to-GPU communication. My only other question is how will memory be split? Will both have access to the full amount? Or will access be limited, such as current 2x1GB cards?

[Shintai]

Uhmm...no, no and no for the nTh time.

Its pretty bad to make random forum posts into news. Do I even have to mention the 900 shaders in RV770 "news" that was from XS speculation/random fun. (That person actually believes the 900SP RV790 we madeup here at XS).

It would also mean you would need 4GB memory on a "quadcore" to have 1GB.

In fact everyone thinks that R800 is the adoption of two dual-core RV870 the glue, I suddenly thought of AMD can make RV870 have the 1000-1200 stream processor 40NM ultra-small core, defined as the RV870, and the two high-level RV870 glue, causing R870, in fact, if two of the 1000 SP glue together RV870 will not vary much from the area, and can be shared memory, when a single card to sell ... ..., while the R800 is the R870 the two versions of X2 is, in fact, has four RV870 the RV870X4 ... ... every two RV870 composed of a memory can be shared R870, R870 with two similar R700 via the Internet to form the first internal CF ... ...

Hahaha, what a bunch of FUD. Its utter homemade crap. And the poster basicly try to shoehorn it in as people ask questions. 100% homemade!

Suddenly have the feeling ... ... RV870 is two 40NM glue version of the RV790 ... ...

RV770 800SP 55NM ——> RV790 1000SP 55NM ——> RV870 (40NM RV790X2) 1000X2=2000SP RV770 800SP 55NM -> RV790 1000SP 55NM -> RV870 (40NM RV790X2) 1000X2 = 2000SP

March-April release RV790 If 900SP, the performance of most high RV770 15% -20%, right?

Not sure why nordichardware pulls of such a dumb stunt. Even tho Andreas write alot of salt and theory. This just belongs nowhere.

[RaZz!]

so a single gpu card is like the low end... if they don't fix microstuttering & co i really hope this won't happen anytime soon.

[Nedjo]

I like this part of the article:

"There isn't a salt mine big enough take with this, but we just wanted to notify you that the rumor has resurfaced. Beware. "

[K404]

Well dual-die single sub would be easier to fab than trying to make a native dual-die (how would that work for GPUs, given theres hundreds of "cores" as it is?!, but thermal dissipation density could be horrible.

[orangekiwii]

be awesome if it was true but i don't believe it at all

and if it does turn out to be true i'll be like AW SH*T WHYD I GET THIS GTX 200 CARD

[safan80]

bah ATI can't get their drivers right.

[Ozzfest05]

it took how many years for nvidia to get sli multi monitors to work no one is perfect stop while your ahead

[STaRGaZeR]

bah ATI can't get their drivers right.

CF drivers? Never.

[NapalmV5]

deja vu: RV770 single-core, R770 dual-core, R700 quad-core

R7xx was meant the same..

will it happen?.. eventually.. R8xx aint no guarantee

its about time cf/cfx moves @ die

[safan80]

CF drivers? Never.

and opengl drivers

[STEvil]

[v_rr]

It would also mean you would need 4GB memory on a "quadcore" to have 1GB.

Shared bus by dual-cores. Need 2GB memory on a "quadcore" to have 1GB.

[NapalmV5]

@ stevil

nice.. but still micro stuttering

if cf/cfx moved @ die.. maybe just maybe ms be gone

[Macadamia]

Considering that IF RV790 exists as a 40nm part it will be a hell of a scaling up with 1200+ SPs already...


Why would RV870 take so much hassle in scaling instead? Make a 790-ish sized part (250-300mm^2), X2 it, no big worries.

[purecain]

very interesting pic.......

[waver_01]

a very skilled photoshopper....right?

[naokaji]

@stevil, cooling that would be a nightmare.

I don't believe amd will make a dual core gpu anytime soon, why would they? I think it's more likely that they will just scale everything of the current gpu's up a bit.

[ToTTenTranz]

Multiple dies on graphics cards are starting to sound like the rumours surrounding an integrated large ammount of EDRAM in ATI's GPUs a few years ago. Ever since the 9700 Pro came out there were rumours about ATI's next GPU with 10MB EDRAM. That proved too complicated for the "mess" that is the PC platform but eventually it came out in a console and was quite successfull.

My guess is that two GPUs sharing the same memory pool could be too dificult to get into a PC, but could very well be in the next XBox or Playstation (I won't say Nintendo because they're obviously not aiming for the "best tech" battle).

[safan80]

@ stevil

nice.. but still micro stuttering

for the Nth time the 4870x2 has no micro stuttering.

[Macadamia]

4 chips (3 frames in queue) would give you LESS possible stuttering than 2, actually.


See Rage3D's investigations on it.

[NapalmV5]

^ you mean 4 cores..

[NapalmV5]

for the Nth time the 4870x2 has no micro stuttering.

then wth am i doing @ single gpu cards..

[Shintai]

Photoshop ftw! And the extra blur is a nice touch

Here is another bunch of photoshops.

Shared bus by dual-cores. Need 2GB memory on a "quadcore" to have 1GB.

Ye and those 100-200GB/sec external busses is lovely too and 512bit MCs.