Quote Originally Posted by ajaidev View Post
Oh ya one more thing i think that both GTX 480 and GTX 470 uses analog VRM setup and this is a very curious thing to do. The reason why i said curious is that when 5870 was launched with digital VRM i asked the advantages that it will have over analog system and i was told that digital VRM works good handling lower voltage than higher ones but analog VRM works better in handling higher voltage with stability.
no. both digital VRM and traditional step-down buck converter, can output any voltage from 0 - 12V. For both digital, and analog component (ie cap, inductor, diode/MOSFET rectifier) selection determines max current, transient response (ie ripple current) etc.

Caps are high and block heatsinks. AMD digital VRM is better for heatsinks. Multiple-phase solutions are easier to link up. And can better manage switching... ie reduce voltage/clocks/current if overheating.

Its kind of like old school jumper/BIOS overlocking vs using setFSB in Windows - the later obviously easier and more convenient.

Quote Originally Posted by Manicdan View Post
i think AMD has made enough profit and will be happy to drop 5870 to 300$ the week of nvidias release.
I've been wrong but I dont think so. TSMC 40nm is still far from "mainstream" and quite expensive. Only reason for AMD to drop down to $300, would be if Fermi launched at $300 - infinitesimally improbable.