AMD HD 6xxx...

[Arcmanov]

Yeah...I saw that article.  Once the price (of the 6870) stays below the 317 US I paid for each 5850 in Dec 2009, I'm OK with that.

As always, I'm looking at the value of two 'mid-range' cards versus the big-daddy high-end.  Yes the 580 is faster overall, but at its current retail price...its certainly outside my reach.  I can't buy both 6870s at once, but I can certainly buy one in December and the next one in January...AND I can realise more value when I sell em. 

This way I end up with even more performance at less overall cost than the 2 x 5850s I had before.  The 460s are great, but need to be OC'ed to maximise their value with similar (but not better) performance than the 6870s, which I am truly reluctant to do at this time.  I will leave that for ye of deep pockets.

...but who knows....if Nvidia can release a 580 derivative (which is competitive price-performance wise) by December 20th, then we might be able to make a lil deal, but I think that is highly unlikely.

[Red Paradox]

hey guys just a question for "reference"
If you're playing a game with Nvidia PhysX, would it have any problems with these new cards. My friend is using a HD 4870 and if he plays a game that has PhysX for example, Mirrors Edge, he has to disable PhysX otherwise it would run like a crappy version of "bullet time"
However when he disables it, the game runs smoothly.
So the long and the short is ...can the HD 6xxx series run PhysX

[Redfish]

Um as far as I know(correct me if I'm wrong) PhysX is only for Nvidia cards i.e. their technology so my answer to that is no.

[Spazosaurus]

Um as far as I know(correct me if I'm wrong) PhysX is only for Nvidia cards i.e. their technology so my answer to that is no.

What he said.

[W1nTry]

I believe there was a proof of concept where PhysX ran on  AMD hardware pretty well, but thats exactly that... so to save yourself the hassle, the answer as mentioned above is NO

[W1nTry]

So far only NVidia cards can handle physics processing as well as video rendering at the same time. ATI supposed to have something called 'HAVOK' which is their version of a physics engine for their gpus but i dunno how far they reach with that one.

Well you see HAVOK was the first physics engine used in 3DMark amoung various tech demos, however HAVOK is OWNED by Intel... hence though AMD is a supporter of the engine, it's hard to put ones all into the COMPETITORS basket XD

[Notnice]

It's taken AMD a long time to refresh the top end of its graphics hardware, but today's culmination to that wait has to be described as somewhat bittersweet. Sweet, because we're finally getting a successor to the venerable HD 5870, one that offers improved power management and tessellation performance at a lower $369 price point, but also bitter because in terms of sheer firepower, the Radeon series doesn't seem to have made quite the leap many of us had hoped for.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/15/amd-radeon-hd-6970-and-hd-6950-launch-assault-on-enthusiast-gami/

[Spazosaurus]

Just as I thought, nothing nvidia-killing, still they put up a decent fight.

[W1nTry]

Just as I thought, nothing nvidia-killing, still they put up a decent fight.

The only review i've read so far was from Anandtech, and it was pretty much the same picture from the last gen, Nvidia has the fastest single GPU, AMD having very decent 2nd and mainstream offerings, AMD having better power management, but Nvidia having more GPGPU development. Games trade blows and all in all prices are where they should be. So nice refresh. I expect AMD to increase performance substantially when they get their driver together with the new architectural changes, as I expect Nvidia to tweak as well.

All in all much of the same imho. I guess i'll be waiting on the GTX6xx and HD7xxx series before I upgrade.

[Arcmanov]

I was expecting some serious whoop-azz, but it looks like Nvidia runnin de route in the 400 and up space.

Consider me officially underwhelmed.

Now I'm even more sure that I'm getting those 6870s, seeing as all 6870 prices
have just dropped by 40 US.  That extra 60 US could get some moar fans. 

[Spazosaurus]

Does this mean that Sergeant Arcmanov will be meeting back up with the Bad Company posse?

[phoenix31tt]

hmm... 6950 priced @ the gtx570
while the 6970 is priced $100 lower than the gtx580


i guess is to read the reviews and determine how the perform with that price point... thats the only thing that matters really... they dont have to be the fastest on the market... just look @ the gtx460... excellent price/performance made it what it is...

time to check d reviews brb lol

[Spazosaurus]

hmm... 6950 priced @ the gtx570
while the 6970 is priced $100 lower than the gtx580


i guess is to read the reviews and determine how the perform with that price point... thats the only thing that matters really... they dont have to be the fastest on the market... just look @ the gtx460... excellent price/performance made it what it is...

time to check d reviews brb lol

Get out of my head or start paying rent lol.

Exact thing I thought while reading the reviews. Nvidia's flagship while better performing is way more expensive than AMD's flagship wile not being a whole lot slower.

As it stands now, i'd say the best bang for youg high end buck would be 2 hd6970's.

Understand the gravity of what im saying considering my white hate for crossfire atm.

[phoenix31tt]

lol i hear you... good to see that you keeping an open mind despite your ati woes hehe...

so yea.. i guess arc jumping on two 6870's lickidi split

[W1nTry]

We hear you arc... but considering the calibre of the cards yal already have... is it really necessary to upgrade now? I honestly thing the next gen is where yal should go cause the 5870's still outperforming the 6870 in MANY games.. which as yal mentioned is underwhelming.
I have a habit of upgrading ONLY when the performance doubles, hence I went from 8800GT to 4870X2, since I am roughly at the 5850 performance it only makes sense if I get a BESS card that 'fall off a truck' or I wait till the next refresh.

[Spazosaurus]

He doesnt have the5850 xfire setup anymore.

[Notnice]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/27/amd-radeon-hd-6950-can-be-turned-into-an-hd-6970-using-a-bios-ha/

[Spazosaurus]

Aye...*adds to cart*

This is sick. Who want two 460's?

[Arcmanov]

so yea.. i guess arc jumping on two 6870's lickidi split

If yuh could get more split than lickidi, then yeah.

All is nice from 6870 CrossfireX land.  
There seems to be no more multi-GPU issues, at least from a driver standpoint.  GG AMD.


.....and I am now catching up on that HD 6950 BIOS flash upgrade.  Great STUFF!!!

[Arcmanov]

...and now that I've done some reading...the implications for current 6950 owners are really kickass.
Here you have a product that costs up to 60 US LESS than your flagship, which can be unlocked
to the specs of said flagship.  Current 6970 owners must be fuming right now, because this
situation changes the bang-for-buck landscape considerably.  I'm 'almost' sorry I bought two
6870s, as this new development makes them harder to recommend, although you will save about
60 US over the 300-dollar 6950.

Once again, its a great time to be buying a graphics-card.

HD 6950 FTW yes.