x1600xt with 256 bit?

[chuey101]

With ATI's revolutionary Avivo video and display technology, the Radeon X1600 series redefines the visual experience on today's PCs by delivering vibrant colors, ultra-sharp images, true-to-life image reproduction and the smoothest HD video playback ever offered by ATI. The new Radeon X1600 XT also features 256-bit ring-bus memory controller and support for up to 512 MB of RAM.

http://ir.ati.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=105421&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=795165&highlight=

? possible they heard the outcries?

 

[Jbirney]

that 256 could be the connections inside the ring so it maybe still 128 bit to the memory..

 

[cornelious0_0]

that 256 could be the connections inside the ring so it maybe still 128 bit to the memory..

Can't say I'm overly confident in that theory...but it wouldn't be the first time that I've seen a manufacturer scew information to gain a little market share. We'll have to watch this one and see how the card turns out for sure.

 

[ClearM4]

I am just glad they lowered the MSRP of the x1600xt to $179 and the MSRP of the x1600pro to $129. Now reviewers can stop comparing the x1300pro (some reviews were even using the x1300 basic model) to compare agianst the 6600gt. Was getting anoying having to look at multiple reviews to compare video cards in the same price range (street prices). I guess thats the problem when you review video cards not on the market yet. ATIwas dumb to set the MSRP so high off the start. Gave them a lot bad PR when you could easily see they were posititioned to sell the cards way under those MSRPs. ATI thought they could get more money for their new tech at first, but it backfired on them.

 

[cornelious0_0]

I am just glad they lowered the MSRP of the x1600xt to $179 and the MSRP of the x1600pro to $129. Now reviewers can stop comparing the x1300pro (some reviews were even using the x1300 basic model) to compare agianst the 6600gt. Was getting anoying having to look at multiple reviews to compare video cards in the same price range (street prices). I guess thats the problem when you review video cards not on the market yet. ATIwas dumb to set the MSRP so high off the start. Gave them a lot bad PR when you could easily see they were posititioned to sell the cards way under those MSRPs. ATI thought they could get more money for their new tech at first, but it backfired on them.

Not the first time it's happened either...nice to see they're getting their act together with this latest gen of cards a little more.

 

[arabdon1203]

also, the drivers are also premature for this very new architecture. the x1600xt got a big boost with the 5.12s

 

[cornelious0_0]

also, the drivers are also premature for this very new architecture. the x1600xt got a big boost with the 5.12s

Even if I'm not directly and personally interested in the midrange market, I still can't wait to see how this pans out...always nice to see products in the same product line as what I'm interested in developing...especially in cases like this.

 

[Brent_Justice]

256-bit internal ring bus - 128bit external to memory

the x1800xl and xt are 512-bit internal ring bus - 256-bit external to memory

you are going to see some manufactures advertise the internal number since it sounds better

 

[cornelious0_0]

256-bit internal ring bus - 128bit external to memory

the x1800xl and xt are 512-bit internal ring bus - 256-bit external to memory

you are going to see some manufactures advertise the internal number since it sounds better

Haha, those dirty buggers.

 

[Digital Viper-X-]

I see 512M X1600PRO cards for cheaper then 6600GT or about same price :S

 

[needmorecarnitine]

ATIwas dumb to set the MSRP so high off the start. Gave them a lot bad PR when you could easily see they were posititioned to sell the cards way under those MSRPs. ATI thought they could get more money for their new tech at first, but it backfired on them.

I think it barely matters since the card is just coming to market

 

[lt_shiro]

Any reviews yet on x1600 line?

 

[ClearM4]

Any reviews yet on x1600 line?

I want to a review comparing the x1600pro to the 6600 and 6600gt considering its priced at $130 and has better drivers out now. Also has twice the ram. Might just turn into the card to buy on a budget.

 

[cornelious0_0]

Any reviews yet on x1600 line?

Here, it's been available on guru3d for quite some time now...an early review, but it does run a good number of tests on the for X1k like, and includes the 6600GT as one of the comparison cards.

 

[AaronP]

X1600XT 256-Bit? And for $130? Hmm I wonder if it'll out bench a 9800 Pro easily, if so then I may have a new budget card for my low-end gamers.

 

[cornelious0_0]

X1600XT 256-Bit? And for $130? Hmm I wonder if it'll out bench a 9800 Pro easily, if so then I may have a new budget card for my low-end gamers.

I would suspect that it would, obviously you're not going to find any reviews comparing the two...but that review at guru3d compares the 6600GT to the X1600XT. It's not going to be a DIRECT comparison, but you could find an older 6600GT AGP review and see if there's anyone that was comparing it to a 9800Pro/XT...they'd be different chipset and completely different configs...but it's about as close as I think you could come to finding out without having both cards and doing the comparison(s) yourself.

If you're talking about any newer games on the way out, I wouldn't doubt that the 6600GT/X1600XT 256bit are going to outperform a 9800Pro...no doubt at all, but it's still good to get as many reviews saying the same things before you assume too much.

 

[AaronP]

I would suspect that it would, obviously you're not going to find any reviews comparing the two...but that review at guru3d compares the 6600GT to the X1600XT. It's not going to be a DIRECT comparison, but you could find an older 6600GT AGP review and see if there's anyone that was comparing it to a 9800Pro/XT...they'd be different chipset and completely different configs...but it's about as close as I think you could come to finding out without having both cards and doing the comparison(s) yourself.

If you're talking about any newer games on the way out, I wouldn't doubt that the 6600GT/X1600XT 256bit are going to outperform a 9800Pro...no doubt at all, but it's still good to get as many reviews saying the same things before you assume too much.

That's basically what I was thinking. I would have said 6600GT, but in price comparisons there really aren't any, the 6600GT still isn't a very cheap card, espicially in the Retail market.

 

[cornelious0_0]

That's basically what I was thinking. I would have said 6600GT, but in price comparisons there really aren't any, the 6600GT still isn't a very cheap card, espicially in the Retail market.

But it's still not overly expensive either. I know that in Canada anyways, I can get 6600GT's in the $160 CDN range...not bad at all, and for the performance there isn't a LOT of direct competition...it's still a nice price/performance card...just comes down to where ATI settles the price on the X1600XT and how it turns out with newer drivers etc...

 

[grenadier]

Alright, I'm confused...

So did they increase the memory bus of the x1600xt or not??

 

[arabdon1203]

No.

 

[grenadier]

Damn, I really want this card to be a more competitive gaming part since I'll be buying one anyways for its video decoding/encoding capabilities.

So is the story below totally wrong then?

http://theinquirer.net/?article=28339

 

[coldpower27]

The Inquirer misunderstands, the X1600 has always had a 256Bit Internal Ring Bus, with a 128Bit External connection to memory.

There just isn't anyway to make the external connection 256Bit Wide, as that requires a certain die size, ~ 200mm2 or more which is a bit too expensive for a mainstream part like RV530, or G73.

The 6800 GS doesn't really count as it's using a last gen "performance mainstream" core which does have the necessary die size for a 256Bit connection since it's built on older 0.11 micron technology.

If you want a 256Bit External Memory Interface, ATI would have to make something like a theoretical R530, which would be a R520 but using the 80nm process, which would be large enough to sustain the 256Bit External/512Bit Internal Ring Bus type interface.

Actually there are rumors of a R590, which could provide just what you need as it's a 80nm shrink of the 90nm R580 graphics chip slated for Q1 2006.

 

[cornelious0_0]

Funny to see the facts/truths behind this starting to surface...looks like the Inq needs to get their facts straight or start trying to be a little more ontop of their info.