Radeon HD 3870 X2
The R680 designates, in reality, the Radeon HD 3870 X2, which is based on two RV670 GPUs. As we’ve seen, the history of multi GPU cards is pretty diverse and if this HD 3870 X2 represents a departure from the concepts behind the Voodoo 5500 (the VSA 100 having been conceived to be grouped at least in twos, from the beginning, to produce an efficient card), its goal is reminiscent of the Rage Fury MAXX in 1999; to offer a product to place in front of the high end models of its Californian competitor.
AMD has decided to integrate two RV670s on the same PCB (for more information on the chip refer to our Radeon HD 3850 and 3870 review->http://www.presence-pc.com/tests/Radeon-3870-3850-22731/]). This is, without a doubt, to allow the installation of a imposing cooling system and to facilitate the interconnections between the two graphical sub systems. The result is a monster of 26.7 cm in length (longer then the width of a motherboard). This value is identical to what we have on a GeForce 8800 GTX and Ultra, which holds only one chip.
Its weight breaks new records, going a little over the kg and yet, AMD thinks it’s good to highlight in its documents the weight optimizations brought by the use of a hybrid copper - aluminum sink.
i wonder wat it would be like to run folding at home on. that would boost my skor lol
i will reserve judgement on the ultra vs 3870x2 until the first driver release after the official release of the card - think how much performance the 2900 xt gained! (not that i would expect anything like that much, but the ultra has had a year for it's drivers to mature)
Two chips and not even a beater of a single GTS and still no where near a card (the GTX) that has been out for almost a year. Come on ATI whats happenned.
Anand's shows the card in a better light, something about newer drivers i hear? Beating the GTS in most games with a largish margin
Is the R700 really delayed until 2009? I thought that rumour was dismissed...
"Anand's shows the card in a better light, something about newer drivers i hear? Beating the GTS in most games with a largish margin"
no it doesnt