Wednesday, January 26th 2011

AMD Radeon HD 6990 Pictured Up Close

Here's the Radeon HD 6990 up close. The HD 6990 is AMD's new dual-GPU graphics card that extends the performance leadership held by Radeon HD 5970. The pictures put rest to some speculation surrounding the cooler design. It now appears that the cooler design is similar to that of the GeForce GTX 295 single-PCB, as far as air-flow is concerned. A single long PCB holds two GPU systems on either sides, a centrally-located blower pushes air on either sides. The exhaust from one GPU is sent out of the case, while that from the other is pushed out of the card from its rear portion.

The Radeon HD 6990 uses two 40 nm Cayman GPUs, it packs a total of 3072 stream processors, and 4096 MB of memory between the two GPU systems. It also features a new kind of display output that consists of one dual-link DVI and four mini-DP 1.2. Power is drawn in from one 6-pin and an 8-pin PCIe connector. The card can pair with another of its kind for 4-GPU CrossFireX. It is expected to be released a little later in this quarter.
Source: 4Gamer.net
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124 Comments on AMD Radeon HD 6990 Pictured Up Close

#27
blibba
This setup will come closer to GTX580 SLi than the 5970 did to GTX480 SLI, if it can be clocked high enough. That, combined with 4GB of not very cheap GDDR5, suggests a massive price tag.

However, unlike the 5970, it may have a rival from the green camp to drive down prices (presumably eating about 600W of power, but then again I'd have said the same about this card).
Posted on Reply
#28
devguy
AsRockJust use the DVI output and lets face it the DVI connector is MUCH stronger than a HDMI port



Sold. But really i was thinking of my marriage
Yeah, I'm sure it comes with one of those DVI -> HDMI converters that'll transfer audio too.

And yeah, if you got married, you cannot buy this anyway, as your soul is already taken. [Is that a jab at the marriage paradigm, or a romantic comment? You decide]. :laugh:
Posted on Reply
#29
AsRock
TPU addict
devguyYeah, I'm sure it comes with one of those DVI -> HDMI converters that'll transfer audio too.

And yeah, if you got married, you cannot buy this anyway, as your soul is already taken. [Is that a jab at the marriage paradigm, or a romantic comment? You decide]. :laugh:
Yup.. You can all so get HDMI to DVI cables too. I use one here picked it up cheap ( $15 ) and it's about 12 feet long although it's thick as hell to the point that the cable is near as thick as the HDMI connector due to being triple shielded..
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#30
t77snapshot
I love the rigid slick design of this card...mmmm yummy:p

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#31
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
Only one DVI port? That seems kind of stupid. This is the perfect card to do eyefinity with it would only need DVI to do it, but they have totaly screwed that up and force people to use DP.

I'd rather see a DisplayPort connecter or two ditched in favor of and HDMI port or two. Or better yeat, ditch the DVI port too and give us 4 MIni-HDMI ports.

The card should be a real beast though. I hope nVidia gets a dual GF110/114 card out soon so this thing isn't priced to the moon.
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#32
Yellow&Nerdy?
Holy moly that looks gigantic. Maybe even longer than the 5970... Only a 6-pin and a 8-pin? Doesn't really make sense that enough power to run one GPU is also enough no run two? They must have seriously underclocked and -volted the card. The display output seems slightly clumsy, 2 DVI and 3 miniDP would of been more convenient. But then they probably wouldn't of had space to use the whole second slot for exhaust.
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#33
Imsochobo
newtekie1Only one DVI port? That seems kind of stupid. This is the perfect card to do eyefinity with it would only need DVI to do it, but they have totaly screwed that up and force people to use DP.

I'd rather see a DisplayPort connecter or two ditched in favor of and HDMI port or two. Or better yeat, ditch the DVI port too and give us 4 MIni-HDMI ports.

The card should be a real beast though. I hope nVidia gets a dual GF110/114 card out soon so this thing isn't priced to the moon.
apple machines only have DP on laptop models, they still connect everything.
My workstation pc at work have 3X dp ports, yet I use 3x DVI screens.
It's no issue, it comes with DP to DVI on most stuff i've bought, my 5850 even came with one which have 2xdvi and HDMI.
Posted on Reply
#34
cdawall
where the hell are my stars
is everyone sure this isn't just a PS2





i think its missing its memory card slots
Posted on Reply
#35
Imsochobo
cdawallis everyone sure this isn't just a PS2

videogeisha.com/images/ps2.jpg

www.techpowerup.com/img/11-01-26/201b.jpg

i think its missing its memory card slots
what its missing is 2 pins on the 6 pin :P
Since they are limited to 5 displays, I feel they've disabled one graphics cards display controllers to save power consumtion, and they've probably saved abit in the PWM, dual cards usually do.
150W+75+75=300w if i'm not mistaken, amd likes staying inside 300W.
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#36
TheMailMan78
Big Member
When is the NDA up on this beast?
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#37
Mega-Japan
It looks cool and all, but I'll sit tight and wait for the "7970" or whatever comes next gen. My 5870 is in no rush to get upgraded =).
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#38
LAN_deRf_HA
Is the gap between the 6 & 8 pin to allow for adding a third power plug without changing the pcb design? Would aid asus/sapphire/xfx is they make some overclocked 8gb monster.
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#39
boot_failure
i've to save my money n do the hard work to get this monster :hammers
Posted on Reply
#41
GSG-9
LAN_deRf_HAIs the gap between the 6 & 8 pin to allow for adding a third power plug without changing the pcb design? Would aid asus/sapphire/xfx is they make some overclocked 8gb monster.
Oh God, 8gb? Why?
Are we anywhere near using 4gb? I can see 2gb being to little, but i feel like 8gb might just be a bit overki-damn it, now I'm 'that guy'. :wtf:
Posted on Reply
#42
blu3flannel
Whoa, 8GB? That's enormous! You won't need another graphics card until DX13 comes out. :eek:
Posted on Reply
#43
cadaveca
My name is Dave
TheMailMan78When is the NDA up on this beast?
Hmm? Whut?

March? April? May? June? July?

What is NDA, by the way?

:wtf:
Posted on Reply
#45
beautyless
newtekie1Only one DVI port? That seems kind of stupid. This is the perfect card to do eyefinity with it would only need DVI to do it, but they have totaly screwed that up and force people to use DP.

I'd rather see a DisplayPort connecter or two ditched in favor of and HDMI port or two. Or better yeat, ditch the DVI port too and give us 4 MIni-HDMI ports.


They will supply at least one free dongle Mini-DP to DVI passive converter to enable second DVI monitor.

And if you want to setup eyefinity 3 monitors, just buy 1 Active Mini-DP to DVI converter.

This is the good design to balance amount of display output and airflow. Because DP 1.2 can do daisy chain monitors by hub in the future.
Posted on Reply
#46
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
Imsochoboapple machines only have DP on laptop models, they still connect everything.
My workstation pc at work have 3X dp ports, yet I use 3x DVI screens.
It's no issue, it comes with DP to DVI on most stuff i've bought, my 5850 even came with one which have 2xdvi and HDMI.
We aren't talking about Apple machines here, that have Apple monitors that have DP anyway.

I'm aware that you can use DVI with DP, using active adapters, and the adapters only cost $30(and they usually don't come with the cards). My point is that most gamers are still using DVI or HDMI monitors. So to make a card that is capable of eyefinity with all DVI/HDMI connectors, and then fill it with the relatively unused DP connectors doesn't make sense. It would have been better to throw a few HDMI or mini-HDMI ports on there instead of 4 DP ports.
Posted on Reply
#47
GSG-9
newtekie1We aren't talking about Apple machines here, that have Apple monitors that have DP anyway.

I'm aware that you can use DVI with DP, using active adapters, and the adapters only cost $30(and they usually don't come with the cards). My point is that most gamers are still using DVI or HDMI monitors. So to make a card that is capable of eyefinity with all DVI/HDMI connectors, and then fill it with the relatively unused DP connectors doesn't make sense. It would have been better to throw a few HDMI or mini-HDMI ports on there instead of 4 DP ports.
I could not agree more.
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#48
cadaveca
My name is Dave
GSG-9I could not agree more.
There are quite specific technical reasons for only a single DVI, and DP for Eyefinity.

The single DVI takes care of like 85%++ of all users. If $60 for adapters for Eyefinity is a concern, you should not be running Eyefinity, IMHO.

This point of view makes no sense to me, and purely based on the fact that Eyefinity is not for those looking to save a buck...it's for those with extra cash to spend on thier entertainment.

As far as I am concerned, as and actual Eyefinity user, there should NOT be any DVI on the card. It has been like a over a year that I've been running Eyefinity. It's like 3D, that has specific hardware requirements, and if they cost more, oh well.

I'm especially dumbfoudned that someone that has bought an unlocked Intel CPU is making these statements, to boot. You, Newtekie1, already paid extra for something you didn't need, but that's OK for CPU, but not GPU? WHUT?
Posted on Reply
#49
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
cadavecaThere are quite specific technical reasons for only a single DVI, and DP for Eyefinity.

The single DVI takes care of like 85%++ of all users. If $60 for adapters for Eyefinity is a concern, you should not be running Eyefinity, IMHO.

This point of view makes no sense to me, and pureley based on the fact taht Eyefinity is not for those looknig to save a buck...it's for those with extra cash to spend on thier entertainment.

As far as I am concerned, as and actual Eyefinity user, there should NOT be any DVI on the card. Been like a over a year that I've been running Eyefinity. It's like 3D, that has specific hardware requirements, and if they cost more, oh well.
It isn't about the cost, your paying $600+ for the card, a few $30 adapters are a drop in the bucket.

It is about convenience. One of the main drawbacks of eyefinity in a lot of people's eyes is the fact that it requires you use a DP. And the techincal reasons you speak of for that is because each GPU only has a set number of TMDS links, this forces single GPU users to use a DP connection. This is fine on a single GPU card because that is the only option. But on a dual GPU card like this one, there are enough TMDS links to allow 3 or more DVI/HDMI connectors, and it is more convienient for people to use those. So on a card like this I don't really see any good reason to include DP connectors over HDMI/DVI connectors, can you?
cadavecaI'm especially dumbfoudned that someone that has bought an unlocked Intel CPU is making these statements, to boot. you already paid extra for something you didn't need, but that's OK for CPU, but not GPU? WHUT?
Shows how little you know. I didn't pay extra for an unlocked Intel CPU. When the 875K came out is was $200 cheaper than the 870. And besides that, when I bought the 875K I paid less than what the i5 750 was selling for at the time, in fact I paid less than what an i5 760 goes for today... If it wasn't for the great deal on the 875K I would have bought an i5-750, actually I wouldn't have I would have kept my X3370...
Posted on Reply
#50
KainXS
I just hope its faster than the Asus Ares

600 dollars please, no more
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