Monday, September 6th 2010

Picture of AMD ''Cayman'' Prototype Surfaces

Here is the first picture of a working prototype of the AMD Radeon HD 6000 series "Cayman" graphics card. This particular card is reportedly the "XT" variant, or what will go on to be the HD 6x70, which is the top single-GPU SKU based on AMD's next-generation "Cayman" performance GPU. The picture reveals a card that appears to be roughly the size of a Radeon HD 5870, with a slightly more complex-looking cooler. The PCB is red in color, and the display output is slightly different compared to the Radeon HD 5800 series: there are two DVI, one HDMI, and two mini-DisplayPort connectors. The specifications of the GPU remain largely unknown, except it's being reported that the GPU is built on the TSMC 40 nm process. The refreshed Radeon HD 6000 series GPU lineup, coupled with next-generation Bulldozer architecture CPUs and Fusion APUs are sure to make AMD's lineup for 2011 quite an interesting one.

Update (9/9): A new picture of the reverse side of the PCB reveals 8 memory chips (256-bit wide memory bus), 6+2 phase VRM, and 6-pin + 8-pin power inputs.
Source: ChipHell
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118 Comments on Picture of AMD ''Cayman'' Prototype Surfaces

#76
mastrdrver
_JP_They are DisplayPorts.
Not very used and known, because most screens nowadays don't support the connector.
Actually are they not mini display ports?

If so you'd need an adapter to even use a normal display port on a monitor.
Posted on Reply
#77
pantherx12
vMGIt's meant for Apple products.
And all the rest, NEC,HP,DELL,LENEVO,EIZO.

It's just not a widely accepted connector type yet.

I imagine due to its size quite a lot manufacturers may use it that or mini HDMI or something.

Regarding CAYMAN XT, I want more pics!
Posted on Reply
#78
cheezburger
crazyeyesreaperuh last i checked the 4890 runs with the gtx 275 which = the 280 so a 4890 isnt really fail since for most part in that generation all ati cards were cheaper then there nvidia counterparts and oh yea i still love the $330 price tag on the 285 when the 5850 was $259 on release eitherway more on topic pic looks intresting i prefer the black and red with no stupid stickers
the only moment hd 4890 had chance to walk side with gtx 275 was on unreal 3 engine as there won't be any game engine would take advantage on r600 art.... i dont need to mention the rest of result as you all know what's coming. go look hd 4890 bench on anandtech and tom's hardware first they will give you more detail how failure r600 art was like. oh hd 4890 may be cheap but it is mid stream card and mid range card SUPPOSE to be cheap(150~229 for mid range), but amd just over priced it($299). :shadedshu
Posted on Reply
#79
crazyeyesreaper
Not a Moderator
www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_4890_Toxic_Vapor-X/9.html
www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_4890_Toxic_Vapor-X/14.html
www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_4890_Toxic_Vapor-X/18.html
www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_4890_Toxic_Vapor-X/7.html

source material now go read a real GPU review all of the above use different game engines and whats this at low res the 4890 is slower but at higher res oh wait it trades blows with the 275 280 and 285

so from that material above it performed better and was cheaper at its time oh snap.

6000cayman looks interesting tweaked and more efficient design has my attention as i do plan to buy a few 6 series cards and if they all look as sexy as the one pictured im in
Posted on Reply
#80
erocker
*
btarunrStick to the topic, people.
cheezburgerthe only moment hd 4890 had chance to walk side with gtx 275 was on unreal 3 engine as there won't be any game engine would take advantage on r600 art.... i dont need to mention the rest of result as you all know what's coming. go look hd 4890 bench on anandtech and tom's hardware first they will give you more detail how failure r600 art was like. oh hd 4890 may be cheap but it is mid stream card and mid range card SUPPOSE to be cheap(150~229 for mid range), but amd just over priced it($299). :shadedshu
crazyeyesreaperwww.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_4890_Toxic_Vapor-X/9.html
www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_4890_Toxic_Vapor-X/14.html
www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_4890_Toxic_Vapor-X/18.html
www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_4890_Toxic_Vapor-X/7.html

source material now go read a real GPU review all of the above use different game engines and whats this at low res the 4890 is slower but at higher res oh wait it trades blows with the 275 280 and 285
You guys see Bta's post up there? I suggest you follow his advice as this is your last warning.
Posted on Reply
#81
KainXS
there are rumors that AMD will redesign the SP's for more performance

the Sp's on the 2XXX-5XXX series

the Sp's on the 6XXX series

the 6 series will probably have more Sp's also

Edit

oops didn't see your post erocker sry
Posted on Reply
#82
erocker
*
KainXSjust give it up, he's in his own world, mr 128 rops on a 512bit bus

there are rumors that AMD will redesign the SP's for more performance

the Sp's on the 2XXX-5XXX series
img.techpowerup.org/100907/sp.png
the Sp's on the 6XXX series
img.techpowerup.org/100907/sp1.png
the 6 series will probably have more Sp's also

Edit

oops didn't see your post erocker sry
So delete your post then? You added pictures after you say "oops?" Please stop.
Posted on Reply
#83
pantherx12
erockerSo delete your post then? You added pictures after you say "oops?" Please stop.
Those pictures at-least are relevant to the discussion, the cayman xt will be using this new set-up, handy visual explanation really : ]
Posted on Reply
#84
meran
crazyeyesreaperlol i smell nvidia fanboy here lets face it the green team was late there still late they wont compete till 28nm the 6000 series gives ati the lead for another year meaning 2 years where ATi now AMD has been top dog in terms of GPUs you can spin it however you want it dosent change the fact even the stripped down gtx460 for gaming STILL consumes more power then a 5850 and close to a 5870 but is 20-40% slower in single card configs and the 480 while being the fastest single gpu card is still only 2nd fastest in terms of single card overall

and you seem to like talking about r 600 and r 300 what about the g92 lol been in use for nearly 4 years with no re improvement where as ati has scaled there design to offer better performance you can argue your points all you want because fact is the biggest baddest gpu nvidia had which was the 512 shader gtx 480 was only 5% faster then the 480 shader current high end both companies have room for improvement. and how is the r600 design pathetic? last i checked the 5850 5870 and 5970 are highly competitive compared to nvidias offerings and in general use nearly 35-40% less power to do so and if its truly fail then why did Nvidia lose so much market share to this pathetic design?
+1 im with ya:toast:
Posted on Reply
#85
mastrdrver
Does that look like two PCIe 6 pins connected to the card?

I think it will be quite impressive if the card only needs that for a chip ~400mm2. That's one thing that I think will make me keep my 5870s is because the run cool and don't pull a lot of power especially in idle. I don't want to go back to something like my 4870x2. Sure it was powerful for a single card but I had to run 50-60% fan to keep it cool.
Posted on Reply
#86
a_ump
i'm surprised there aren't any game bench leaks besides crysis. For me the hype isn't really for their release, we all expect the family to overall perform at least 20% faster.

What i'm hyped for is to see what Nvidia say and how they counter-act if they can at all. AMD has also gained a lot more of the GPU marketshare over the past 2yrs. There was a graph that said it was actually at 51% as of 2010, so that's only gonna grow with this blow to nvidia, amazing how the tides turn bc i sure as hell never expected AMD to be back on top over Nvidia.

EDIT: now that i think about it, there were quite a few people that were saying nvidia was getting lazy and not being inventive enough. and they were right lol
Posted on Reply
#87
Wile E
Power User
I hate when they put display connectors in the second slot spacing. I like having the option of going single slot with a full cover block.
Posted on Reply
#88
pantherx12
I'd like to see more ATi cards that don't have that dual block DVI, rather have 2 next to each other and a mini DP or something..
Posted on Reply
#89
Unregistered
man, but i hope AMD ditch DVI all together, and use Displayport, and bundle displayport to DVi instead, DVi is gigantic and take a lot more space than displayport
#90
wolf
Performance Enthusiast
mastrdrverActually are they not mini display ports?

If so you'd need an adapter to even use a normal display port on a monitor.
I believe you are correct sir, they look like mini's, but here's hoping the card ships with at least 1 adapter.
Posted on Reply
#91
CrystalKing
PCB pics

Cayman XT Sample Cards, PCB likes HD5870, core 900mhz, but I don't know if it is the final frequency, 6+8pin

Posted on Reply
#92
cadaveca
My name is Dave
Looks like 256-bit, to me...:laugh:
Posted on Reply
#93
erocker
*
8+6 pin PCI-E connectors. 8 memory chips.
Posted on Reply
#94
cadaveca
My name is Dave
6 phase gpu power, 2-phase mem? So say 230w? Here's hoping 2xDP and 1x DVI works for Eyefinity...
Posted on Reply
#95
largon
cadaveca6 phase gpu power, 2-phase mem?
Yep. All Volterra.
cheezburgerlarger bus require more pin on the bga board that contain gpu. indeed but it doesn't really give any further die increase and nothing to do with die/wafer. just the board become more complex and more layer for pcb board and increase size of gpu footprint, but not die size.
Wider memory bus doesn't take more die area?
That's just wrong. Memory bus width has a huge impact on die size.
On RV770, the 256bit memory controller with I/O pads takes 14% of the die size. Around 36mm².
On R600 that 512bit takes ~35-40% of total die size, that's whopping 125-170mm².
Also, it takes twice the amount of memory chips for 512bit so cost goes up due to many many factors.
then remove some unnecessary design such as 5D shader and stop adding more shader like what they did in r700...they were wasted far more die space by putting these additional float point feature
Huh? The added shaders made up majority of the performance increase we saw in RV670->RV770.
r600's massive shader architecture was one of worst way to improve performance.
:rolleyes:
Posted on Reply
#96
cadaveca
My name is Dave
largonHuh? The added shaders made up majority of the performance increase we saw in RV670->RV770.
Based on tsting I've been doing recently, I really think they need to lower shader numbers, and make the actual shaders MORE complex. The "Ultra-Threaded" nature of ATi's design is TOO THREADED...so they need to deal with that in some way. those pics up above seem to say that same thing, and that makes me quite happy.

However, if they launch without Bulldozer...:banghead:\

I really don't want to see 6870 yet. I do not have confidence that thet rest of the market is ready for this chip. ATi wants to spank nV...but I tihnk they are just seeing RED.
Posted on Reply
#97
erocker
*
cadavecaBased on tsting I've been doing recently, I really think they need to lower shader numbers, and make the actual shaders MORE complex. .
I'm thinking that is exactly what they are doing with the 6 series.
Posted on Reply
#98
largon
I do agree they can't go on bloating the SIMD core anymore as Cypress demonstrates returns are indeed diminishing. But RV670->R770 transition was a smooth move, ofcourse they did almost double RBE throughput but most of the perf gain was in the expansion of shader core.
Posted on Reply
#99
Unregistered
cadavecaBased on tsting I've been doing recently, I really think they need to lower shader numbers, and make the actual shaders MORE complex. The "Ultra-Threaded" nature of ATi's design is TOO THREADED...so they need to deal with that in some way. those pics up above seem to say that same thing, and that makes me quite happy.

However, if they launch without Bulldozer...:banghead:\

I really don't want to see 6870 yet. I do not have confidence that thet rest of the market is ready for this chip. ATi wants to spank nV...but I tihnk they are just seeing RED.
but actually 5D shader is more die efficient than NVDIA counter part (i'm reading some anandtech article when RV770 was out), and thats why 160 core in HD 4870 can compete with 192 cuda core in GTX 260. and if the game can fully utilize the 5D shader then it can be a lot more powerful
#100
largon
For example, 5D shaders totally steamroll in Furmark, which isn't even optimized for it.
Posted on Reply
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