Wednesday, September 25th 2013

AMD GPU'14 Event Detailed, Announces Radeon R9 290X

AMD announced the new Radeon R9 290X, its next-generation flagship graphics card. Based on the second-generation Graphics CoreNext micro-architecture, the card is designed to outperform everything NVIDIA has at the moment, including a hypothetical GK110-based graphics card with 2,880 CUDA cores. It's based on the new "Hawaii" silicon, with four independent tessellation units, close to 2,800 stream processors, and 4 GB of memory. The card supports DirectX 11.2, and could offer an inherent performance advantage over NVIDIA's GPUs at games such as "Battlefield 4". Battlefield 4 will also be included in an exclusive preorder bundle. The card will be competitively priced against NVIDIA's offerings. We're awaiting more details.
LiveBlog
"Join the Red Team" AMD SVP client products to the press
"The hair in Tomb Raider changed that game (TressFX)" Riiight.
"We are changing the gaming industry"
AMD is gunning for Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) (R9 290X supports UHD @ 60 Hz)
"New consoles raise the bar with gaming"
"It's been a great two years with the HD 7000 series"
AMD announced the R9 series for enthusiasts and gamers ; R7 for price-conscious buyers
AMD lists out a new product stack
R7 250 and R7 260 under $150, R9 270X under $200, R9 280X $299, and R9 290X
R9 290X Battlefield 4 Edition
"Three pillars of the R9 series: GCN 2.0, 4K, TrueAudio, etc
- DirectX 11.2 and improved energy efficiency
- >5 TFLOP/s compute power
- >300 GB/s memory bandwidth
- >4 billion trig/sec
- >6 billion transistors

4X more pixels
- everyday Ultra HD possible
- AMD first to officially support 4K
- Auto-configure 4K resolutions
True Audio Technology
- Revolutionizes game audio, and provides artistic freedom
- Hundreds of more audio channels
- Working with new audio CODEC developers
- Positional audio

Not sold on PureAudio. Nothing Dolby didn't try in the 80s, or Yamaha/Creative in the 90s.
Most game engines already have positional-audio
PureAudio based on "25 years of brain research"
WWYSE and FMOD game audio engines support TrueAudio
the industry dumped the idea of buying $100 sound cards for exclusive EAX5.0 years ago
PureAudio reduces CPU Load: AudioKinetics (WYSE creators)

And finally, the good parts:
"Ruby in that video looks like an older Linda Hamilton" - W1zzard

AMD's Press-release for Radeon R9 and R7 series:
AMD today unveiled the AMD Radeon R9 290X, R9 290, R9 280X, R9 270X, R7 260X and R7 250 graphics cards, AMD's first GPUs in a new era of gaming defined by UltraHD displays, renewed vigor in game engine development, and a new generation of gamers that expect a more immersive entertainment experience. AMD also introduced the world to Mantle and AMD TrueAudio technology, the latest innovations that redefine the GPU by enabling both gamers and game developers with unprecedented audio and performance enhancements for compatible games.

"The AMD Radeon R9 and R7 Series graphics cards are new GPUs for a new era in gaming," said Matt Skynner, corporate vice president and general manager, Graphics Business Unit, AMD. "This era is shaped by ultra-resolution gaming and an exciting new generation of highly-anticipated games like 'Battlefield 4.' But it's also an era shaped in a very powerful way by our own Unified Gaming Strategy; we've teamed up with the world's top game developers to establish a comprehensive portfolio of games that you can maximize to their full potential only with AMD Radeon graphics."
Mantle and Graphics Core Next: Simplifying Cross-Platform Game Development
The award-winning Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture in the AMD Radeon R9 and R7 Series graphics cards continues to serve as a driving force behind the Unified Gaming Strategy, AMD's approach to providing a consistent gaming experience on the PC, in the living room or over the cloud -- all powered by AMD Radeon graphics found in AMD graphics cards and accelerated processing units (APUs). The four pillars of the Unified Gaming Strategy -- console, cloud, content and client -- come together with the introduction of Mantle.

With Mantle, games like DICE's "Battlefield 4" will be empowered with the ability to speak the native language of the Graphics Core Next architecture, presenting a deeper level of hardware optimization no other graphics card manufacturer can match. Mantle also assists game developers in bringing games to life on multiple platforms by leveraging the commonalities between GCN-powered PCs and consoles for a simple game development process.
With the introduction of Mantle, AMD solidifies its position as the leading provider of fast and efficient game development platforms. Mantle will be detailed further at the AMD Developer Summit, APU13, taking place Nov. 11-13 in San Jose, Calif.

AMD TrueAudio Technology: World's First Programmable Audio Pipeline
AMD TrueAudio technology marks a new frontier in realism for PC gamers. AMD TrueAudio technology empowers game developers with a programmable audio pipeline on the GPU, inviting them to put their unique artistic fingerprint on in-game audio in the same way that the programmable graphics pipeline brought unfettered artistic vision to PC graphics. Enabled games can feature more realistic environmental dynamics, a richer tapestry of sound effects, breathtaking directional audio and more.

AMD TrueAudio technology enhances audio realism by simulating the human brain's perception of real-world sound, working in concert with the user's existing audio hardware to recreate a lifelike experience in upcoming games like "THIEF " by Square Enix or "Lichdom" by Xaviant Games.

AMD Multi-Display Technology: Redesigned for Ultra-resolution Gaming
The arrival of the next-generation AMD Radeon graphics cards also marks a new chapter in AMD's historic support for stunning display configurations. AMD Radeon R9 and R7 Series graphics cards are made for gaming on UltraHD (3840x2160) displays, including support for non-tiled 2160p60 displays with a future AMD Catalyst driver release. In addition, gamers more accustomed to AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology will be freed to use virtually any combination of display outputs when connecting matching monitors to the DVI or HDMI outputs on their system.

AMD Radeon R9 and R7 Series graphics cards will be available for purchase in the near future.
- AMD announced its alternative to GeForce Experience, the Gaming Evolved app, built in partnership with Raptr.
DirectX 11.1 optimization and 64-bit binaries for BF4 confirmed by DICE, can take advantage of 8-core CPUs.
AMD Developing its own low-level 3D API in partnership with DICE, called MANTLE
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186 Comments on AMD GPU'14 Event Detailed, Announces Radeon R9 290X

#176
the54thvoid
Intoxicated Moderator
I'm just amused that certain peeps are saying AMD's very own PR slide showing the Firestrike scores is unreliable. I stated I wanted the new card to beat Titan, so I could go and get a card I could tamper with more than my current castrated card. So to me, the things at first sneak peak is a disappointment, not a victory to Nvidia.

Folk really ought to stop reading posts in such combative ways. Only a dick would want AMD to fail with a new piece of tech and they would have no place to be on a tech forum like this.
Posted on Reply
#177
RCoon
the54thvoidI'm just amused that certain peeps are saying AMD's very own PR slide showing the Firestrike scores is unreliable. I stated I wanted the new card to beat Titan, so I could go and get a card I could tamper with more than my current castrated card. So to me, the things at first sneak peak is a disappointment, not a victory to Nvidia.

Folk really ought to stop reading posts in such combative ways. Only a dick would want AMD to fail with a new piece of tech and they would have no place to be on a tech forum like this.
Seconded, I want R9 290X to be a viable alternative to all the voltage locked 780's/Titan's, so we can get back to serious overclocking on water without having to mod this and that so we dont hit arbitrary limits.
Posted on Reply
#178
HumanSmoke
the54thvoidI'm just amused that certain peeps are saying AMD's very own PR slide showing the Firestrike scores is unreliable.
It's not a road any company would want to go down IMO. Short term strategic gain generally isn't offset by long term loss of goodwill
the54thvoidI stated I wanted the new card to beat Titan, so I could go and get a card I could tamper with more than my current castrated card. So to me, the things at first sneak peak is a disappointment, not a victory to Nvidia.
I wouldn't really even see it as a disappointment. If on the balance of benchmarks it trades blows with the GTX 780/Titan then that is well and good -depending upon price, because there are going to be apps (OpenCL etc) and games where the Radeon will be faster in any case. In the end it doesn't really matter what the performance over and above the opposition- or its own product stack- is unless the price is right. Price at $600 or $650 as has been mentioned in various places and it pretty much doesn't change anything ( Zotac and PNY are both in that price range from a quick Google) except getting the option of another feature set
the54thvoidFolk really ought to stop reading posts in such combative ways.
Seconded
the54thvoidOnly a dick would want AMD to fail with a new piece of tech and they would have no place to be on a tech forum like this.
Seems more a case of one group using the available information to ascertain a possible/probable level of performance, and another group being a little defensive over the findings. I don't see a lot of people wishing AMD away...more a case tempering expectation with the information given by the vendor.

There's always been an irrational train of thought that the next architecture is going to be the one- the [insert huge percentage] quantum leap reminiscent of the ~1994-99 era- and it just ain't going to happen. Even if the technology breakthroughs were available, it is still two companies carving up a cake that used have fifty with their hands in it.
Posted on Reply
#179
BiggieShady
NeoXFI'm surprised no one is commenting on AMD's response to nVidia's "GeForce Experience" or whatever it's called.
NeoXFSo please, you people, spare me these comments of how useless this or that is, what is bloatware or not how this and that is a data mining conspiracy (which might very well be true, but seriously now, just unplug your internet and be done with it if you're that desperate). I'd like to read more valid opinions than that on what is supposed to be a very decent forum...
You have a funny notion of indecency.

I'm sorry you didn't like my comment. I wish you that all comments you ask for to be the ones you actually like ... let's cross our fingers and wish it really, really, hard .... if it doesn't work for some reason, look at the good side - at least you are not that surprised anymore.
Posted on Reply
#180
Xzibit
the54thvoidI'm just amused that certain peeps are saying AMD's very own PR slide showing the Firestrike scores is unreliable.
I guess I was confused since everyone saying R9 280X = 7970 GHZ

Back in March Brandonwh64 posted this valid score (old drivers)



Unless i'm reading his data wrong hes using an original 7970 and boosting it to 7970 GHZ @ stock clocks the numbers just didn't match up to me.

That would mean the AMD PR slide is off by -400 to -600 with the R9 280X. Since it seamed they were that off to a supposed refresh. It raised an eyebrow.

Silly me. For not taking things at face value :o
Posted on Reply
#182
NeoXF
XzibitI guess I was confused since everyone saying R9 280X = 7970 GHZ

Back in March Brandonwh64 posted this valid score (old drivers)

img.techpowerup.org/130331/Capture027.jpg

Unless i'm reading his data wrong hes using an original 7970 and boosting it to 7970 GHZ @ stock clocks the numbers just didn't match up to me.

That would mean the AMD PR slide is off by -400 to -600 with the R9 280X. Since it seamed they were that off to a supposed refresh. It raised an eyebrow.

Silly me. For not taking things at face value :o


That's a 1050MHz, 1100MHz Turbo w/ stock 6000MHz VRAM HD 7970 GHz... so pretty much what we should expect from a 280X... sooo... yeah...
(ofc, you have to also take into account the 4,5GHz hexacore i7 platform it's running on)

And a 1000 point discrepancy is nothing to sneeze at... I imagine the R9-290X (a even more CPU-limited GPU) is being off-shot by even more in those claims.
Posted on Reply
#183
Nordic
PopcornMachineThat is speculation at this point. AMD said nothing about this.

Maybe true, but why wouldn't they say that at the big info press conference thing?

Seems more noteworthy than audio.
I was simply answering your question of where he pulled that information from.
Posted on Reply
#184
PopcornMachine
james888I was simply answering your question of where he pulled that information from.
Thanks for the info. I heard something different. Turns out AMD hasn't really said yet.

If they'd been more clear on important stuff, it would have saved all of us a lot trouble.
Posted on Reply
#185
TheoneandonlyMrK
HumanSmokeSeems more a case of one group using the available information to ascertain a possible/probable level of performance, and another group being a little defensive over the findings. I don't see a lot of people wishing AMD away...more a case tempering expectation with the information given by the vendor.

There's always been an irrational train of thought that the next architecture is going to be the one- the [insert huge percentage] quantum leap reminiscent of the ~1994-99 era- and it just ain't going to happen. Even if the technology breakthroughs were available, it is still two companies carving up a cake that used have fifty with their hands in it.
Guess what, Yet again i think your wrong, that next evolutionary step is going to be fairly soon(1-2years) a node down and will involve Tsv enhanced chips and additional memory near die plus some serial compute power perhaps:respect: , Btw this is only my opinion dont get too excited :p and thats not a vendor specific rumour imho.
Posted on Reply
#186
HumanSmoke
theoneandonlymrkGuess what, Yet again i think your wrong, that next evolutionary step is going to be fairly soon(1-2years) a node down and will involve Tsv enhanced chips and additional memory near die plus some serial compute power perhaps:respect: , Btw this is only my opinion dont get too excited :p and thats not a vendor specific rumour imho.
Well I certainly hope you're right. But knowing how the IHV's operate, they seldom extend themselves unless they need to, and mono/duopolies tend to incrementally advance in order to extract the most from their herd. As little as 5-6 years ago the determining factor was how big and complex you could make a GPU, and you were limited by the fab tooling. That really isn't the case anymore - litho tools have a reticle size that allows for 800+mm² (858mm for the ASML TWINSCAN for example), yet the only company taking advantage of the litho advancement in o.a. size is Intel ( Xeon Phi is supposedly 650-700mm²), and pretty much only to advance their standard/integrated product line - basically the same tactics Intel used twenty years ago with ProShare.

Anyhow, always good to here another's opinion. Here's to a brighter future :toast:
Posted on Reply
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