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ATI PCI-Express Devices Revealed

Posted by Hemos on from the building-towards-the-future dept.

JohnQ writes "According to Xbitlabs and AnandTech, the specifications for ATI's newest graphics cards have been revealed. Interesting to note is that all of these next generation video cards will run exclusively on the PEG (PCI-Express x16) interface. This does not bode well for those of us who just paid top dollar for the last generation of AGP cards. Read more about the roadmaps on Anandtech and Xbitlabs"

11 of 344 comments (clear)

  1. Cheaper prices by di0s · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This does not bode well for those of us who just paid top dollar for the last generation of AGP cards.

    But it does bode well for those of us who want cheaper AGP Radeons.

    1. Re:Cheaper prices by flewp · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This does not bode well for those of us who just paid top dollar for the last generation of AGP cards.

      I actually fail to see why it hurts those of us that did buy the last generation of cards. I needed a video card, this was the best out there (well best bang for the buck) so I bought one. How does this news affect something I did in the past and why would it affect my future? Anyone care to explain?

      --
      WWJD.... for a Klondike bar?
    2. Re:Cheaper prices by Short+Circuit · · Score: 5, Insightful

      As the parent pointed out, AGP cards may come down in price. So if you just bought the latest Radeon 9800 at $500, you'll have to watch helplessly as others buy it at $50 bargain bin prices a couple years from now.

      To be fair, I disagree with the assessment. If AGP cards become rare, while people hold on to their AGP-supporting motherboards (especially those running Athlon64's), their value is going to rise. At least, it'll rise up to just before the point where it's cheaper for people to get a new mb (and RAM, and CPU) along with their video card.

      --
      tasks(723) drafts(105) languages(484) examples(29106)
    3. Re:Cheaper prices by ViolentGreen · · Score: 5, Insightful

      As the parent pointed out, AGP cards may come down in price. So if you just bought the latest Radeon 9800 at $500, you'll have to watch helplessly as others buy it at $50 bargain bin prices a couple years from now.

      This is true anyway. This year's top of the line card will be the low-end "bargain card" in two or three years. Anytime you buy the top-of-the-line anything you have to be aware of that. The only difference in this is that you will need a new motherboard for the new cards. But since these cards aren't available yet, what's the big deal?

      --
      Not everything is analogous to cars. Car analogies rarely work.
  2. buyers of last-gen AGP cards? by SoTuA · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Nopes, if all the new products are PCI-X... it doesn't bode well for people who bought high-end AGP-supporting MOTHERBOARDS. Bought it thinking upgrading the vidcard awhile down the road? Think again :/

    People who have the last-gen AGP cards will continue to use them...

  3. Nature of the beast by Bronz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "This does not bode well for those of us who just paid top dollar for the last generation of AGP cards."

    Come again? Why do people consider than advances in technology retroactively negate past purchases? If you bought a nice AGP card yesterday, it will continue to be a nice AGP card today.

  4. Why doesn't it bode well???? by NiteHaqr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Manufacturers will continue to put AGP slots on mother-boards for the next while - as far as I can tell you will be able to plug a PEG gfx card into ANY PEG slot on your board

    This just takes us back to the old PCI/AGP days.

    No need to spread FUD on the GFX card market - anyone who just paid top dollar will be able to use their top dollar car din their new top dollar PEG capable board for the forseeable future.

    What this does herald is the next generation of GFX cards that are coming, but I dont think there
    will be much difference between PEG and AGP GFX cards for a while - at least not before the shine on the new FX5950 and 9800's has long worn off.

    Standard Slashdot sensationalism (but you gotta love it)

  5. Took them a while. by NegativeK · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Having a single AGP bus has miffed me for a while. I've always wanted to stick my GF 4 and my GF FX in the same computer, but nooo.. It'll be nice when one can run more than two monitors and a very nice quality for a game. =D

    Of course, I'll be able to achieve this in four years, when I have enough money.. =T

    Three screen Quake3, anyone?

    --
    This statement is false.
  6. Re:Yeaaaahhhhoooo! by lukewarmfusion · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Anand's site often recommends (for users with a budget, anyway) that people buy stuff that will run the software(games) they want to run now. I agree and make this recommendation often.

    Don't spend $400+ on a video card for the performance you'll get on a game in a year or two. Spend $200 on a 9700 Pro (or whatever your pref.) for the games you play now. Then spend another $200 in a couple of years for whatever card you need to run your games. Buying top of the line means paying top dollar.

    Then again, this is /.

  7. Huh? by SuperBanana · · Score: 5, Insightful
    This does not bode well for those of us who just paid top dollar for the last generation of AGP cards

    Let me get this straight, you're whining about obsolescence in the graphics card market? What planet or cave are you from? Leapfrogging happens...what, at least twice a year? New GPUs, different VRAM technology, faster PCI bus interfaces...it's old news, and by now anyone who buys a top of the line card should full well know it's going to be next week's "1" on the benchmark scales and worth half as much as it was when they bought it.

    In fact, anyone who has bought -any- computer components in the last 30 years should know this, including the people who bought Apple Lisas(Helloooo, $6k down the toilet!)

    By all means though, don't stop- if you did, the graphics card market would probably implode, as you're no doubt single-handedly funding the R&D efforts, and those of us buying 1-2 'generations' back want to keep seeing the not-so-latest, not-so-greatest drop in price ;-)

    --
    Please help metamoderate.
  8. I just paid top-dollar for an AGP card... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...and couldn't care less that it will be 'obsolete' in a year. If you base all your purchasing decisions on when the latest, greatest thing is coming out, you'll never buy anything.

    Yeah, I'll wince when I see the same card I bought last week selling in three months for $100 less, but in the end I don't think I'll have a problem sleeping because of it.