R600 to launch April 23 -24th

[pauldh]

"AMD is simultaneously launching low-end, mainstream, and high-end desktop and mobile parts, making this a very first simultaneous, across-the-board launch for any GPU vendor.

The launch will be from April 23rd to April 24th...

We are pretty sure that AMD will show R600 chips from the initial production batch - the 80nm one. "

INQ Link: http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=38442

 

[bullaRh]

''AMD WILL launch its R600 product in Tunisia. We already told you that the launch will be the biggest ever, now we can disclose the location.''


do they even have internet in tunisia lol what a weird country to launch it in

 

[Harrisson]

Country selection unusual but I guess it will be a fun ride for several hundred selected journos. Nice coutryside, big launch show.

 

[pauldh]

:lol: Yeah, that part made me think someone played a joke on the Inq feeding them this one. I even hesitated to post it, but figured if not me, 10 others would soon do it. Honestly, I assumed it's just me who knows nothing about Tunisia and that for all I know it could be a happeneing Tech/expo Spot.

 

[SSS_DDK]

''AMD WILL launch its R600 product in Tunisia. We already told you that the launch will be the biggest ever, now we can disclose the location.''


do they even have internet in tunisia lol what a weird country to launch it in

I suppose launching it in Tunisia helps AMD spend less money in this time of need... and yes they do have Internet connexion, warm weather (which should indicate that the card's power consumption has been brought down) and some very nice beach resorts (the need for AMD officials to relax after so much exhaustion) :lol:

 

[jamesgoddard]

do they even have internet in tunisia lol what a weird country to launch it in

AMD hope then plenty of sun and sangria will help the reviews along...

After all, if you just had a short all expenses paid holiday on AMD, would you be inclined to give them a slightly better write up?

 

[PCAnalyst]

Tunisia?... isn't that when your TV remote forgets what channels you programmed into it?

 

[jamesgoddard]

You do have to wonder, if AMD are going to spend all this on an opening bash, would it make sense to chuck Barcelona into the party. One big global launch for all AMD products?

 

[petevsdrm]

''AMD WILL launch its R600 product in northern Alaska, on top of a broad hill in the tundra. Wind tunnels will be set up to draw some of the heat away so as not to affect the local wildlife adversely. We already told you that the launch will be the biggest ever, now we can disclose the location.''

:lol: :lol: just making a bit of a joke about

warm weather (which should indicate that the card's power consumption has been brought down)

Should be a good show.

 

[Twisted_Sister]

I admit... I had to look on a map to figure out where that country was... how bizarre?

 

[Periander]

Haven't we seen this before?

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=37407

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=38442

Laugh

At this point I'm in "I'll believe it only when I see it" mode with DAMMIT. This confusion over 80nm vs. 65nm only heightens that skepticism. Why would they design and produce a chip at 80nm just for "launch", and then redesign (65nm is not an optical shrink) the chip for "production". Why would they "launch" a product they won't be selling? The only reasonable explanation is that the 80nm part is what is coming out in May, that that product is not performing up to their expectations, and they want to put focus onto an upcoming shrink to 65nm that we have no idea yet when it's going to be out.

Ugly really.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

:lol: Yeah, that part made me think someone played a joke on the Inq feeding them this one. I even hesitated to post it, but figured if not me, 10 others would soon do it. Honestly, I assumed it's just me who knows nothing about Tunisia and that for all I know it could be a happeneing Tech/expo Spot.

You know I read your post on the PSP on the Train to work this morning, and almost T9 entered in that very thing.

The launch is really in Monaco, but they told the InQ it's in Tunisia so everyone could point and laugh. :twisted:

That would be dang funny!

I am surprised about the choice, but maybe they're Star Wars fans, or they got a deal on car insurance.. err I mean deal on room rates.

 

[Eviltwin17]

well if this is true this is great news for AMD since they will have all of the product line out instead of releasing the flagship products and then the lower incarnations later on. I'm guessing that launching everything at once will help increase demand and sales and will help AMD get back on track as far as gfx cards are.....as for barcelona: where the hell are you?

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Haven't we seen this before?

Yep, the exact same thing with the R520/R580 and that turned out to be a solid product line.

80nm/65nm doesn't cause much confusion, it's like we've seen before from both ATi and nV.

If the delays push the always on the books 65nm shrink into the right time frame, why waste alot of production on 80nm, which is more expensive, less effificient, hotter and likely slower? Likely after launch once the 65nm is ready, then the 80nm will be moved to workstation and GPGPU card which are usually less agressively clocked, and thus dealing with the leakage issues. Then even those too would be replaced with 65nm.

I'm sure AMD wishes they could've launched the 80nm earlier or gotten the 65nm to retail volumes quicker, but obviously we're in between those options.

 

[jeff_2087]

as for barcelona: where the hell are you?

It's in Spain, on the Mediterranean coast, between the Llobregat and Besòs rivers. To be exact, its geographical coordinates are (41°23′N 2°11′E). See here on this map of Spain:

sorry, couldnt resist

 

[pauldh]

The launch is really in Monaco, but they told the InQ it's in Tunisia so everyone could point and laugh. That would be dang funny!

:lol: It would be beyond funny, and if the case there are some folks rolling already.

I am excited about a huge widespread launch though. It will take a long time to get it all properly reviewed, but I'd rather get some info immediately on it all, and then look forward to in-depth reviews in the weeks to come. It will make me read the tech not just chart hop. :roll:

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

You do realize the ost important part of your whole original post, right.....?

"AMD is simultaneously launching low-end, mainstream, and high-end desktop and mobile parts, making this a very first simultaneous, across-the-board launch for any GPU vendor.

Just ready for the end of Ski season on May 21st! 8)

I am excited about a huge widespread launch though. It will take a long time to get it all properly reviewed, but I'd rather get some info immediately on it all, and then look forward to in-depth reviews in the weeks to come. It will make me read the tech not just chart hop.

Exactly, there's so much I wanna know about their designs, and especially for the laptop, their multimedia, and their power efficiencies.

Something GF8600/X2600 with good HD support (and on the X2600 5.1 audio over HDMI) would be perfect, and actually worth the wait after the mediocre GF7600/X1600 mobile solutions.

Heck even in the desktop I have a feeling that we're looking at another X1800 vs X1900 type design difference, and I have no idea which will be prefered until we see some actual in depth investigations into things like shadermark, etc.

 

[function9]

Do they mean launch as the location they're just announcing everything at or the only place products will be available initially? Maybe they couldn't get the townhall booked soon enough to hold it in New Guinea?

 

[pauldh]

lol, I almost added that I'm even excited about the mobile parts this time. The time will come when i'll have to own a mobile gamer, especially to go along with the projector. But buying things I can't build upgrade myself has always not sat right with me. So maybe with this new tech, and possible upgrades like we have talked about, the time will be right. But I'm not expecting that from ATI this time around.

I need a small gaming machine. I went to show off bigscreen gaming to a friend and carried a tiny quiet projector in a 1/2 cubic foot bag along with a huge loud OC'ed system in a server case. Rediculous match, but I wanted to handle everything 10x7 4xAA cranked and my lighter LANBOY machine still has a NF2/ XP2500+/ 9800 pro/ 350W smart Blue PSU in it. :roll:

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Yeah for me the absolutely most important part is the media abilities, second is gaming ( But I would prefer better than X1600 performance), and also would like PCIe external support, but I'm worried that won't come until 2008, so maybe expresscard and that weak ASUS solution will have to do for Crysis.

 

[harmattan]

It's little known State-side, but Tunisia is fast becoming the mediterrainean "bahamas" and a major party capital - definitely not "middle-of-nowhere". The French have been vacationing there for years for the great beaches, food, and cheap prices.

I had the luck to stay in Tunis with a friend's family for a week over holiday when I was studying in France. It was the best vacation I've ever had. Some of the nicest people and best food around.

Apart from it being a great place, it makes sense the release is here since a good part of ATI is Francophone.

Also, I really doubt I'll be picking up R600 after launch since the first retail versions are 80nm, and will be followed sometime later by 65nm versions.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

It's little known State-side, but Tunisia is fast becoming the mediterrainean "bahamas" and a major party capital - definitely not "middle-of-nowhere". The French have been vacationing there for years for the great beaches, food, and cheap prices.

Yes actually I'm quite familiar with Tunis/Tunisia, I have many University friends from the region, and Morocco, Algeria and Egypt.

Apart from it being a great place, it makes sense the release is here since a good part of ATI is Francophone.

You're confusing Matrox, which is located in Dorval Quebec (a suburb of Montreal) with ATi which is Thornhill, a suburb of Toronto. I've lived in both areas (actually Salomon Ski gear factory/depot is about a block away from Matrox).

 

[NightlySputnik]

''AMD WILL launch its R600 product in Tunisia. We already told you that the launch will be the biggest ever, now we can disclose the location.''


do they even have internet in tunisia lol what a weird country to launch it in

It's not a well known fact, but Tunisia is not a third-world country. They have good universiy, and a well construct society... including better than average internet . I personally know a lot (well, if 12-15 is a lot) of people from Tunisia and they have nothing to envy us in general. If you get away from the coast, you'll see village a little less "in modern day", no offence anybody, but most of the people are from the coast anyway.

Also, even if they would havwe launched it in your home town, who here would honestly have attend the event anyway. As long as they deliver on the performances front, who care where the launch take place? Not me for sure... as long as it's still available here in Montreal in the following week. :twisted:

And to finish, YES a good part of ATI is francophone :twisted: , since they're from the province of Québec, my home... sweet home. Étienne Demers, in charge of ATI developpement team (maybe not anymore, I can't tell honestly), used to go to school with me in primary school. I won't lie, I haven't talk with him for over 15 years now, but still. His father was then the "chief police officer" of my home town, Boischatel, close to Quebec city.

Anyway, enough about me, and let's hope R600 deliver on the performances front. :twisted: 8)

EDIT: True, MATROX is from Montreal, but a lot of ATI staff is from the province of Quebec because of our outstanding (in a crowd of mediocre) programs of software and hardware engineering in the province. Proof, Ubisoft biggest developpement studio is in Montreal (think Splinter Cell, Rainbow Six: Las Vegas and Prince of Persia last two iterations if I'm right), EA Games as a big one also and 2-3 other big companies have big studio here, altough I can't name them. The say: "memory if a faculty that forget things"... and I just proved it .

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

I don't disagree that ATi has both, just that of the two I would say Matrox's Canadian staff is more Francophone than ATi. But thet's just been my experience with them.

Not sure which devs you're thinking of, maybe Maxis, but SoftImage/Avid is a big force in the Montreal scene. I actually worked with them a few times while I was in school. Pixar also has a presence in Montreal with their ties to Softimage.

 

[bullaRh]

well that i know, thank u. my parents was down there last year but still it doesnt come close to the rich countries like europe or US.
but if u like people pulling your clothes and make you buy their stuff u should go there for sure :lol: ..

thats right but still its a very weird place to launch it

french people r 2 proud of emself they only wanna speak french atleast thats how it was 15 years ago..