Interesting little quote from Kyle at HardOCP

[XJnine]

I think the R600 is going to be ATI’s very own 5800, but that is a story for another time.


I was reading a little article that Kyle just posted about how he was rebuilding his own personal system. This little blurb caught my eye. We all know what a disaster the FX5800 was for nvidia and I'm guessing Kyle has some decent knowledge of the R600.

I know it's all pre-release stuff but it's interesting to see someone with the connections he has saying something like that.

[werty316]

With all the time AMD/ATi had do develop the R600 due to countless delays they better not have their own "5800" considering the way things are going now.

[Kougar]

If ATI doesn't get their parts to market soon then it might as well be a flop. Especially since nVidia has already sold quite a few people G80 cards, who probably can't nor want to spring for R600... not to mentioned the G86/G85/G84 series coming out soon, again before ATI's mid/low end hardware....

I think it's a bit hasty to say it will be another 5800 though, ATI has had lots of time to work on this and hasn't been rushing it out the door. Their driver situation already looks better than Nvidia's, and if those prices I heard are true then they shouldn't have any issues except maybe the hot running part, which the 5800's had. I plan to watercool mine anyway. :)

[XJnine]

I'm still trying to figure out the 8 pin power plug on the card. Why the heck are they going with a non-standard plug? They have to know that most users will use an adapter instead of buying a whole new power supply with the 8 pin plug (if you can find any). Once you use an adapter you're getting the same power as the 6 pin would provide, just split up. You might as well make the plug a 6 pin and do the power splitting on the card. Hmm...

[PP Mguire]

Probably why this guy is saying its going to be a 5800. I had a 5800 in my hands for like 2 days. I was happy with it but then sent it back. Next thing i know, nobody has them anymore. I was young and not really into computers at the time and had NO idea what was going on till a few years later. Realized i shoulda kept it.

[Chakka]

I dont remember where I read this (may have been an April fools) but I thought AMD/ATI die shrunck the r600 to 65nm just to avoid the 8 pin issue.

[XJnine]

One interesting thing to note... I was looking at my 8800GTX and I noticed one of the 6 pin power connectors actually has the solder pads to be an 8 pin connector, they just went with a 6 pin. Interesting...

[Kougar]

I'm still trying to figure out the 8 pin power plug on the card. Why the heck are they going with a non-standard plug? They have to know that most users will use an adapter instead of buying a whole new power supply with the 8 pin plug (if you can find any). Once you use an adapter you're getting the same power as the 6 pin would provide, just split up. You might as well make the plug a 6 pin and do the power splitting on the card. Hmm...

That is just it. You don't need an 8-pin plug for normal use! The two extra pins are to add extra juice for overclocking, and just about anyone that will be serious about their GPU overclocks either will have one or will have an adapter. I believe the thinking probably is that at least this way, some users will have full 8-pin connectors on their PSUs and be able to deliver the extra power directly from the source. And in so doing, the source/PSU will have the extra amps dedicated to the 8-pin rail. Worst case the average joe simply won't be able to overclock... I bet the adapter will be included with the card though anyway.

[werty316]

I bet the adapter will be included with the card though anyway.
That would be fitting since most PCIe video cards come with a 4-pin to PCIe molex connector so why not follow this with an included 8-pin cable adapter as I am sure it won't increase the cost greatly.

[Bio-Hazard]

Most newer PSU's will have the new 8 pin anyways, and like Kougar said, the 8 pin is so you can get the max OC out of the thing, if that doesn't change before release date.

Kyle has also been known to be a bunch of hot air from time to time as well, just depends on what way the wind blows.

[XJnine]

My point about the adapter is that you're still getting the same power as you would be with a 6 pig connection on the card so why bother with the 8 pin? I understand they're saying you only need the 8 pin if you're going to be overclocking but if you use an adapter you're not getting the benefit of a true 8 pin connection. I hope I'm making myself clear, sometimes I speak like mud.

I don't know how new your PSU would have to be to have the 8 pin PCIe connection. I just bought this BFG 1000 watt PSU and it has four 6 pin PCIe connectors but not a single 8 pin (except for the one to the mobo).

[Kougar]

I read ya perfectly clear. :) My point though is that for those users who DO elect to buy an 8-pin designed PSU will have the option to OC their cards to their best potential.

By forcing a new connection to be designed into some PSUs, they are able to assure that not only will the 8-pin PSU be able to provide all the needed (extra) power, but that the PSU maker will have adequately distribtued the load and not capped the connector to low a threshold. If ATI had stuck with just 6-pin connectors, then more then likely overclocking these cards would have been a very hit or miss affair depending on the PSU's quality, size, and if their PCIe 6-pin rails were capped to low.

If the user decides to OC with just an adapter, then theoretically at least they will know why their OC didn't work well or instability occurred.

[XJnine]

I'm beginning to think the smartest way to go is the way 3dfx was going with the external power supply on their Voodoo5 6000. If you go that route you will know for certain that the card will have the proper power (since the power supply is coming with the card), there won't be any legacy connector issues, and you'll be dumping less heat into the case since your power supply won't be feeding the extra couple hundred watts to the video card that is has to do now.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5e/Voodoo_5_6000.jpg

[Gray]

You know XJ I had actually saved up to buy that card, Had it come to market I would have purchased one as soon as it released.

I am not sure if i am happy or sad about missing the boat on that one.

I miss 3dFX!!!

[sushrukh]

I think that the R600s will have that 8-pin PCI-E connector so that whoever buys a PSU with those connectors will be able to use the full potential of the card.AS u know that the R600 should be more power hungry,so,having only 6-pin Power connector will not satisfy its thrist for power completely.It's just like the 24-pin ATX connector & the 8-pin CPU power connector on our mobos.We can install a 20-pin connector in that 24-pin connector & we also can connect 4 pin CPU power connector in that 8-pin slot.It's just for if in case u require more power,it'll come very handy & will deliver steady & enough power to satisfy the thirst 4 power.

[Scott]

Just so you all know I still have my Leadtek 5800Ultra. And it did not use the dust blower fan and was very quite.


http://www.bjorn3d.com//Material/Images/262_winfast_a300_ultra_td_2.jpg

[Pat123]

As i only just got into computer making what was the problem with the 5800 may i ask lol.. (n00by alert) i Cant be bothered to google it onlt want a brief say lol. was is rubbish or too expensive/hot ?

[XJnine]

Expensive, hot, loud, poor performance.

[Pat123]

lol so it was pants then.. i dno i doubt the r600 will be pants.. just power hungry and hot, and if those romoured prices are true then its certainly not expensive. Then being so cheap it puts doubts on its overall performance.

[Scott]

NVIDIA made the big play on the first totally programble GPU with the 5800. The problem was ATI took the brute force approach and the 9700 or 9800 can't remember the # blew away the 5800.

The 5800 could do more but was not as fast at all. Plus the fan on it sounded like a leaf blower was running in your computer. For the DIE size of the GPU the heat it put off is nuts. I think mine ran in 80C range idle and 112 under load.

But it is in a box with all the original stuff to be a collectors item.

[XJnine]

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.html?i=1779


Yup, it was the 9700 Pro. Here's a good Anandtech review that compares both cards and it also has a video file so you can hear the noise. The 9700 Pro outperformed the 5800 in most cases (not all though) and it did it while being cheaper, quieter, and with better image quality. Not to mention the 5800 took up 2 slots while the 9800 Pro was a single slot card.

Which one would you buy?

[pc_man_iac]

Hey scott could I get that 5800 from ya, willin to pay

[PP Mguire]

See i had a PNY 5800ultra and i regret to this day letting go of it. SOrta like my Voodoo5 5500 i have, collectors. And see, 3dfx wasnt so bad. I wish they would come back.