ATI Technologies is demonstrating the world’s first visual processor to incorporate PCI Express, the newest PC interconnect standard, at the Intel Developers Forum Fall 2003 in San Jose, California, it transpired during today’s show.

ATI has designed, developed and validated in tests with Intel, the industry’s first visual processor using the brand-new PCI Express bus to accelerate the movement of information between the visual processor and the central processor, the company said in its official statement today. Unfortunately, the firm remained tight-lipped about the code-name of the demonstrated chip.

As we revealed some time earlier, ATI Technologies will have a top-to-bottom lineup of PCI Express visual processing units next year, including the brand-new code-named R423 designed for enthusiasts and RV380 as well as RV381 for mainstream and entry-level market segments respectively. The R420/423 utilise some new architectural achievements, whereas the RV380 and RV381 will still be based on the “good-old” R300 design principles.