X-bit labs

ATI Drives X800 Micro-Architecture into Professional Marker.

Category: Video

by Anton Shilov

[ 08/06/2004 | 08:45 AM ]

ATI Technologies has unveiled yet another professional graphics card for workstations with AGP graphics interface based on RADEON X800 micro-architecture. The new product complements the company’s existing lineup of graphics cards for professional use.

FireGL X3-256 gives users high-end features such as dual DVI connectors for multi-display applications, dual link support for 9MP displays, stereo 3D capabilities with quad-buffered support, 12 pixel pipelines, 6 geometry engines, increased sub-pixel precision and 256MB of GDDR3 memory. The FireGL X3-256 will be available late August through workstation OEMs, workstation system integrators and resellers for $1099.

This new visual processing unit enables users to create complex visual effects and designs for customers working in Digital Content Creation (DCC), Computer-Assisted-Design (CAD), Pre-Visualization and Geographic-Information-Systems (GIS) and delivers a 30% increase in performance over the previous generation of FireGL products, ATI said.

So far the X3-256 is the only FireGL product for AGP platforms that is built around ATI’s latest RADEON X800 micro-architecture.

Earlier this year Markham, Ontario-based ATI Technologies has unveiled a series of workstation graphics cards – FireGL Vizualization – for PCI Express x16-supporting platforms based on the X600 and X800 architectures. The FireGL Visualization series includes the entry-level FireGL V3100 with 128MB of memory, 4 pixel pipelines and 2 vertex processors; the FireGL V3200 which adds stereo 3D capabilities; the mid-range FireGL V5100 with 128MB of memory, 12 pixel pipelines, 6 vertex processors and stereo 3D output and the high end FireGL V7100 with 256MB of GDDR3 memory, 16 pixel pipelines, 6 geometry engines, stereo 3D and dual link capabilities.

ATI's FireGL products feature dual display output and are supported by a unified driver, which is tested and certified by professional 3D ISV partners.