The Evergreen family, housing such chips as RV870 and the mid-range and entry level chips RV8xx, from AMD is very close to launch. The eighth generation of Radeon graphics circuits is a new foundation for AMD/ATI to build and expand the use of graphics circuits. The R800 architecture will be more flexible, hinting of better performance in GPGPU applications, and sport an updated UVD processor.
We still don’t know the name and Terry Makedon’s twittering certainly seems to point to that Radeon HD 5000 is not the way they are leaning. Our sources are also telling us that the name is uncertain, but also that HD 5000 is in no way a given. Knowing the playful nature of Terry (and the rest of the ATI guys) it doesn’t feel like he is just denying things but more hinting of something else.
Of course, we’re just speculating on that point, but we’re still certain to see Evergreen graphics in Q3. Cards are being finalized and should be ready for mass production in two months tops. All chips are 40nm and should keep TSMC quite busy as gamers are going to want at least one each for Christmas. Ready for launch when Windows 7 is? … perhaps, but availability will be late September at best by the looks of it.
Unfortunately for NVIDIA it looks it will miss the Holiday shoppings, but perhaps make it before the year ends. It may very well come down to pure luck if they do, but mass availability and prices are harder to predict. GT300 looks to be a monolith like no other chip previously seen with plenty of performance and heat, and yield issues, to match.
