News - AMD goes Barts LE to square off with GTX 550 Ti

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

What I don't quite understand is that architecturally this seems to have the same numbers of many components as my 2 year old 4890. For the unenlightened, this means:

800 stream processors
256-bit memory bus
40 texture units

The only thing I can see differs is the fact it has 32 ROP units rather than my 16, as well as the (as far as I understand) fairly minor differences in the overall layout, and individual design of the stream processors.

Why, then, does it take nearly twice as many transistors to manufacture, and on a die only 15% smaller than my 2 year old, 55nm card?

The GPU actually has 1120 shaders and 56 textures units and is also DX11 capable meaning it probably has a more complex tessellator too. On top of 32 ROPs does take up more space than 16 ROPs.

The HD6790 basically has the same GPU as the HD6870 but has functionality deactivated. It was the same as the HD4830 which had the same GPU as the HD4870.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

At least this HD6790 seems to be based on an HD6850:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ImageG...20Video%20Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-397-_-Product

It seems that the PowerColor HD6790 listed is $20 cheaper than the equivalent HD6850 and is around the same price as GTX550TI. The GTX550TI is around £110 to £120 for the cheaper cards and the HD6790 will probably be around this price.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Here are some reviews of the card:

http://www.inpai.com.cn/doc/hard/146364.htm

http://vga.it168.com/a2011/0402/1173/000001173996.shtml