Any news on the '6...?

[Magic Man]

Any news/updates on the Eyefinity 6 card?

Any chance it will be based on the 5970 rather than a 5870 - would seem to make more sense to have the two GPU's there to power it rather than just one.

[whismerhill]

yeah I thought the 5870 Six would be released before the 5970 but ... it seems not :D

[TwinIon]

This is pure speculation on my part, but there is one thing that I think suggests that the 6 is based on the 5970 rather than the 5870. On the 5870, and indeed on all other 5xxx cards, the ports cover the majority of the face of the card, leaving only a quarter of the two slots open for cooling. On the 5970, the number of ports was reduced to 2xDVI and 1 mini-DP so one of the two slots the card occupies could be open to vent. Pictures of the '6 show half the card covered in mini-DP ports and half for cooling.

It could just be coincidence, or it could be an actual connection, but it does make sense that if you're designing a card specifically for super high resolutions that it would be the most powerful thing you can possibly make, which would be the 5970.

[BHawthorne]

This is pure speculation on my part, but there is one thing that I think suggests that the 6 is based on the 5970 rather than the 5870. On the 5870, and indeed on all other 5xxx cards, the ports cover the majority of the face of the card, leaving only a quarter of the two slots open for cooling. On the 5970, the number of ports was reduced to 2xDVI and 1 mini-DP so one of the two slots the card occupies could be open to vent. Pictures of the '6 show half the card covered in mini-DP ports and half for cooling.

It could just be coincidence, or it could be an actual connection, but it does make sense that if you're designing a card specifically for super high resolutions that it would be the most powerful thing you can possibly make, which would be the 5970.

You're over-thinking it. The reason why the EyeFinity6 isn't out yet is AMD is concentrating on thier quantity products first then will have time later for the nitche markets such as this card. EyeFinity6 is a destraction to the mainstream offerings at the moment. They need all the production focus at the large quantity of sales products needed for the holiday shopping season. Them throwing EyeFinity6 into that impedes thier production of more profitable cards. There are also driver related issues that need to be worked out still before they add another layer of complexity to the released product line. EyeFinity6 most likely won't be out till 5870 EyeFinity CrossFire compatability is normalized Q1 2010. That's my take on it anyways.

[SunSp*t]

BHawthorne's speculations are pretty close to the mark.

We are trying to make the most folks happy the soonest and there is still some S/W work to do for the Six. More than that I can't say.

[Magic Man]

Thanks SunSp*t.

Any hints that the '6 will be twin gpu ala 5970 rather than single 5870 style? Would seem to make the most logical sense especially since we are talking niche within niche here...

[TwinIon]

[quote]This is pure speculation on my part, but there is one thing that I think suggests that the 6 is based on the 5970 rather than the 5870. On the 5870, and indeed on all other 5xxx cards, the ports cover the majority of the face of the card, leaving only a quarter of the two slots open for cooling. On the 5970, the number of ports was reduced to 2xDVI and 1 mini-DP so one of the two slots the card occupies could be open to vent. Pictures of the '6 show half the card covered in mini-DP ports and half for cooling.

It could just be coincidence, or it could be an actual connection, but it does make sense that if you're designing a card specifically for super high resolutions that it would be the most powerful thing you can possibly make, which would be the 5970.

You're over-thinking it. The reason why the EyeFinity6 isn't out yet is AMD is concentrating on thier quantity products first then will have time later for the nitche markets such as this card. EyeFinity6 is a destraction to the mainstream offerings at the moment. They need all the production focus at the large quantity of sales products needed for the holiday shopping season. Them throwing EyeFinity6 into that impedes thier production of more profitable cards. There are also driver related issues that need to be worked out still before they add another layer of complexity to the released product line. EyeFinity6 most likely won't be out till 5870 EyeFinity CrossFire compatability is normalized Q1 2010. That's my take on it anyways.

I'm not sure if you quoted the right post....

I didn't mention anything about why the EF6 isn't out, when it will be out, or anything else.

I was just trying to point out something that I think indicates that the EF6 will indeed be a dual GPU a-la the 5970 rather than a single GPU like the 5870.

[KryptoNyte]

BHawthorne's speculations are pretty close to the mark.

We are trying to make the most folks happy the soonest and there is still some S/W work to do for the Six. More than that I can't say.

There's still S/W work to do for the three.

[BHawthorne]

[quote][quote]This is pure speculation on my part, but there is one thing that I think suggests that the 6 is based on the 5970 rather than the 5870. On the 5870, and indeed on all other 5xxx cards, the ports cover the majority of the face of the card, leaving only a quarter of the two slots open for cooling. On the 5970, the number of ports was reduced to 2xDVI and 1 mini-DP so one of the two slots the card occupies could be open to vent. Pictures of the '6 show half the card covered in mini-DP ports and half for cooling.

It could just be coincidence, or it could be an actual connection, but it does make sense that if you're designing a card specifically for super high resolutions that it would be the most powerful thing you can possibly make, which would be the 5970.

You're over-thinking it. The reason why the EyeFinity6 isn't out yet is AMD is concentrating on thier quantity products first then will have time later for the nitche markets such as this card. EyeFinity6 is a destraction to the mainstream offerings at the moment. They need all the production focus at the large quantity of sales products needed for the holiday shopping season. Them throwing EyeFinity6 into that impedes thier production of more profitable cards. There are also driver related issues that need to be worked out still before they add another layer of complexity to the released product line. EyeFinity6 most likely won't be out till 5870 EyeFinity CrossFire compatability is normalized Q1 2010. That's my take on it anyways.

I'm not sure if you quoted the right post....

I didn't mention anything about why the EF6 isn't out, when it will be out, or anything else.

I was just trying to point out something that I think indicates that the EF6 will indeed be a dual GPU a-la the 5970 rather than a single GPU like the 5870.



I quoted the right post. You were way off in left field with your speculation. EyeFinity6 has always been shown as a 5870 6 port mini-dp configuration. Noone has released any information to state otherwise. I took your post as speculation as to why it wasn't out yet and countered it with a much more rational explination. The only difference between the 5870 and EyeFinity6 backplate is the lack of that top DVI port impeding the airflow. Why would you make up something so out in left field when the facts clearly have shown that it is a single GPU 6 port card? :wink:

[stangflyer]

It would be nice to have a idea if the (6) is 5970 based or 5870 based. I want to have a 4 display setup with 3 in eyefinity and 1 extended for ts and other monitoring apps etc. I do not really want to run 2 cards because then my pcie for my 5970 is only 8x instead of 16x. (I know it is not a big diff.) Right now I have a 280gtx and a 9600gt for physx and to run my 3rd and 4th monitor. Now I have to rethink my thoughts about jumping on the first 5970 I find. I want a six but I also want a card that can handle eyefinity with the game settings set high. The only negative is that you need to spend extra money on adapters.

[BHawthorne]

The only people throwing up this speculation about it being dual core are making up stuff. AMD has consistantly shown us the EyeFinity6 is a single core 5870. We have pictures of it all over the web and articles about it being specificaly a 6 port 5870. Wishful thinking and reality are apparently interchangable for some people I guess. :wink:

[stangflyer]

The only people throwing up this speculation about it being dual core are making up stuff. AMD has consistantly shown us the EyeFinity6 is a single core 5870. We have pictures of it all over the web and articles about it being specificaly a 6 port 5870. Wishful thinking and reality are apparently interchangable for some people I guess. :wink:

Thanks for the reply. I have seen these also. I guess I was just hoping that ati/amd would think think that one 5870 was not enough power for a eyefinity setup with high settings.

[BHawthorne]

I guess I was just hoping that ati/amd would think think that one 5870 was not enough power for a eyefinity setup with high settings.

AMD hopes you buy 2 and preferably 4 to CrossFire them to solve any perceived performanace gap. :wink:

[stangflyer]

[quote]I guess I was just hoping that ati/amd would think think that one 5870 was not enough power for a eyefinity setup with high settings.

AMD hopes you buy 2 and preferably 4 to CrossFire them to solve any perceived performanace gap. :wink:

I am sure they do. :roll: I am an older gamer of 45 yrs. I have wanted to see multi monitor gaming for years but the matrox and the software solutions were more involved in the setup then I wanted to handle. I have the monitors ready to go. Just need the gpu and a mini dp active adapter and I am ready to go. :D

[Dave Baumann]

The Eyefinity6 Edition is a 5870 - to give it its full name: ATI Radeon HD 5870 Eyefinity6 Edition!

We're not doing 6 outputs on the HD 5970 for a number of reasons. For one, the volumes of the 5970 are lower than the 5870 and we can have fewer board designs so we had to pick a display output that best fits for the user base out there. Another factor is that 6 outputs is not easy from a design perspective - the EMI concerns are already very high for a product such as 5970 and then add 6 displays on that and it gets even more frightening! An additional 3 displays does actually have a reasonably significant power increase as well, so we'd have to further drop the default clocks to enable it to fit within 300W; you'll note that the Eyefinity6 edition power inputs are the same as 5970 even though its a single ASIC.

[stangflyer]

The Eyefinity6 Edition is a 5870 - to give it its full name: ATI Radeon HD 5870 Eyefinity6 Edition!

We're not doing 6 outputs on the HD 5970 for a number of reasons. For one, the volumes of the 5970 are lower than the 5870 and we can have fewer board designs so we had to pick a display output that best fits for the user base out there. Another factor is that 6 outputs is not easy from a design perspective - the EMI concerns are already very high for a product such as 5970 and then add 6 displays on that and it gets even more frightening! An additional 3 displays does actually have a reasonably significant power increase as well, so we'd have to further drop the default clocks to enable it to fit within 300W; you'll note that the Eyefinity6 edition power inputs are the same as 5970 even though its a single ASIC.

Thank you for the feedback Dave. I am going to get a 5970 and use a second gpu for the extended monitors.

[Magic Man]

Yep, thanks very much for the reply Dave.

[OzHuski]

The Eyefinity6 Edition is a 5870 - to give it its full name: ATI Radeon HD 5870 Eyefinity6 Edition!

We're not doing 6 outputs on the HD 5970 for a number of reasons. For one, the volumes of the 5970 are lower than the 5870 and we can have fewer board designs so we had to pick a display output that best fits for the user base out there. Another factor is that 6 outputs is not easy from a design perspective - the EMI concerns are already very high for a product such as 5970 and then add 6 displays on that and it gets even more frightening! An additional 3 displays does actually have a reasonably significant power increase as well, so we'd have to further drop the default clocks to enable it to fit within 300W; you'll note that the Eyefinity6 edition power inputs are the same as 5970 even though its a single ASIC.

Thats great to know! that solves one of my question. Any chance you could try and answer another for me..

Are we going to see 4gig 5970's? Im going to presume that we will see the 2gig 5870 with the Six models. Trying to decide what is going to be best solution for my setup.. Id take a guess that the 4gigs would also push it above the 300w power consumption limit.