Ati's next gen VPU (loci).

[StealthHawk]

Originally posted by Paul
AFAIK, Loci is getting the extra speed from pipeline changes (previously 8x1, now 8x2 - 16x1 is very doubtful) and core/memory speed boosts, rather than adding a second chip. Yes the chipset supports that type of configuration, but then again so do other ATi and nVidia (i think) chipsets.

I thought the consensus was that adding a second TMU to each pipe was not going to happen anymore :confused:

[Paul]

Well, as i said, i find 16x1 hard to believe. And just raising the clocks isn't going to be enough for them to meet their targets, leaving them with a combination of tweaks, clock boosts, and addition TMUs.

Can't say i've seen or heard anything that disputes the extra TMUs. Any links to that? Would be interesting to check that out.

[StealthHawk]

Originally posted by Paul
Can't say i've seen or heard anything that disputes the extra TMUs. Any links to that? Would be interesting to check that out.

No, I haven't heard any rumors that it won't be 8X2.

It's just that when the R300 first came out everyone made a big deal about how the 2nd TMU was dead, the 2nd TMU isn't worth it, we won't ever see a card with more than 1 TMU per pipe again, etc, etc. And then the debate started up again when the NV30 was discovered to be a 4X2 instead of a 8X1. Interesting how things turn out I guess.

[suburbanguy]

a 8x2 R390/Loci sounds about right to me.

highly doubtful it could be 16x1.

Loci/R390 itself would most likely not be a duel core R350 on one chip (thus 16x1) nor would it be twin R350s on a card (thus a MAXX solution)

however, that is not to say Loci/R390 could not be used in a MAXX configuration (two Loci's/R390s on a card) if ATI really needed it to fight off Nvidia.

[rwolf]

I was thinking two cores in one chip. A kind of maxx chip.

[PreservedSwine]

Originally posted by rwolf
I was thinking two cores in one chip. A kind of maxx chip.

I think that power req. on a chip like that would scare off OEM's for sure...

[Geforce4ti4200]

what about a 16x2 config for their high end models? :D