Advanced Micro Devices took advantage of the CeBIT spotlight to
launch its 780 Series graphics chipset Tuesday in Hanover, Germany,
while also unveiling the chipmaker’s first CPUs manufactured with the
45-nanometer process. On a busy day for the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based
company, AMD also released a new Athlon dual-core desktop processor,
the 45-watt Athlon x2 4850E. The 780 Series, promising an “additive
effect” with the addition of more video cards thanks to AMD’s Hybrid
Graphics technology, launches with an entry-level product, the 780V
(ATI Radeon HD 3100) and a more powerful chipset for the mainstream
client, the 780G (ATI Radeon HD 3200). The boards are tailor-made for
Microsoft’s Vista operating system, with DirectX 10 support a major
selling point, as are support for CrossFireX and the energy efficiency
benefits of AMD’s industry leading 55nm process technology for GPUs.
More than 25 motherboards featuring the
chipsets from OEM partners such as ASUS, GIGABYTE, Micro-Star
International and Elitegroup Computer Systems are available as of the
launch date, according to AMD, which also boasted that some 30 system
builders across the chipmaker’s tiered channels had signed on to build
and ship 780 Series-based PCs starting in the second quarter. Early reviews have been largely favorable, ranging from HardwareGeeks’ rave review to the Tech Report’s comprehensive testing
of the 780G, which tempers its positive findings with questions about
AHCI problems carried over to the SB700 south bridge from the old
SB600. A 780G-Athlon 4850e combination will fall into the $180 to $220
price range, according to AMD. Setups featuring the entry-level 780V
chipset will cost even less.
Source: CRN
