AMD today introduced the ATI Radeon HD 2000 series, a top-to-bottom line of ten discrete graphics processors (GPUs) for both desktop and mobile platforms. The ATI Radeon HD 2000 series of products introduces immersive DirectX 10 gaming enabling the next generation of visual effects at every price point. The line-up boasts many firsts for the graphics industry, including a powerful second-generation Unified Shader Architecture (USA), a 512 Mbit memory bus designed for full performance high dynamic range (HDR) rendering, and new Unified Video Decoder (UVD) technology for high-fidelity HD multimedia playback.
The mid-range and entry-level GPUs are the first graphics products in the industry to use an energy-efficient 65 nm process technology to achieve silent, passive cooling, high performance and lower power consumption.
The ATI Radeon HD 2000 series also builds on AMD's Windows Vista leadership. Having been the first graphics company to introduce a WHQL driver for Windows Vista, ATI Catalyst drivers continue to deliver industry-leading game compatibility and an extremely stable user experience in Windows Vista.
The new cards were optimized for dynamic geometry acceleration, complex pixel processing and expanded non-graphical compute capabilities for more advanced characters and animation, more detailed environments, and more realistic real-world physics simulations. For gamers wanting even more horsepower, The ATI Radeon HD 2000 series also features native ATI CrossFire technology, opening the door for a wide variety of multi-GPU configurations and eliminating the need for any master cards.
In addition to gaming, the ATI Radeon HD 2000 series from AMD delivers the ultimate high-definition multimedia experience on the PC with improved visual fidelity afforded by ATI Avivo HD technology. Innovative UVD technology handles HD multimedia with ease, allowing consumers to watch the latest HD DVD and Blu-ray discs with incredibly fine image quality and smooth playback, all while consuming less power. With the energy efficiency of UVD technology combined with a 65nm process, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2000 series allows notebook users to view an entire HD DVD or Blu-ray disc on a single battery.
Unique in the industry, the ATI Radeon HD 2000 series are the only discrete graphics products that offer a new simplified video and sound solution through HDMI, making it easy to switch between watching content on a high definition television and working at a monitor as only a single cable is needed for both video and audio.
Available immediately, the ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT is expected to be priced at an incredible USD $399 (SEP) including Team Fortress 2, Portal, and Half-Life 2: Episode Two from Valve. Rounding out the family are the ATI Radeon HD 2600 and ATI Radeon HD 2400 series, bringing feature-rich DirectX 10 gaming and smooth multimedia playback to customers looking for entry-level and mid-range graphics options. The ATI Radeon HD 2600 and ATI Radeon HD 2400 cards is scheduled to ship in late June with pricing to be announced.
Numerous add-in-board partners including Asus, Club3D, Diamond Multimedia, GeCube, Gigabyte, HIS, MSI, Palit, PowerColor, Sapphire and VisionTek will offer ATI Radeon HD 2000 series graphics cards. System integrators worldwide, including Falcon Northwest, Maingear, Vadim, and Velocity Micro, will also be supporting the ATI Radeon HD 2000 series bringing gaming platforms to market.
For unparalleled graphics performance on the go, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2600 series combines the ultimate DirectX 10 gaming experiences with the graphics performance gamers demand in a high-end mobile system. Thin and light notebooks featuring ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2400 series can multitask with ease using the new Windows Aero interface, run the hottest upcoming DirectX 10 games or play exciting new HD DVD and Blu-Ray discs. Those in the market for a value notebook will enjoy great performance in Windows Vista and astonishing multimedia using the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2300. ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2000 products feature ATI Avivo HD technology and UVD to deliver outstanding HD DVD and Blu-ray disc playback, and ATI PowerPlay 7.0 power management for long battery life and optimized performance-per-watt operation.
Notebooks from OEM partners including Acer, ASUS, Fujitsu, Fujitsu-Siemens Computers, Gateway, HP, LG, Packard Bell, Samsung, and Toshiba, and ODM whitebook partners including Arima, ASUS, ECS, First International Computer Inc., and MSI, will be available beginning in May.
All ATI Radeon HD 2000 products feature AMD's second-generation Unified Shader Architecture (USA). All ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2000 products feature AMD's second-generation Unified Shader Architecture, except the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2300. The ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT features a 512 MB memory bus designed for full performance high dynamic range (HDR) rendering. The ATI Radeon HD 2600 series, ATI Radeon HD 2400 series, and all ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2000 series products include AMD's new Unified Video Decoder (UVD) technology for high-fidelity HD multimedia playback.
The ATI Radeon HD 2600 series, ATI Radeon HD 2400 series, and the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2000 series except the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2300 use an energy-efficient 65 nm process technology. The ATI Radeon HD 2400 series is capable of being passively cooled.
