Discrete GPUs deliver immersive visual experience

The ATI Radeon HD 2000 series offered by Advanced Micro Devices is a top-to-bottom line of ten discrete graphics processors (GPUs) for both desktop and mobile platforms. AMD claims that this family of GPUs delivers the "Ultimate Visual Experience" through advanced immersive high-definition gaming and high-definition (HD) multimedia playback.

The ATI Radeon HD 2000 series of products introduces immersive DirectX 10 gaming, enabling the next generation of visual effects at every price point, said AMD.

AMD claims that the line-up boasts many firsts for the graphics industry. These include a powerful second-generation Unified Shader Architecture (USA), a 512bit 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 65nm 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. As the first graphics company to introduce a WHQL driver for Windows Vista, ATI Catalyst drivers continue to deliver industry-leading game compatibility and stable user experience in Windows Vista.

Redefining gameplay
The ATI Radeon HD 2000 series was designed to deliver gameplay experiences never seen before in DirectX 10 games, said AMD. The new product series brings gamers frame rates at all resolutions, advanced visual effects and breathtaking realism for what AMD calls "immersive HD gaming."

According to AMD, 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 who want even more horsepower, the ATI Radeon HD 2000 series also features native ATI CrossFire technology, thus, allowing a variety of multi-GPU configurations and eliminating the need for any master cards.

High-def multimedia
In addition to gaming, AMD claims that the ATI Radeon HD 2000 series delivers the ultimate HD multimedia experience on the PC with improved visual fidelity afforded by ATI Avivo HD technology.

The UVD technology handles HD multimedia with ease, allowing consumers to watch the latest HD DVD and Blu-ray discs with very fine image quality and smooth playback, while consuming less power. With the energy efficiency of UVD technology combined with a 65nm process, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2000 series can allow notebook users to view an entire HD DVD or Blu-ray disc on a single battery, said AMD.

The ATI Radeon HD 2000 series are said to be 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 an HDTV and working at a monitor as only a single cable is needed for both video and audio.

Product line-up
For the desktop line-up, the ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT is available immediately. It is expected to be sell at $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 will ship in late June with pricing to be announced. Numerous add-in-board partners and system integrators announced to offer the GPUs in their platforms.

For the mobile product series, 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 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.