AMD balances Radeon deck of graphics cards

(PhysOrg.com) -- Semiconductor company AMD has taken its story of having developed next-generation GPU technology offering a "gorgeous, stunning, breathtaking visual experience" for more elite, serious gamers over to mainstream gamers as well. AMD this week announced a pair of new graphics cards for gaming enthusiasts looking for affordable prices for features that rock. Namely, AMD yesterday announced its Radeon HD 7870 and 7850 video cards.

The two cards have a lot in common. They both are designed to compete with Nvidia. They both support PCI Express 3.0. They both support CrossFire technology, which refers to AMD’s technology allowing up to four GPUs to be used in a single computer to improve graphics performance. They both use AMD’s Graphics Core Next Architecture, for “intense visual experience, and “breathtaking visual fidelity” in games. They both support AMD ZeroCore Power technology, which shuts down the GPU during idle periods. Both have 2 GB of GDDR5 GPU graphics memory .

Where the difference lies is clock speed, as well as price. The HD 7870 GHz has a 1 GHz clock speed, while the HD 7850 is clocked at 860 MHz. Prices will be around $350 for the HD 7870 GHz and around $249 for the HD 7850. Cards featuring the GPUs will be available from Asus, Diamond, MSI, and other AMD partners. Getting the cards to market gives AMD’s gaming partners selling points that they like, such as “gaming edge,” and enhanced experiences with the new AMD graphic cards.

Reviewers are saying that the new cards achieve a nice balance between performance and power consumption, meanwhile. General reactions by AMD watchers have been favorable, especially on grounds of power efficiency. The cards reportedly perform with relatively low power consumption, which translate into cooler, less noisy computers , which gamers will appreciate. As Tom’s Hardware puts it, “lower power means less heat. Less heat translates to more conservative cooling. And that leaves the door open for gaming enthusiasts to enjoy quieter systems that go easier on the power bill.”

The other round of applause is accorded on price. For those who have been unable to afford GPU chips at Radeon HD 7970 and Radeon HD 7950 prices, the HD 7870 and HD 7850 cards will be attractive options. The cards are reportedly set to become available widely around March 19.

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