Graphics for PCI Express to Pose Real Cooling Problems

SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
edited September 2003 in Science & Tech
Graphics for PCI Express to Pose Real Cooling Problems

75W imposes special case designs

THREE LUMINARIES from ATI, Nvidia and Intel will today underline the benefits they believe PCI Express will bestow on graphics performance.

Jeffrey Cheng from ATI, Michael Abel from INTC and David Reed from Nvidia all agree that the faster bus will give better bandwidth and scalability, allow large request size and pipeline depths, and give isochronous support. The bandwidth will deliver simultaneous 8GB/s concurrent peak bandwidth in X16 mode. PCI Express will also provide a pipeline depth of up to 256.

Graphics cards using PCI Express tech will, however, require 75 watts max, and that means a few things. First, the 12 volts on an ATX power supply won't do the trick. The answer will be to use a 2x12 connector with the same pinouts as server SSIs, which requires a 300W power supply.

The other problem is that machines will need to use side panel vents, ducting, and use large fans.

Cheng will claim that the entire graphics industry will be "reset", AGP will die, and new features will "open doors" for emerging graphics and multimedia apps. A PCI Express graphics card, however, will run at PCI compatible mode, with few software changes.

There are some clear differences between managing non-local memory in PCI Express, however. Developers have to check 64-bit compliance.

The kind of graphics applications include production grade video editing, massive monitor array architecture, "hot plugging" of graphics, and using graphics as a co-processor are on the cards, Cheng will say.

Nvidia's Reed will say that graphics performance will be increased by around 10 per cent.

All three agree that there will be new 3D user interfaces that take advantage of PCI Express improved graphics. We do so hope that Microsoft and its Longhorn team are listening.

Source: The Inquirer

Comments

  • LIQuidLIQuid Raleigh, NC
    edited September 2003
    man that is very interesting :D... looks like i will be upgrading a lot of my system when all this comes out... new boards , A64 chips, pci express based cards... i think next year will really be a good year for technology
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    And a really EXPENSIVE year for me... ;)
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    When; Longhorn, A64, PCI Express, PCI Express Capable Cards, and AFTER Doom 3 comes out... I'll be buying an entirely new system, case and everything.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Gonna wait until 2006 for longhorn huh?


    I'll be waiting until the first PCI Express ATI card at the enthusiast level hits the market. By then the Athlon 64 platform will be mature, DDR2 will most likely be present, the A64 might even be on the Paris core, serial ATA will be commonplace, and x86-64 Windows will be live.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Ditto what Thrax said.
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Ahh I thought 2004 for Longhorn... ohh well...
  • kanezfankanezfan sunny south florida Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    can't wait. when was the last time that just about all major components got upgraded to a new architecture all at once. I think (I hope) that we're about to see a quantum leap in performance. :D
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Thrax said
    I'll be waiting until the first PCI Express ATI card at the enthusiast level hits the market. By then the Athlon 64 platform will be mature, DDR2 will most likely be present, the A64 might even be on the Paris core, serial ATA will be commonplace, and x86-64 Windows will be live.

    And after upgrading to all that, I may be able to play Operation Flashpoint Resistance on max settings :banghead:

    NS
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Just make sure that you sell your old hardware to me nice and cheap. I don't need cutting edge, this will give me a great chance to upgrade.
  • BlackHawkBlackHawk Bible music connoisseur There's no place like 127.0.0.1 Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    The only problem I see about the 75W is for people that like quiet systems. Other than that, people have been modding cooling for a long time and now alot of cases already come with them.
  • LIQuidLIQuid Raleigh, NC
    edited September 2003
    HAHA NS,

    I run OPF at all max settings (except High detail not Very High)

    i dont notice the difference anyway ;[
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    LIQuid said
    HAHA NS,

    I run OPF at all max settings (except High detail not Very High)

    i dont notice the difference anyway ;[

    Are you playing resistance? Have you set everything to max in the config program? Have you set the distance slider to max? And Very High counts too.

    I highly doubt it.....

    NS
  • LIQuidLIQuid Raleigh, NC
    edited September 2003
    not the distance slider... and yes its resistence...

    The distance is pointless considering you can see so ****ing far as it is.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    hey liquid ...glad to see another local here in the forums!

    Seems like all those graphics will be overkill for the mere "word processor secretaries & the like" out there but will be necessary for the OS itself ...I'm sure the onboard graphics will be somewhat simpler. :fold:
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Well that does it. I am going to upgrade when all the new stuff comes out to one more round of the best of the old stuff!
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    And thus the cycle of futility continues..... ;D
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