Via DailyTech: "AMD's current launch date for its next-generation desktop processor, Phenom, it's next-generation desktop chipset, RD790, and it's next-generation graphics processor, RV670, is tennatively set for November 19, 2007. The story of Phenom and RD790 is all but a done deal.  Phenom's big brother, server-based Barcelona, met mediocre fanfare while RD790 production boards have surfaced here and there for almost a year. Radeon HD 3800, previously codenamed RV670, was a little bit more of a mystery, at least until this weekend.  AMD publically announced RV670 would entail a process node shrink of Radeon HD 2900 (R600) -- a move from 80nm to 55nm. The lower-end Radeon HD 3850 will only feature 256MB of onboard GDDR3 running at 825 MHz, and a core frequency of at least 660 MHz.

Higher-end Radeon HD 3870 will feature GDDR4 instead of GDDR3 while using the same RV670 core found on HD 3850.  This GDDR4 memory is clocked at 1.2 GHz, and the core frequency is bumped to 775 MHz.  The GDDR3 version of HD 3870 will feature the same core frequency as the GDDR4 card, but comes standard with lower frequency GDDR3 instead of GDDR4 to target a better price point. The red flag is that Radeon HD 3850 touts exactly the same features found on the 80nm Radeon HD 2900 design with the exception of reduced GDDR3 memory.  HD 3850 will reduce the thermal envelope when compared to the previous generation, but performance should be nearly identical to Radeon HD 2900. Radeon HD 3870, on the other hand, is an ambitious bump from the older generation.  The 775 MHz core frequency represents more than a 100 MHz increase, while the memory receives a 400 MHz gift over R600's GDDR4 implementation."


After reading this article you get the impression that AMD/ATI is set to attack the budget conscious crowd with its line of processors and video cards all over again. This isn't a bad strategy per se, but with the advent of NVIDIA's 8800GT and Intel's Penryn launch this doesn't bode well for AMD/ATI. It's incredible to think that you're getting quite a monstrous video card equipped with 512MB of onboard memory for the prices I've seen around the web. Wouldn't AMD/ATI like to reclaim the top spot? Of course they would, but it seems like they've been unable to collectively pull out any show stopping product for a very long time while the competition keeps rolling out the punches. If AMD/ATI can deliver a processor and video card model that doesn't under perform the competition by too much yet is substantially cheaper, then you can bet the house AMD will be back in the game.

Are you waiting on AMD's massive launch before you upgrade?

Yes!

No...

Source @ DailyTech