AMD Planning Entry-Level Cedar GPU Cards

Quite some time has already passed since Advanced Micro Devices introduced its high-end Radeon HD 5970 graphics card. This adapter got the name of the world's fastest graphics adapter as soon as it came out and has since been the company's top DirectX 11 card. Now that the company is also covering the mainstream market with its Radeon HD 5670, the Sunnyvale, California-based CPU and GPU maker is ready to tackle the entry-level market. Arab Hardware Forums got its hands on pictures of a low-profile reference design engineering sample of what seems to be the upcoming lower-end solution from ATI.

The Cedar GPU from AMD is expected to be about half as strong as the Redwood used in the HD 5670. It will have about 200 stream processors and GDDR3 or GDDR5 memory with an interface of 64 bits. Furthermore, the graphics processing unit will have support for DirectX 11 graphics and is set to be initially used in three products.

Among the models reportedly scheduled for release during the ongoing month are the Radeon HD 5450, the Radeon HD 5550, and the Radeon HD 5570. The Radeon HD 5400 series will likely employ a Cedar with GDDR3 memory, whereas the Radeon HD 5500 series will probably be built with GDDR5.

The pictures from Arab Hardware Forums show a low-profile card with a black PCB and a very small GPU cooler. Its length only slightly exceeds that of the PCI Express interface and the card itself boasts DisplayPort and DVI-D outputs. D-Sub connectivity may be added via a full-height bracket.

Even though the DirectX 11-capable graphics cards have so far been mostly aimed at the high-end gaming and overclocking market, these new releases will expand the reach of the series. While the mainstream segment will be covered by the HD 5670, the Cedar-based graphics cards will be aimed at full-time HTPCs and multimedia enthusiasts.

The models are expected to cost under $100.