While the new Microsoft graphics API, DirectX 10.1, created a lot of unhappiness among gamers that recently purchased high level graphics cards, for computer hardware manufacturers like Nvidia and AMD's graphics division the new DirectX versions means an opportunity to tout their technologies and launch a new line of products, ranging from the expensive high end solutions, to the affordable middle level cards and to the downright cheap entry level graphics processing units.

While Nvidia is very close to revealing an affordable range of graphics chips which come with integrated support for Microsoft's latest graphics API, AMD's graphics division is slow-moving again and according to the new site beyond3d.com, the first such GPUs from ATI will hit the market in January 2008. There are few pieces of information about the new graphics processing units from ATI, except that they will come with the commercial names Radeon HD 2400 and Radeon HD 2600, while using the GPUs codenamed RV620 and RV635. Those two chips are likely to be the successors of the RV610 and RV630 chips and be fully compliant with DirectX 10.1.

Just like there predecessors, the new generation of graphics chips from AMD will most likely be built by the Taiwanese contract manufacturing foundry Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, TSMC for short, and they will use the half node 55 nanometer fabrication process, while the existing Radeon HD 2400 and 2600 solutions are built using the 65 nanometer process. The main difference between the two generations of GPUs is their compliance with DirectX 10.1 as RV620 and RV635 will be compatible with the Shader Model 4.1 standard. Another new feature on the new generation is the fact that their core frequencies is increased to 800MHz, while being compatible with PCI Express 2.0 and future expansion to the use of Display Port is also expected.

It is said that AMD will provide engineering samples for the validation test of the RV635 and RV620 chips in October, while waiting until January 2008 in order to fully launch the GPUs on the market. As a measure meant to increase market acceptance and ease of manufacture, AMD plans to use the very same PCB design that is currently used for the production of the Radeon HD 2400 and 2600 graphics cards. The two new cards will feature XT and Pro versions and while there is no officially announced commercial name for them yet, it is most likely that the two boards will be named Radeon HD 2650 and 2500.