First 40nm-based graphics card

Apr 23, 2009 12:34 GMT  ·  By

Sunnyvale, California-based Advanced Micro Devices is expected to update its line of Radeon graphics cards with the introduction of a new 40nm-based model dubbed Radeon HD 4770. This will be the chip maker's first 40nm product and also the world's first graphics card to adopt this next-generation manufacturing technology. According to leaked details that have recently surfaced on the Internet, the chip maker plans to officially announce the new card by the end of this month, on the 28th. Just a few days before the much anticipated release, early benchmarks of the card have started to surface on the Internet, providing us with some perspective on the performance level that is to be expected from AMD's first 40nm GPU.

According to a recent-article on the English version of Expreview, the Radeon HD 4770 is designed with 640 stream processors and makes use of GDDR5 memory. The core and memory clock speeds will be set at 750MHz and 800MHz, respectively, while the 40nm node has enabled AMD to produce a card that comes with a maximum TDP of 80W. The card is designed for the entry-level and mainstream market segments, which is why AMD will reportedly try to release it at an MSRP of US$99.

The early benchmark results of the card reveal a performance level close to that of the company's current HD4850, one of the first models in the latest HD4000 series of GPUs. On a Core i7-enabled platform, the Radeon HD 4770 scored an impressive P8086 points in Futermark's 3DMark Vantage. It's still early to say how good AMD's new card will be at running the latest gaming applications, but we can assume it will become a relative success on the market, thanks to its low price tag and high specs.

According to Fudzilla, the Radeon HD 4770 is slated for release a few days from now, on April 28, by which time we should know if AMD has managed to develop a card that offers a great performance per value.