14 DAY TRIAL // The fact that ATI, business unit of Advanced Micro Devices, is planning on soon launching its DirectX 11-capable cards with the Eyefinity 6 technology is not exactly news, but leaks and details that make it through to the web are always looked upon with interest by observers. So far, what was known was only what could be deduced from the fact that the Eyefinity 6 Edition would be a modified version of a high-end DirectX 11-capable HD 58xx adapter. More recently, however, it seems that the actual codename and some accurate specs of the upcoming six-monitor-supporting model have emerged.
According to reports, the first Eyefinity 6 card to be introduced will be a special version of the top-tier ATI Radeon HD 5870. This model will bear the codename 'Trillian' and will be powered by a Cypress graphics processing unit, running at 850MHz.
What will be distinctly different from the original card, however, is actually the amount of GDDR5. Considering that stretching an image over six displays at a very high resolution requires massive amounts of memory, the HD 5870 Eyefinity 6 'Trillian' will have no less than 2GB.
The other specifications of the card that have been found out are 1,600 stream processors and a memory clock of 4,800MHz. Unfortunately, six-display setups are in very great danger of not being as enthralling as triple-displays scenarios. The problem is, predictably, related to the displays themselves.
Due to the fact that monitors have to be lined up next to and above each other, the image would be practically 'damaged' by the thick, black lines that make it look as if the game is being played from behind bars. All is not lost, however, as displays with very thin bezels will supposedly be launched by Samsung Electronics sometime in April.
It is unknown exactly what price the card will sport, but it will supposedly be under $500. This does not seem like overly much, but the money needed for the extra five monitors will likely make sure that only enthusiasts buy it.