14 DAY TRIAL // As expected, many hardware makers, such as MSI and Gigabyte among others, have launched their respective versions of AMD's recently introduced Radeon HD 5670 graphics adapter. Unexpectedly, however, Hightech International System (HIS) made a bold move and already launched the 5670 IceQ. The company released both 1GB and 512MB memory versions of the card.
So far, HIS has usually waited for the reference cards to score some sales before implementing the IceQ technology. This time seems to be special, and the two models introduced will become some of the multiple options of mainstream users interested in DirectX 11 graphics. The cards have a GPU clock of 775 MHz and their 128-bit GDDR5 memory has a speed of 4000 MHz. They feature 400 stream processors and have support for CrossFireX.
Gaming realism and immersion will be provided and enhanced by the two GPU adapters' support for Microsoft DirectX 11 graphics. Among these are the HDR Texture compression, which intensifies the visual detail without increasing the graphics memory footprint, and multi-threading, which accelerates performance. In addition, Tesselation increases 3D images' level of detail and realism, while DirectCompute takes some or all of the DirectX 11 processing load, freeing up the computer's CPU, and thus improving the system's performance.
One of the technologies that enhance both performance and power efficiency is the ATI Stream technology. This set of advanced hardware and software enables AMD GPUs to work in concert with the CPU, accelerating many applications, both graphical and otherwise.
The cards require a 400W or greater power supply and a minimum of 1GB of system memory. They are both CrossFireX-ready, boast the ATI Avivo HD video and display technology and are capable of dynamic power management with the ATI PowerPlay technology. As such, they will never consume more than 75W, even under full load.
Both products will be part of the AMD-powered DirectX 11 mainstream offering and will have prices of about $100. The H567Q512 Radeon HD 5670 is already listed on Newegg for $99.99.