Forthcoming AMD GPUs: Different processes, different suppliers, hybrid architecture?
In the middle of last week, we discussed the first story to surface regarding just what AMD's plans might be for their next-generation GPUs, particularly given the current manufacturing process situation at TSMC and how 32 nanometre production could prove to be even more problematic. For an even more in-depth discussion of AMD's considerations for their next range of GPUs, you might want to check out this article which explains their quandry.
As a result, according to currently available information, the GPU family called Southern Islands will be made using 40nm process technology, which is still not problem free (after the initiation of pre-production in early Q4 2008), but will at least be available in the second half of this year. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush: TSMC’s 40nm is here, whereas two 28nm fabrication processes are still in the bush, it seems.
Nonetheless, AMD is obliged to acquire graphics processors from Globalfoundries; as a result, when it comes to 28nm process technology, the company will still have to divide its GPU portfolio. It will not be an easy task since Globalfoundries’ and TSMC’s 28nm bulk processes are completely different: the former uses so-called gate-last approach, whereas the latter utilizes gate-first manufacturing method. As a result, it is more than likely that starting from 28nm node there will several different companies producing ATI GPUs.
Read all of the thoughts and speculation in full over at X-Bit Labs.
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GeForce GTX 480 - Real-world temperatures and sound
That NVIDIA's latest flagship graphics board, the GeForce GTX 480, is both relatively hot and loud - Of that there can be little argument. But just how bad is it in real-world usage? [H]ard|OCP offers up their opinions on the matter.
Once the fan RPM breaks the 70% mark as told by MSI's Afterburner program, the fan on the card gets fairly loud, but it does not have that annoying "dustbuster" whine that the FX5800 had. Of course you can make the GTX 480 fan obnoxiously loud and annoying, but you have to get it hot and spun up into the 85%+ range. Doing that is going to require a chassis with terrible airflow or an ambient air temp that is very toasty.
You can read the full article over here.
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Google engineers recreate Quake II in HTML 5
While a number of companies have been keen to demonstrate the abilities and uses of HTML 5, this is perhaps the best demonstration yet - A working version of Quake II, running via HTML 5 inside a compatible web browser.
In a blog post on Thursday -- one of the few that day from Google that wasn't an April Fool's joke -- developer programs engineer Chris Ramsdale revealed the existence of an HTML5 port of id Software's Quake II engine. It's the product of Google's 20% time policy, which allows Google engineers to spend 1/5 of their work hours on projects outside the scope of their formal job descriptions.
The code -- which must be built and installed before it will run -- re-creates Quake II in a Web browser, either Google Chrome or Apple Safari. This may seem redundant, given that one can already play Quake Live, which relies on the id Tech 3 engine derived from Quake III, in a Web browser.
Information Week have the full story, while you can find the original announcement via the Google Web Toolkit 'blog. You can play the game for yourself via an HTML 5 capable browser from that second link, or otherwise you can simply see how it looks from the video below.
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