Lifting the veil on the hybrid processor-graphics chip in the new Xbox 360
The new-look Xbox 360 is undoubtedly a big improvement over its predecessor in many ways, and a number of those improvements have been made possible via the introduction of a new "hybrid" CPU/GPU package for the latest iteration of the console. But just how did they manage to engineer this particular component, particularly given the fact that CPU and GPU were both initially designed by different companies?
The new chip takes the exact same 3.2-gigahertz, three-core microprocessor and 500-megahertz graphics chip design and puts them on the same chip. In order to create this, Microsoft and IBM engineers had to work together to build the necessary connectivity within the chip to route electrical signals in and out of the chip. You can’t just glue the two designs together. Rather, IBM had to get rid of its main communications channel between the chips, dubbed the front-side bus, and build a substitute for it.
The main chip is packaged with a separate 10-megabyte embedded memory chip (pictured, right). So the two chips are packaged in a single module. The combined chip uses 60 percent less power than the original 2005 pair of chips, and it uses 50 percent less space. Robert Drehmel (pictured above, right), senior technical engineer at IBM, said that one of the big challenges was to marry two chips that were built by different companies, designed by different engineering teams, and created with different chip design tools. IBM had to learn more about the unfamiliar ATI design, design specific tools to adapt it, and then recreate an overall design that did the same thing as the prior designs.
Venture Beat has the fascinating article in full.The main chip is packaged with a separate 10-megabyte embedded memory chip (pictured, right). So the two chips are packaged in a single module. The combined chip uses 60 percent less power than the original 2005 pair of chips, and it uses 50 percent less space. Robert Drehmel (pictured above, right), senior technical engineer at IBM, said that one of the big challenges was to marry two chips that were built by different companies, designed by different engineering teams, and created with different chip design tools. IBM had to learn more about the unfamiliar ATI design, design specific tools to adapt it, and then recreate an overall design that did the same thing as the prior designs.
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Elite Bastards review: Thermaltake Tt eSports Challenger gaming keyboard
If you're looking for a new keyboard with gaming in mind, then Thermaltake's Tt eSports branded Challenger keyboard has an intriguing feature set which looks to capture your imagination, all the way down to a cooling fan for your sweaty palms! If you literally can't wait to get your sweaty hands on such a device, then read on to see how the Challenger shapes up.
All in all, the basic layout of the Challenger keyboard is almost exactly what you'd expect, although it's worth noting the presence of just one Windows key on the right-hand side of the keyboard - A reasonable decision for gaming, but frustrating for other uses if you're used to using the Windows key on the left-hand side a lot as I am. As previously mentioned, this solitary Windows key can be blanked out using one of the "dummy" keys provided for this purpose, ensuring that you won't accidentally switch out of the middle of a game by pressing the wrong thing.
Also featured on the Challenger is a Function key, which allows you to access the keyboard's multimedia abilities (to change volume levels and play or pause video and music playback) and also gives you the opportunity to switch between the different profiles available via the keyboard and its 32KB of on-board flash memory which allows you to store up to six macros per profile.
View or post comments.Also featured on the Challenger is a Function key, which allows you to access the keyboard's multimedia abilities (to change volume levels and play or pause video and music playback) and also gives you the opportunity to switch between the different profiles available via the keyboard and its 32KB of on-board flash memory which allows you to store up to six macros per profile.
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DDR4: What we can expect
We've talked a little in the past about the kind of clock speeds we can expect to see from the next generation of DDR memory for your PC, but what else does DDR4 bring to the table? bit-tech explains the good (and the bad) of this new technology.
Further upsides to DDR4 include less motherboard space wasted on ugly memory slots, but obviously the downside is less upgrade potential without replacing your entire set of memory.
Although before we throw our hands in the air in disgust at another upgradable privilege lost, is it really that big a deal? Big jumps in memory needs take years to transition from “nice to have†to “now useful†to “absolutely neededâ€, so replacing your PC memory with more capacity will likely co-incide with a frequency and performance bump too.
4GB kits have been available for a long while and are firmly in the "now useful" area, and are well on the way to "absolutely needed". 8GB kits (comprising two 4GB DIMMs) are now hitting the mainstream market and combined with the recent move to lower 1.35V for select ICs, there's double the reason to upgrade.
Adding another 4GB to 4GB already in your system is still cheaper than rebuying memory (if you already own a DDR3 system) - but DDR4 has another trick up its sleeve: a new IC stacking technology called TSV that should offer a greater variety of capacities from the get-go than we've ever seen before.
Read the full article over here.Although before we throw our hands in the air in disgust at another upgradable privilege lost, is it really that big a deal? Big jumps in memory needs take years to transition from “nice to have†to “now useful†to “absolutely neededâ€, so replacing your PC memory with more capacity will likely co-incide with a frequency and performance bump too.
4GB kits have been available for a long while and are firmly in the "now useful" area, and are well on the way to "absolutely needed". 8GB kits (comprising two 4GB DIMMs) are now hitting the mainstream market and combined with the recent move to lower 1.35V for select ICs, there's double the reason to upgrade.
Adding another 4GB to 4GB already in your system is still cheaper than rebuying memory (if you already own a DDR3 system) - but DDR4 has another trick up its sleeve: a new IC stacking technology called TSV that should offer a greater variety of capacities from the get-go than we've ever seen before.
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ATI Catalyst 10.8 released
They've left it pretty late this month, but ATI's latest Catalyst driver update is now upon us. What goodies does it bring for the month of August?
Highlights of the ATI Catalystâ„¢ 10.8 Windows release include:
Performance highlights:
Far Cry 2:
Left 4 Dead 2:
Stormrise:
New Features
OpenGL ES 2.0 support
o   ATI Catalyst™ 10.8 delivers full support for OpenGL ES 2.0 specification
o   Enables 3D accelerated graphics within a web browser that supports OpenGL ES 2.0
o   Supported on Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7
Video Quality default options
o   The Default video options for ATI Catalyst have been greatly enhanced to deliver the best quality video viewing experience.  Users can also choose to apply these settings to Internet Video via a new checkbox control within the ATI Catalyst™ Control Center
Performance enhancement for Eyefinity Quad ATI CrossFireXâ„¢ configurations
o   Performance has been greatly improved for users running with ATI Eyefinity on a Quad ATI CrossFireX™ configuration
Anti-Aliasing support for StarCraft II
o   ATI Catalyst Control Center enabled Anti-Aliasing is now available for StarCraft II
Highlights of the Linux ATI Catalystâ„¢ 10.8 release include:
New Features
Support for new Linux operating systems
OpenGL ES 2.0 support
o   ATI Catalyst™ 10.8 delivers full support for OpenGL ES 2.0 specification
o   Enables 3D accelerated graphics within a web browser that supports OpenGL ES 2.0
o   Supported on Linux distributions
As always, you can download this driver from the AMD Game web site. A new Catalyst application profile for this driver set has now also been released, which adds the following:Performance highlights:
Far Cry 2:
- Performance increases 2-6% on ATI Radeonâ„¢ HD 5800 Series single and ATI CrossFireXâ„¢ configurations.
- Performance increases 2-4% on ATI Radeonâ„¢ HD 5700 Series single and ATI CrossFireXâ„¢ configurations.
- Performance increases 3-8% on ATI Radeonâ„¢ HD 4800 Series single and ATI CrossFireXâ„¢ configurations.
Left 4 Dead 2:
- Performance increases 3-5% on ATI CrossFireXâ„¢ configurations using the ATI Radeonâ„¢ HD 5800 series and ATI Radeonâ„¢ HD 5700 series.
Stormrise:
- Performance increases 5-10% on ATI Radeonâ„¢ HD 5600Â series and ATI Radeonâ„¢ HD 5500 series configurations.
New Features
OpenGL ES 2.0 support
o   ATI Catalyst™ 10.8 delivers full support for OpenGL ES 2.0 specification
o   Enables 3D accelerated graphics within a web browser that supports OpenGL ES 2.0
o   Supported on Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7
Video Quality default options
o   The Default video options for ATI Catalyst have been greatly enhanced to deliver the best quality video viewing experience.  Users can also choose to apply these settings to Internet Video via a new checkbox control within the ATI Catalyst™ Control Center
Performance enhancement for Eyefinity Quad ATI CrossFireXâ„¢ configurations
o   Performance has been greatly improved for users running with ATI Eyefinity on a Quad ATI CrossFireX™ configuration
Anti-Aliasing support for StarCraft II
o   ATI Catalyst Control Center enabled Anti-Aliasing is now available for StarCraft II
Highlights of the Linux ATI Catalystâ„¢ 10.8 release include:
New Features
Support for new Linux operating systems
- This release of ATI Catalystâ„¢ Linux introduces support for the following new operating systems:
OpenGL ES 2.0 support
o   ATI Catalyst™ 10.8 delivers full support for OpenGL ES 2.0 specification
o   Enables 3D accelerated graphics within a web browser that supports OpenGL ES 2.0
o   Supported on Linux distributions
The following application profiles are available with this release:
You can download this updated profile at Rage 3D.- Singularity – CrossFire™ profile update
- Mafia 2 – CrossFire™ profile update
- Final Fantasy XIV Benchmark – new CrossFire™ profile
- Lord of the Rings Online – new CrossFire™ profile
- Aliens Vs. Predator – CrossFire™ profile update
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