1. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG August 14, 2003

2. 2 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Agenda – August 14, 2003 7:00 – 7:05 Administration 7:05 – 8:15 Featured Topics – Graphics Processors, Video Cards, and Monitors: 2003 Update 8:15 – 8:30 Hardware News 8:30 – 8:55 Random Access (Q&A) 8:55 – 9:00 Recap, Preview, and Close

3. August 14, 20033 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Administration Welcome! Please Sign In. What the SIG is…and is not. Is - a resource for computer users and potential computer users Is NOT – a cheap way to get your computer built or repaired (contact the GSBUG Daytime Hardware SIG) Logs – Random Access/Q&A (First Come…)

4. August 14, 20034 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Administration (continued): Presentation materials will be posted at: http://gsbug.apcug.org/hwinfosig.htm Prior presentation materials also posted.

5. August 14, 20035 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Graphics Processors, Cards… : 2003 Update Graphics Processors – as implemented: Discrete (separate chip), used on video cards with dedicated RAM Discrete (separate chip), integrated onto the motherboard with dedicated or shared RAM (typically for servers or OEM) Integrated into the motherboard’s Northbridge with dedicated or shared RAM

6. August 14, 20036 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Graphics Processors, Cards…: 2003 Upd (cont.) Primary Processor Suppliers - Discrete: 3Dlabs (Creative Labs) – Wildcat & Oxygen (proprietary) ATI – RADEON and FireGL (mixed proprietary and merchant) Matrox – Millennium and Parhelia (proprietary) NVIDIA – GeForce and Quadro (“merchant”) PowerVR/PURE Digital (Imagination Technologies) – KYRO (merchant)

7. August 14, 20037 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Graphics Processors, Cards…: 2003 Upd (cont.) Primary Processor Suppliers – Discrete (continued): S3 Graphics (VIA) – DeltaChrome (merchant) SiS – SiS3xx series and Xabre (merchant) Trident (Graphics Division now part of XGI) – BLADE family (merchant)

8. August 14, 20038 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Graphics Processors, Cards…: 2003 Upd (cont.) Primary Processor Suppliers – Integrated (into the Northbridge) ATI – RADEON IGP (Athlon and P4) Intel – 845G and 865G series (P4 only) NVIDIA – nForce IGP (Athlon only) SiS – multiple (Athlon, P3, and P4) VIA – ProSavage (Athlon, P3, and P4)

9. August 14, 20039 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Graphics Processors, Cards…: 2003 Upd (cont.) Video Cards - interfaces AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) 32-bits wide, parallel bus 266MHz (4X) or 533MHz (8X) Up to 2.1GB/sec transfer rate PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) 32-bits wide, parallel bus 33MHz 132MB/sec transfer rate

10. August 14, 200310 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Graphics Processors, Cards…: 2003 Upd (cont.) Video Cards – interfaces (continued) PCI Express (formerly 3GIO) - coming in 2004 Variable width, serial bus Not measured in MHz – uses Gb/sec/pin/direction Initially up to 2X transfer rate of AGP 8X

11. August 14, 200311 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Graphics Processors, Cards…: 2003 Upd (cont.) Video Cards - Primary Suppliers 3Dlabs – Oxygen and Wildcat series (workstation); Creative Labs (mainstream & gamer) coming? ASUSTeK (ASUS) – NVIDIA-based (mainstream & gamer) ATI – RADEON (mainstream & gamer) and FireGL (workstation); many “partners” for non-workstation cards Gigabyte – ATI-based (mainstream & gamer) Hercules – 3D Prophet series, ATI and KYRO-based (mainstream & gamer)

12. August 14, 200312 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Graphics Processors, Cards…: 2003 Upd (cont.) Video Cards - Primary Suppliers (continued) Leadtek - WinFast series, NVIDIA-based (mainstream, gamer) Matrox – Parhelia and Millennium series (mainstream, gamer, and professional) MicroStar (MSI) – NVIDIA-based (mainstream & gamer) PNY – NVIDIA GeForce and Quadro based (mainstream, gamer, and workstation) VideoLogic – Vivid! (KYRO-based, gamer) VisionTek – Xtasy, ATI-based (mainstream & gamer)

13. August 14, 200313 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Graphics Processors, Cards…: 2003 Upd (cont.) Video Cards – “L&G”, Mainstream & Gamer ATI (and “Partners”) RADEON 9800 Pro (256MB, DVI-I/VGA, TV-out) All-in-Wonder 9800 Pro (128MB, TV Tuner, video capture) Matrox Parhelia (256MB, dual DVI-I, TV-out, triple-display capable) NVIDIA (through multiple card manufacturers) GeForce FX 5900 Ultra (256MB, DVI-I/VGA, TV-out)

14. August 14, 200314 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Graphics Processors, Cards…: 2003 Upd (cont.) Video Cards – “L&G”, Workstation 3Dlabs Wildcat4 7210 (384MB, dual DVI-I, genlock & frame lock, AGP Pro 50, MSRP $2399) ATI FireGL X2-256 (256MB, dual DVI-I, AGP 8X, MSRP $999) PNY (NVIDIA) Quadro FX 3000G (256MB, dual DVI-I, genlock & frame lock, AGP 8X, MSRP $2899?) Benchmarks - www.specbench.org/gpc/opc.data/vp71/summary.html www.specbench.org/gpc/opc.data/vp71/summary.html

15. August 14, 200315 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Graphics Processors, Cards…: 2003 Upd (cont.) Monitors CRTs (cathode ray tubes) = standard “monitors” LCD (liquid crystal display) = flat panel monitors Analog (VGA – 15-pin, D-sub) Digital (DVI-D) Dual input (VGA and DVI-D)

16. August 14, 200316 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Graphics Processors, Cards…: 2003 Upd (cont.) CRT Monitors – Primary Suppliers AOC - mainstream Eizo – high-end mainstream & professional, expensive Hitachi – mainstream through professional Iiyama – mainstream through professional KDS – mainstream NEC-Mitsubishi – mainstream through professional Panasonic – mainstream

17. August 14, 200317 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Graphics Processors, Cards…: 2003 Upd (cont.) CRT Monitors – Primary Suppliers (continued) Philips – mainstream Samsung – mainstream Sony – mainstream through professional ViewSonic – mainstream through professional

18. August 14, 200318 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Graphics Processors, Cards…: 2003 Upd (cont.) LCD Displays – Primary Suppliers Eizo – mainstream analog & dual input KDS/Radius – mainstream analog NEC-Mitsubishi – mainstream analog & dual input Samsung – mainstream analog & dual input Sony – mainstream analog & dual input ViewSonic – mainstream analog & dual input NOTE: Virtually all CRT manufacturers also “produce” LCD displays.

19. August 14, 200319 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Hardware News Processors AMD released the Opteron Model 246 2-way-capable processor (2.0GHz) – simple line extension. Intel released a 3.06GHz Xeon processor w/ 1MB L3 cache – first non-MP model with L3 cache. The L3 cache is “inclusive”, i.e., the contents of the L2 cache are duplicated in L3. Core Logic (chipsets) ALi announced the M1683 Northbridge for Pentium 4 processors – supports 800MHz FSB, PC3200 (DDR 400, single channel) DDR SDRAM, and AGP 8X graphics.

20. August 14, 200320 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Hardware News (continued) Core Logic (chipsets) (continued) SiS announced the SiS755 “Northbridge” for AMD Opteron and Athlon 64 processors – supports AGP 8X. [Spec says Athlon 64, press release says Athlon 64 and Opteron.] VIA announced that the K8T400M (VT8385) “Northbridge” for AMD Opteron processors has been renamed the K8T800.

21. August 14, 200321 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Hardware News (continued) System RAM Rambus announced XDR DRAM for next-generation applications – up to 12.8GB/sec sustained data rate. Co- announced with Toshiba and Elpida who will start shipping chips in late 2004. Motherboards – nothing new Graphics Processors & Cards ATI announced the All-in-Wonder 9600 PRO – no spec available, presumably 128MB, AGP 8X. Mainstream version of All-in-Wonder 9800 PRO.

22. August 14, 200322 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Hardware News (continued) Graphics Processors & Cards (continued) ATI released the FireGL X2-256 and FireGL T2-128 workstation graphics cards. X2-256 (new top of the line) – based on FGL 9800 VPU, 256MB RAM, AGP 8X, MSRP $999 – SPEC Viewperf 7.1 leader for DX and Light. T2-128 (entry level) – based on FGL 9600 VPU, 128MB RAM, AGP 8X, MSRP $379. NVIDIA/PNY released the Quadro FX 3000 and 3000G workstation graphics cards. FX 3000 – 256MB RAM, AGP 8X, MSRP $2295; FX 3000G – adds genlock and frame lock to FX 3000 (first for NVIDIA), MSRP $2995. 256-bit mem; virtually no diff in SPEC Viewperf 7.1.

23. August 14, 200323 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Hardware News (continued) Hard Drives – nothing new Hard Drive Controllers – nothing new Other Drives ASUS announced a 52x32x52 CD-RW drive (CRW- 5232A) and a 4X/2.4X, dual-mode DVD writer (DRW- 0402P/D) - both internal, ATAPI. Lite-On announced the LDW-401S DVD writer – 4x4x12 (DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-ROM) x 40x24x40 (CD-R, CD- RW, CD-ROM); internal, ATAPI. Highest speed to date for DVD+RW and CD-R/RW/ROM in a single drive.

24. August 14, 200324 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Hardware News (continued) Other Drives (continued) Plextor released the PX-708A dual-mode DVD writer – internal, ATAPI. First drive to support 8X DVD+R/ 4X DVD+RW. Tied with Lite-On for fastest DVD+RW and CD functions (40x24x40). TDK released the DED+440 dual-mode, external DVD writer – USB 2.0 & 1394 interfaces. Toshiba released the SD-R5112 4X/2X “DVD Multi” drive – internal, ATAPI. Sound processors & cards – nothing new

25. August 14, 200325 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Hardware News (continued) Modems & NICs – nothing new Chassis & power supplies – nothing new

26. August 14, 200326 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Random Access

27. August 14, 200327 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Recap, Preview, and Close Recap Preview Featured Topic for September 11, 2003 – Sound Processors, Sound Cards, and Speakers: 2003 Update Close (please police up the area)