ATI to Develop multi-GHz Consumer Processors?

[oD1Nz]

Graphics and consumer electronics chip designer ATI announced its entrance into a technology licensing agreement with Austin, Texas-based Intrinsity, a company which develops designing tools for multi-GHz microprocessors. The Markham, Ontario-based chip designer said it was licensing Intrinsity’s Fast14 Technology for use in future consumer products.

Fast14 Technology incorporates a patented logic family and a set of proprietary design methodologies and tools that automate the creation of multi-GHz digital logic. Fast14 Technology is used in the development of Intrinsity’s award-winning FastMATH family of processors.

In case Fast14 Technology allows to develop processors with 4 times higher clock-rate compared to what ATI offers now, this may become a benefit for the company, as fast core-speeds may compensate lower number of transistors and grant ATI a benefit in product costs.

Link: http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/mmedia/display/20040206082442.html.

Wow. End of the line for nVIDIA?

 

[Sprafa]

phht.
Nvidia will probably get it too...or something even better....

 

[TrueWeltall]

I want one of those graphics card when it comes out *drool*

 

[NYHoustonman]

Of course, things will eventually get that fast. My guess is NVidia gets there first, which means nothing seeing as ATI's cards have been much better clock-for-clock.

 

[oD1Nz]

Of course, things will eventually get that fast. My guess is NVidia gets there first, which means nothing seeing as ATI's cards have been much better clock-for-clock.

Woohoo, AMD and Intel all over again... :dozey:...

 

[Habibapotamus]

Since ATI stresses that the technology is to be used for consumer electronics products that are not as complex as visual processing units nowadays, it is very likely that ATI’s processors for consumer electronics devices will pack more capabilities that require additional computing power while ensuring high-performance and low price in future.

Currently ATI sells various chips designed for consumer electronics, such as, PDAs, mobile phones, digital TV sets as well as some multimedia offerings.

I think that means its not for its graphics cards.