AMD turns up the heat with latest FirePro graphics cards

Sunnyvale, Calif. – AMD has taken aim at arch-rival NVidia, leveling its sights on CAD users and other 3D modelers. The company unveiled its latest generation of professional graphics cards — the AMD FirePro V5900 and V7900 — that more than double the performance of competitive chip sets in specific applications, the company says.

Based on the company’s 40nm die, the mid-range AMD FirePro V5900 features 512 stream processors, 2GB GDDR5 memory and can supports up to three monitors through two DisplayPort 1.2 and one dual link DVI output.

Also featuring 2GB of video RAM, the AMD FirePro V7900 supports up to four displays and packs in 1,280 stream processors. In addition, the card includes support for stereo 3D as well as an optional add-on for Genlock / Framelock.

Both cards feature AMD’s new PowerTune and GeometryBoost Technologies. While the V5900 and V7900 consume 75W and 150W respectively, PowerTune allows for dynamic GPU power management, allowing applications maximize clock optimization when needed but also power down when a workstation is idle. AMD describes GeometryBoost as “a unique hardware capability that processes two primitives per clock cycle.” The promise is that cards can handle large, complex CAD assemblies without creating a bottleneck.

Both AMD Graphics chips have received certification for a variety of Autodesk 2012 applications in addition to Ansys 13.0, Bentley Systems Microstation V8i, CEI EnSight 9.2.2b, CEI EnSight CFD 3.5, Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp.’s SolidWorks 2010 and 2011, ESRI ArcGIS 10, ESRI ArcGIS 9.3.1, and Side Effects Software Houdini 11.

The AMD FirePro V7900 starts at US$999 and the FirePro V5900 starting at US$599. Both cards are available from professional graphics retailers worldwide.
www.amd.com