Well ATI sure kept us waiting, but it will finally be introduced this month, the R520 architecture, the successor to the X800 family of graphics cards and a contender for the 3D graphics throne. But why wait for that introduction when you can have a sneak peak today? Normally we would?ve adhered to ATI?s NDA and published results the moment it expired. However this time around ATI decided to just not bother with us as they made it very clear that we did not make the cut, as we have written some articles about CrossFire, R520 and ATI?s financial situation that were apparently not appreciated. Hence we?ve not been briefed by ATI, nor did we sign an NDA, or have been invited to the launch event, so basically they decided to cut us off.

Unfortunately for ATI we have other sources to get detailed information from, for example the board partners that will be manufacturing and selling the majority of these new graphics cards. Obviously because we?re not bound by any NDA or other agreement with ATI we?ve worked hard to get you some benchmark results prior to the launch which is scheduled for the end of this month. To ATI we?d like to comment that it is a two-way street really, we?d like to be briefed about your products and have early access to them, if that requirement is met we will have no issues with signing and adhering to NDAs. By cutting us off however we?ve just been given a new incentive to work harder to break the news when we get a chance, in our usual no holds barred fashion.

Hardware Analysis