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[artist]

And when I called Pitcairn for next-gen, people said cooling it would be impossible. Well, here you go, AMD has managed to get the Pitcairn on single slot AND with passive cooling.

AMD Radeon Sky 500:
(Pitcairn) - Full 7870 chip downclocked only 50MHz (950MHz)

AMD Radeon Sky 900:
(Dual Tahiti) - (Not exactly a 7990 since it's based on the downclocked 7950, still a mGPU card with a decent size die and passive cooling is impressive)

In regards to the Cloud gaming;

From the official page;

AMD Radeon SKY Series

AMD Radeon™ Sky Series are capable of supporting up to six HD game streams at once*.

*Test conducted at AMD measuring the ability of a Colfax CX 1250-N4 1U rack mount server with Ciinow Cumulus Cloud Services version 2.0 running on an AMD Opteron™ 6380 16 core Server processor with one AMD Radeon Sky Series model 700, 32GB RAM, video driver 12.10.17.1 to stream to games simultaneously. At 60 fps and 720p resolution, 3 streams were achieved; at 30fps and 720p, 6 streams were achieved. 3 games: LEGO® Batman™, Harry Potter™ Years 1-4, and Devil May Cry; 6 games: Trine, LEGO® Batman™, LEGO® Harry Potter™ Years 1-4 and Years 507, Far Cry 3, CardBoard Castle. FP-77

AMD RapidFire Technology (Dat secret sauce!)

“Secret sauce” is an elusive quality that makes something distinctive or special. It's hard to put your finger on, but you know it when you see it. When it comes to AMD Radeon™ Sky series graphics for cloud gaming, our secret sauce is AMD RapidFire technology.

AMD RapidFire technology is a combination of hardware and software that enables cloud gaming partners to benefit from an open API that simplifies the manipulation of key hardware controls to provide HD visual quality, minimal latency and optimal network bandwidth resulting in a compelling and responsive gaming experience from any device over the internet. In line with AMD’s commitment to industry standard APIs, like OpenCL™, DirectX® and OpenGL, an industry standard API for cloud gaming can help to align the industry around one platform and drive continued innovations that benefit the industry at large.

With AMD RapidFire technology, AMD is also building in support for direct access to AMD Radeon™ Sky GPUs from virtual machines created by leading hypervisors including VMware® ESX/ESXi and Citrix XenServer™, providing greater density and more simultaneous game streams from a single server.

I know Nvidia was Gaikai's partner and is likely providing them with their GRID products. Looking at the K2 (GTX690 or dual GTX680), it's listed as capable of 4 simultaneous 720 30fps streams.

So 4 streams on the K2 versus 6 streams on the Sky 700. It's obvious that the Sky 700 is going to be MUCH cheaper.

Could Sony be possible contemplating moving to the AMD for Gaikai as well? (Provided performance hit/benefit isnt significantly different)

 

[Binabik15]

That's one huge ass heat sink.

Should be great for people with htpcs.

 

[R3TRODYCE]

Amd are impressing me lately.

 

[dragonelite]

inbe4 $2000 price..

 

[Triple U]

BF4 was apparently ran using the 7990.

 

[Angelus Errare]

Yea...I totally wouldn't trust that for any prolonged gaming sessions.

 

[artist]

inbe4 $2000 price..

You should look at how much Nvidia is selling theirs for ..

 

[RoboPlato]

This would be an awesome cooling solution for next gen consoles if it can go into them in time. Maybe it'll even allow them to up the core clocks.

 

[Josh7289]

Why is passive cooling considered necessary or desirable for this kind of game streaming?

 

[RibbedHero]

Why is passive cooling considered necessary or desirable for this kind of game streaming?

Most server blades are passively cooled iirc.

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

Why is passive cooling considered necessary or desirable for this kind of game streaming?

fans make noise. You don't want that in your tv/game room.

edit: guess these aren't for home use. I still want one.

 

[Ty4on]

Passive cooler? I'm pretty sure that's just a heatsink for a server with fans already in place just like these cards.

Or a regular blower card with the fan removed as you can see space for the fans in the last two cards just like you would when watching a blower cooler with the fan and plastic removed.
Those cards would also overheat in 1 second in a regular case and 2 seconds in a vertical case. This is a passive 680, we're talking just 200W TDP.

 

[BlastProcessing]

Yea...I totally wouldn't trust that for any prolonged gaming sessions.

These things are intended to be used in servers so they had better be suited for prolonged sessions.

Why is passive cooling considered necessary or desirable for this kind of game streaming?

Because when you pack a bunch of cards together in a server, individual fans are not optimal. A bunch of fans are just going to fight each other and create turbulance. Also more moving parts=more possible points of failure. Better to use heatsinks and fewer larger fans to move air.

 

[Josh7289]

Because when you pack a bunch of cards together in a server, individual fans are not optimal. A bunch of fans are just going to fight each other and create turbulance. Also more moving parts=more possible points of failure. Better to use heatsinks and fewer larger fans to move air.

Thanks.

So these aren't really intended for the end consumer, are they?

 

[Ty4on]

The AMD Firepro S7000 looks just like the Sky 500. The manual has this to say about cooling:

Airflow
Considerations
10 CFM measured from the heatsink outlet fins is required for adequate cooling.
Anything lower can result in damaging the card.

It's not a passively cooled card, but rather cards designed for servers with fans blowing cool air over the heatsinks.

 

[Dead Prince]

only 6 GDDR5?

 

[Hrothgar]

We are nearing the 8GB GDDR5 guys!

(I assume the 700 is also a dual GPU?)

 

[derFeef]

The 700 has 6GB for one GPU? Nuts.

 

[Angelus Errare]

These things are intended to be used in servers so they had better be suited for prolonged sessions.

I completely disconnected server from the cards for some reason, I though AMD was marketing these to consumers. I'm slow.

The 700 has 6GB for one GPU? Nuts.

It's a dual GPU part, it's really 3GBx2

 

[Persona86]

only 6 GDDR5?

PS4 Wins! ;P

 

[artist]

We are nearing the 8GB GDDR5 guys!

(I assume the 700 is also a dual GPU?)

The 700 has 6GB for one GPU? Nuts.

It's a dual GPU part, it's really 3GBx2

700 is single GPU - Tahiti Pro or a downclocked 7950.

 

[Ty4on]

We are nearing the 8GB GDDR5 guys!

(I assume the 700 is also a dual GPU?)

Nah, it's a single GPU version of the 900. Both use the Tahiti PRO core as seen in the 7950 regarding stream processors.

 

[artist]

Also of note is that AMD will provide both the CPU as well as the GPU for their Cloud gaming solution where as Nvidia's (already pricey) solution will be needing expensive Intel processors ..

 

[derFeef]

AMD makes all the right moves lately. Hope it works out for them (and they bring good CPU's once).

 

[Angelus Errare]

Jesus christ my reading comprehension has gone to shit in this thread.

 

[alf717]

They look pretty cool.

 

[Shai-Tan]

One of the reasons you can do it is server rooms are cool whereas regular desktop cards have to assume a much wider temperature variation.

 

[Mudkips]

Can't wait for the 2 cent bump in AMD stock price tomorrow morning!

 

[Refreshment.01]

For the layman. How, what? WHy aren't we getting this coolers?

 

[Ty4on]

For the layman. How, what? WHy aren't we getting this coolers?

It's for cloud gaming, servers in other words.

 

[nampad]

Wow at that Sky 900 heatsink. The card looks like a JRPG weapon.
So now we just need Microsoft to announce something and then everyone is doing game streaming.

 

[Rolf NB]

That's one huge ass heat sink.

Should be great for people with htpcs.

Put a full-depth 19" rack under your TV yo.

 

[Refreshment.01]

It's for cloud gaming, servers in other words.

I understand for what are they for. But man, a passive cooled 7950, some of that tech should crossover to desktops. Btw, any news at all of what these guys want to do with the 8000 series? This space go boring the last few years.

 

[Rolf NB]

I understand for what are they for. But man, a passive cooled 7950, some of that tech should crossover to desktops. Btw, any news at all of what these guys want to do with the 8000 series? This space go boring the last few years.

It's not passively cooled. It needs airflow. The server case will have to provide that airflow.

 

[Mudkips]

I understand for what are they for. But man, a passive cooled 7950, some of that tech should crossover to desktops. Btw, any news at all of what these guys want to do with the 8000 series? This space go boring the last few years.

It's not passively cooled. The server chassis has fans.

 

[Ol No Bones]

I would not be surprised if the ps4 or Xbox had some support for cloud based gaming. Eventually we will never need to upgrade.

 

[Wynnebeck]

Why do they look so ugly?

 

[DieH@rd]

Why do they look so ugly?

Because nobody is gonna look at them. They will be inserted into these beasts and connected to ~100Gbit-10Tbit network connections.

 

[Demon Ice]

Oh ok so these are NOT for consumers to buy and put into their own PCs at home. I've never even heard of cloud gaming before, has this been going on for some time? Is this what that OnLive thing was about?

 

[DonMigs85]

One of these plus a good CPU and fast system RAM may actually be enough to survive the entire next-gen console cycle
Oh wait, they're meant for servers and targeting up to 6 clients at a time...

 

[i-Lo]

Imagine:

The year is 2018. A great many number of people have access to broadband and bandwidth cap is no longer a big issue in most parts around the world. Given the existing install base of broadband users Sony takes a gamble of converting PS4 into a PS5 (much like PSV will mirror PS4) via their own cloud service Gaikai. The install base for PS4 already would be at a high number by then and all that will be left to buy are control sensors/peripherals.

I could imagine AMD's tech being used to create hordes of servers.

 

[DieH@rd]

One of these plus a good CPU and fast system RAM may actually be enough to survive the entire next-gen console cycle
Oh wait, they're meant for servers and targeting up to 6 clients at a time...

4-5Tflops card with access to 4-6GB of stacked ram will be enough. That will come in 2015.

 

[Refreshment.01]

It's not passively cooled. It needs airflow. The server case will have to provide that airflow.

It's not passively cooled. The server chassis has fans.

Thanks for the correction gentleman. (^_^)/

 

[DonMigs85]

I'll miss the days of having a monstrous PC or console in the house.
And what if aliens come and sever our communications? No more cloud gaming

 

[Mudkips]

I'll miss the days of having a monstrous PC or console in the house.
And what if aliens come and sever our communications? No more cloud gaming

Unless someone violates the laws of physics, a local GPU is always going to be the smart choice.

 

[drexplora]

I dont get why people are yearning for PC GPU's with 8GB of memory onboard.
Today most of that would go unused by developers, its too far past the lowest common denominator (dont forget the ps360)..
I also dont get the notion of PC's supposedly having to "catch up" to the PS4 in that regard..Its like saying 3Ghz intel=3Ghz amd..
People also think 8GB of GDDR5 in the PS4 will go unused..it's too much!!

The PS4 and it's architecture doesn't really apply much to current day gaming machines.
For one, none of us plan on sticking with our current HW for the next 7-10 years.
The PS4 also has a unified memory system so its GDDR5 will be used by its GPU and CPU.
Most of us with PC's have a dedicated pool of lower bandwidth/latency RAM for the CPU, and an additional pool of higher bandwidth/latency RAM for the GPU.
You could probably get away with 4GB of video ram and 8GB of system ram to keep up with the PS4 just fine, stricly RAM-talkin!
Having 8GB GDDR5 dedicated to the GPU and another 8-16GB of DDR3 dedicated to the CPU would totally outdo the PS4's memory capabilities.