PC Hardware Thread

[ALPHA17]

OP updated with AMD Mantle and source(s) acknowledged.

[piper]

OP updated with AMD Mantle and source(s) acknowledged.

 

Good job.

[kemosabe]

 

Good job.

 

shall I copy paste the mantle thread content here to maintain the continuity

[ALPHA17]

Good job.

 

shall I copy paste the mantle thread content here to maintain the continuity

 

By all means, Sire. =]

[IshmaelIsBack]

$499 for the R290X would be sooo f**king juicy. But looks like it's all set for $550.

[Razpor]

$499 for the R290X would be sooo f**king juicy. But looks like it's all set for $550.

more like 599$

[kemosabe]

AMD’s ‘Mantle’ API #Low-Level High-Performance Console-Style Graphics API for PC

 

Taking cue from the realm of game console development, AMD has announced a new game development model called ‘Mantle’ at the GPU14 Tech Day event in Hawaii. Using a collaboration of both API specifications and GPU drivers, Mantle will provide developers the platform to extract a higher degree of utilization from the existing GCN architecture as well as the GCN 2.0 architecture of the new Radeon series, via low-level high-performance drivers.

Battlefield 4 will be the first title to make use of Mantle, although it will not be available at the time of the game’s launch. The technology will be implemented through a free update in December. Mantle offers more control of the GPU and CPU to game developers, allowing games to extract the maximum potential of AMD GPUs. The concept behind this model is similar to what is found on console game development, where developers have a significant amount of control over the hardware.

The Frostbite 3 engine, developed by EA subsidiary DICE, will supposedly render natively with Mantle in Windows without the need for DirectX when running on GCN-based GPUs and APUs, but the engine will still be compatible with other rendering APIs. Johan Andersson from DICE indicated that AMD's API is similar to the one found on consoles where developers have direct access to the hardware for optimal performance. Mantle is also compatible with DirectX HLSL to simplify porting.

Will Mantle become another case of the Glide API? 3DFX created that API back in the mid-90s so that developers like id Software would have direct access to the Voodoo GPUs. Once additional GPUs became common on the market, OpenGL became the favorite until Microsoft beefed up the relationship between Windows and DirectX. Now smartphones and tablets have reignited OpenGL support, developers want to shun DirectX, and AMD is producing an exclusive API. However, this time around, this GPU spread isn't locked to mere gaming PCs.

"AMD’s approach to providing a consistent gaming experience on the PC, in the living room or over the cloud — all powered by AMD Radeon graphics found in AMD graphics cards and accelerated processing units (APUs). The four pillars of the Unified Gaming Strategy — console, cloud, content and client — come together with the introduction of Mantle," the company said.

There's talk that Mantle is open-source, meaning Nvidia could add support to GeForce GPUs. But given the company's recent collaboration with Valve and Linux, Nvidia may be more inclined to focus on better supporting OpenGL (just a guess). Regardless, additional information regarding Mantle will be released at the AMD Developer Summit, APU13, taking place Nov. 11-13 in San Jose, California, and we will likely be there, but without the hula skirts.

SOURCE

SOURCE 2

ANANDTECH

Rumor: AMD’s Mantle API is a direct copy of Xbox One’s low level API

Anandtech speculates that AMD’s new Mantle API might be a direct copy of Xbox One’s low level Graphics API. Even though AMD hasn’t confirmed it yet, all the signs point to this being true. Anandtech speculates that AMD might be confident of this because their Mantle API is a direct copy of Xbox One’s Graphics API allowing developers to directly port their games from Xbox One to PC. Since Mantle can use Direct3D high level shader language, Xbox One’s shader will be already coded in the first place so there is not much work involved in porting them to PC....

Digital Foundry issues the exact opposite statement. According to Digital Foundry, the Mantle API appears to have much in common with PS4′s GNM API. Digital Foundry also says that their is a promise of 9x increase in draw calls from CPU, which are expensive to process but can benefit greatly from this API on PC. AMD can perhaps clarify whether Anandtech is correct or Digital Foundry

 

 

- source

Edited September 26, 2013 by Sweet Poison

[kemosabe]

Raptr & AMD launch Gaming Evolved app to rival GeForce Experience

 

At AMD's GPU14 Tech Day event in Hawaii, the company announced a partnership with Raptr to bring a new application designed specifically for game setting optimization. Similar to Nvidia's GeForce Experience announced last year, AMD's Gaming Evolved application will analyze your setup and download information from the cloud so you're running games at the optimal settings.

 

 

source

[Razpor]

[SRINI87]

On a SIngle R 290 x @ 5760x1080

Edited September 28, 2013 by SRINI87

[ALPHA17]

On a SIngle R 290 x @ 5760x1080

 

Was already present in the OP, shall update with this one.

HANDs ON.

 

Added to OP

Edited September 28, 2013 by ALPHA17

[piper]

So what's the estimate, when will reviews/benchmarks be out, considering preorders start next week?

[ALPHA17]

So what's the estimate, when will reviews/benchmarks be out, considering preorders start next week?

 

Keep an eye out second week of October onwards.

[IshmaelIsBack]

So , $600 confirmed I guess. i was expecting around $500-550 since the R280X is $300 but w/e. Will make a decision considering VFM after Tom's / AnandT get their test benches out , on whether it's this or the sub $650 HD7990.

[Sach4life]

So,is rx270 gonna provide better performance then gtx 760?

[ALPHA17]

So,is rx270 gonna provide better performance then gtx 760?

 

Yes the R9-270X should be performing in the GTX670 / HD7950 / GTX760 range.

 

The R9-270 should be performing ~GTX660Ti / HD7870 range.

 

Wait and watch is the mantra if you aren't in a hurry to purchase.

[Sach4life]

I would be making my purchase in december. Lets see ehat the price would be and how ghe performance would be.

[Sach4life]

I would be making my purchase in december. Lets see ehat the price would be and how the performance would be.

[Razpor]

So,is rx270 gonna provide better performance then gtx 760?

it looks unlikely,from the specs r9 270x is based on tahiti le,so its a rebadged hd 7950 only with 256 bit-2gb memory,down from 7950's 384 bit ,it would likely be an an performance equal to gtx 760 or a little better,nothing too drastic.

Edited September 28, 2013 by Razpor

[Jagz]

Definitely getting a R280X as soon as its out.. How much would it cost us here?