ATI Mobility HD 3870 Coming in March

Expect to see the top chips when Montevina systems debut this summer.

Most manufacturers will start phasing out Santa Rosa systems starting mid April/early May.

It's not worth putting these in systems that are on their way out in 2 to 3 months.

 

Whoa really? Then I made a great move in waiting until August to buy a notebook because either I'll get one of the new systems and new chips or I'll get one of the Santa Rosa systems (Asus G2SG-A1) for very cheap?

 

April should be a great month for deals IMO.

 

I've never owned a modern Nvidia card in anything so I can't compare but the big problem Ati has is drivers. Their hardware is topnotch but their drivers just suck. I bought a 2600XT when it just came out (on the first card to have it) and it took MONTHS to get a decent driver. The new laptop I ordered has a Nvidia card (8600M) in it so I'll see if Nvidia has better driver support. I doubt the 3870 will even have XP drivers at all when it comes out.

 

What is it with ChileanHardware and all their early stuff? They aren't even Asian. It always makes me laugh seeing them get the drop on places like HKePC and Expreview, etc.

Anywhoo, I'm surprised to see the mobile X2, and really not a big fan, but I guess those AlienWare/DELLs, Falcons and VooDoos sell alot of cake.

I'd prefer a faster single VPU than the 3850X2, it'll be interesting to see how it does against a single 3870 and single 8800MGTX.

 

Nah, they both suck, especially in the mobile environment. Most users need to go to outside support for the best driver options because both ATi and nV offer mediocre mobile support shifting alot of the responsibility to the laptop mfrs.

Once you deal enough with both you realize they both have issues especially with new products, it just depends on where the particular one falls for you. This time around you'll get to see the other side of the fence, although buying a GF8600 at this time is buying a product with 9 months of time to work on drivers so won't really be the same.

Interesting read from ARStechnica about nV's driver woes in Vi$ta;
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/pos...t-paints-picture-of-buggy-nvidia-drivers.html

 

Actually since AMD acquired ATI, they now have good driver support for all the ODMs that use AMD/ATI.

http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx?p=xp/mobility-xp

 

Amazing isn't it? I don't know how they do it. But I have found the info gleaned off that site to be reliable. So I just go with the flow now and stopped wondering how. One of those, "if it ain't broke..."

Exactly. I'd rather have a single also. And for what I'm looking at, I'm pretty sure it'll be a single. (Referring to the HDX.) One thing though, I'm thinking that HP will still offer the 8800M GTS for a while to attract the Nvidia fans even though if they offer the Radeon Mobility 3870, it's is sure to be faster.

Since HP has lowered the price since the HDX's inception and offered the Nvidia kit, they've been selling very well. Well enough that the HDX get's top billing in the entertainment notebook section.

I'm expecting some Engadget or notebook Italia leaks of the new HDX around late May/early June.

One other thing, Dell will probably redesign their 20" XPS for Montevina. In that I'd expect the option of Radeon 38x0 x2.

 

Yeah however notice you need to have a Mfr whose on the list.

I have other sources for myself, but most people if they don't have a laptop from a mfr on that list (my old Gateway being one) then they're stuck with the mod-tool or Omega drivers. Same with nV where it's Laptop2Go for support, and a "hack this / insert that" solution.

If it were left up to Gateway I would still be rocking the Catalyst 5.2s that shipped with this thing (no updates for the bazillion game fixes, especially Oblivion), no update since launch.
http://support.gateway.com/support/...trol PanelRevision: 6.14.10.6512&uid=17153956
Seriously, how does outdated drivers equal good support, especially for laptops sold on their gaming ability?
I went with Fujitsu partly because I thought I wouldn't need to back-door my drivers anymore since they are on the official list, but for both AMD and nV the Vista situation is "talk to your OEM".

The driver situation has improved a tiny bit compared to when they had NO mobility driver updates (although that's pretty much returning with the way things are for Vista), but it's far FAR from where it should be and mobile users are still treated as second class citizens IMO, despite their ever growing numbers and larger percentage of the computing pie. I get better support from buying a 2 year old sub $50 X1300 or GF7300 desktop part than a new MHD3650 or GF8800M that cost $300-500 as an upgrade option, it's ridiculous!

 

Yep, I've learned they're pretty reliable, but they were one of the first to break the R600 info long before everyone else's NDAs broke, and I knew at the time they were correct because I knew some reviewers who had samples. I agree if it ain't broke, but it still makes me chuckle at how they must get their leaks.
It's almost like hearing that a site in Djibouti or BurkinoFaso has leak info on the G100/GT200, it'd make me wonder, how the heck they got the info first.

Lowered the price, uped the CPU and improved the Display, everything I was hoping for in the original release.
Just wish they would allow you to configure it without memory, and without and OS. I already have enough of both.

I sure hope so. It would be nice to know what to expect, the original HDX info so preceeded the launch that it was almost painful watching things get rolled back and hacked off of it.

Yeah, I don't know, I have a friend who got one of those for work, and their support was terrible for him (he had alot of minor issues that built up).

I was surprised they were still making it, it's definitely not as elegant as the HDX, but it is maybe a little more 'desktop designed' for a true purpose built situation. The X2 may be perfect for it and definitely an improvement over the X1800 it uses now, but I would be surprised if DELL invests any more time and effort into the M2010, other than maybe a complete overhaul with the new platform. And I'm not sure about this type of niche product when they are trying to focus on improving their core sales. I know it would take more than just a refresh of the guts to make me even consider the M2010, it really needs an overhaul IMO.

 

Not to mention the price dude.
The HDX just got a whole lot more attractive.

 

I really doubt Gateway would be on AMD's list for ODM's because Gateway is not an ODM, it's an OEM.

Gateway outsources to companies like Arima & Quanta for their notebooks...

Have you even tried using the driver AMD has on your gateway? It should work if your laptop is made by Arima, who is on AMD's list.

 

Look at this guys!

http://xtreview.com/addcomment-id-4838-view-intel-centrino-2-with-mobility-radeon-HD-3870-X2.html

Seems like the card is coming in june with the centrino platfrom..! And there's some specs too.. Are they similar as with the desktop card? That I was too lazy to check out but anyhow it's sure as **** coming and that's awesome news

 

You mean the 'new' Centrino platform.

 

Yet Alenware & Eurocomm are on that list, they aren't ODMs anymore that Gateway, they simply resell Clevo and Unwill rigs. Your comment doesn't even match their statement. There's only a few chassis builders out there, but that list specifically says " Notebook Manufacturers and System Integrators Supported" , so ODMs and OEMs.

Did you even bother looking at that page?
There is no direct link, they use they Very-Fuk-Eh-Shun tool, you need to run that first if you go that method, and no it doesn't work unless it detects the device ID for one of those listed.

Like I said I already have a direct link and I know the driver works, but I also know that their tool restricts downloading from the Gateway and to many others, and that still hasn't changed today.

 

Having spent two years in South America, I present my theory:

They're corrupt enuf to break their Non Disclosure Agreements, cus they can't be touched by foreign lawyers in court.

Just like you can bribe police(or military police) with a pack of cigarettes.

Also, my bet is you'd see the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 at Computex 2008 in Asus's prototypes.

 

HD3870 is becoming a myth fast

 

Its easy to make claims on paper, I have owned a lot of ATI products in the past and some of them were really good. But that does not mean that I will necessarily believe everything they tell me.

Like the dopes on some news sites that say the 3870 X2 will pwn all because of 640 stream processors. Who cares how many widgets they stuff in a chip? ATI's extra stream processors have not amounted to much in this generation.

Nvidia is riding a cash cow right now in the 86/8800 and 96/9800. But they have something much better waiting in the wings that is pretty close to finished and which they can release when they need to.

Its hard to see anything changing soon on the high end. I don't even know if that is important to ATI anymore.

 

I would not worry too much about the new stuff - get a good deal on Santa Rosa. Especially if you are getting a notebook with dedicated graphics.

Nehalem is where things will get really interesting. Whatever you buy now, it will pale in comparison to to Quad core Nehalems with integrated 3 channel memory controllers connected to DDR3 on a 2 GHz bus. And the Nvidia GT200 based video chip that is probably twice as powerful as an 8800m will be nice too.

So might as well get something cheap this round and start saving for next summer.

 

16.6k in 3dmark06 at 2560x1600?
Imagine Quad-SLI at 1280x1024

 

256-bit cards in a 15.4" laptop is good enough for me, I was really just holding out for that . Although GT200 is probably going to be amazing.

 

In that case you should be spoiled for choices over the next couple of months.

 

Of course it`s going to be amazing. I don`t think there ever was a new generation that was worse than the previous one.
I just wished ATI would get in the game so that general prices would drop due to competition in the high end sector.
So much for 3870 in March.

 

Definately. Would like to see performance comparisons , but also comparisons of the amount of batterytime you are able to get out of your lappy equipped with these, and heat.

 

In battery mode, you should use ATi HD3200 instead, heat is more appropriate.

 

I totally forgot about this thread.
And lookie here, 3870 is still not out and it`s July

 

Am I crazy? "ATi Mobile Viper Radeon 3870HD 512MB DDR3 XTREME GPU" - PCMW Edge....

Isn't this the same card?

 

It's the same.
Just not released yet.

 

PCMW always put some sh itty words after the graphic cards like XTREME.. lol

 

this 3870 kept forcing me to buy laptop. Hope it get release soon.
Trying to get 15.4inch notebook with power of 8800 gts
but no luck finding such notebook.
If 3870 keep up with 8800m series I'm surely first one to order one.

btw even if 3870 perform faster or par to 8800m, will amd cpu keep up with intel cpu? 6mb cache is kinda hard to keep up with amd's 1mb cache.
hate x3100!

 

Although I am a longtime fan of AMD, their processors have absolutely no chance against Intel. What they seem to be focusing on, is the cheap up-to-$500-800 notebooks. They have been doing relatively well there, and if not for always being mated to a REALLY SUCKY gfx card, would have done better.

You hearing me HP? Get with the freaking PROGRAM!

T

 

Geez wut the heck is wrong with amd? Their puma line was utter dissapointment and I been awaiting the 3850 and 3870 series for ages and still no sign of them releasing it anytime soon. While moteniva launched a week ago, and nvdida is starting pump out their 9600m gt series and on. Sometimes, i think amd wants to loose and fail.

 

The mobile HD 3870 is already available for pre-order in the Clevo M860TU. ETA is late August.

 

when it arrives in august, it will be already destroyed by nvidia's next lineup.. it should have been released with 8800GTX .

 

How the hell is Puma an utter disapointment?
Its barely even in stores!
Montevia..a week ago?!?!? WTH? It was released just a few days ago.
I suggest you go research yourself befotre posting useless crap.

 

Get with the times. Nvidia's stock has lost over 1/3 of its value over the past two months. They recently announced that some G84/G86 cores had defects in them that caused overheating, upsetting tons of users. They are getting spanked by the HD4800 series in the desktop department and in the notebook department there are more notebooks with the HD36XX than the 9600GT simply because it has a smaller manufacturing process, supports DX10.1, is cheaper, and performs competitively. Finally, the puma platform is not an utter disapointment...just look at the d5z review posted in the reviews section.

 

Nvidia lost the desktop battle this time, but i dont think it lost the war honestly. Nvidia won all the other previous rounds

 

Of course Nvidia hasn't lost the war, it's never-ending! Let's hope so at least... the battles help consumers like us.

 

i hope i can put that HD3780 in my notebook... sometimes SLI stuff can be a hassle.

 

Would you really want to pay a few hundred dollars to upgrade SLI 7950GTX to a single card? What would you even do with the 7950s after you upgrade?

 

if this single card performs slightly less than an 8800gtx, that is, greater than the 8800gts but less than the 8800gtx, then i'm turning my sli cards into one card, eliminating SLI problems, thus, having the ability to run games not optimized for sli well. if it works on par with the 8800gtx, then i'm going to be a happy camper+1. also, the only dx10 card that works is the 8700m which is limited because it's 128bit. so, to answer your question, yes i would invest a little more into the notebook to prolong the life of the notebook. i'm not looking to get a new one as college, my car, and trying to find an apartment consume most of my money. well, i guess gas and food are the constant spenders though...

i could sell my cards, but i'd most likely keep them.

 

If the games support SLI, the second card only kicks in at higher resolutions.

 

i like playing my games at 1920 x 1200

 

That's exactly where SLI shines